egh33 wrote: Thanks for all the info.
Sorry I didn't make the information complete. It is a 2006 Class A Winnebago Adventure 8.1 Vortec, Workhorse chassis. The AntiFreeze that was and still is in it that pink Dexx-Cool R134a.
My heat gauge never went past normal at any time.
No, you are confusing engine coolant (Dex Cool) with A/C refrigerant (R134a). They are two totally different systems.
And coolant DOES have a suggested change schedule. As it gets older, it will show no symptoms until you find the radiator clogged.
You can go to the website for whatever coolant you are using and it should state the change interval.
And, if coolant is in good shape when it is changed, no need to use a cleaner-- just flush and fill with 50/50 coolant.
Brett
* This post was
edited 07/11/12 09:41am by wolfe10 *
Keep in mind you have two different issues here that may or many not be related. 2 year on green and 5 year on the newer Dexcool class of coolants is the normal change age.
Flush to me does NOT involve more than a water hose. I will drain the block on tractors, etc with a drain valve in the block that is in my face. I do not drain the blocks on engines with plugs that require a wrench. Not stating this is correct.
Blocks that have the antifreeze drained every 2/5 years per OEM manuals DO NOT crude up or rust up. Healthy antifreeze prevents that (Except in the early DexCool days in engines without sealed over flow tanks).
I do use the Prestone type cleaner (NOT the 10 minute flush) but that which is to be ran for up to 6 hours of normal driving especially if this is the first antifreeze change that I have done on a used vehicle.
Keep in MIND any cleaner use can cause a old clogged radiator to start leaking. That is fine with me if it is a keeper. Just drain and flush with water then go back with 50/50 ratio should be enough for a well maintained cooling system.
I will drain/fill a couple times with well water (my source is on the acid side that gives a bit of cleaning) for a couple cycles before draining and adding the cleaner for 6 hours of usage. This is especially if this is my first service of a vehicle with unknown service history. After draining the cleaner fill I repeat 3x with fresh water then drain out all I can. With most all of our engines that gives me a 50/50 mix.
If not sure how much drains out/stays in the block I will drain down and refill using a gallon jug and count how much it takes to refill from that point.
If on a 22 quart coolant system it takes 2 gallons of water to top off (after all the air works out) I then just drain down and add 2 gallons of pure (not the 50/50 rip off) antifreeze. That is a little strong but I know in a pinch I can add up some water only and still be protected.
If I had an over heating issue I would look at a 70% water ratio because water removes heat faster than antifreeze but this mix will still protect coolant parts to a degree.
Being a farm boy we ran pure water in the summer in most stuff after loosing our antifreeze due to only adding water. Yes there were times when pond water was used.
Any engine that does not have the coolant changed per the manual is an ABUSED engine period. It is the lost of the chemicals that protect the system from non freezing damage that goes away over time. Larger engines often require testing of the chemical levels and the coolant can be "recharged". Again antifreeze will keep protecting from freezing like forever but the metal protecting chemicals do NOT.
Again just follow the manual. Engines with 'wet' sleeves can be less forgiving of coolant abuse than our Ford/Chevy big blocks.
* This post was
edited 07/11/12 10:02am by Gale Hawkins *
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