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Channging Antifreeze Question

Yahoo Message Number: 30257
I have an 02 CC Allure with ISC 350hp Cummins. My mechanic is having trouble draining all 25 gals of coolant. He can only get about 12 gals out. Called CC and they said to pressurize the coolant tank and it would open up thermostat and drain. That brings up another question, How are you going to get all 25 gals back into system if you have to pressurize it.

How are you doing this? Help would be appreciated.
Doug Hines

Re: Channging Antifreeze Question

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30299
It will be interesting to see the response to this. I am going to try and do mine for the first time myself and would like to hear how some have approached it. I was thinking about pulling the thermostat and then draining the system through radiator and removal of heater hose connection. Everything should gravity drain at that point.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511

Quote from: ccallure2002

> I have an 02 CC Allure with ISC 350hp Cummins. My mechanic is having > trouble draining all 25 gals of coolant. He can only get about 12

gals

Re: Channging Antifreeze Question

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30303
Here's one procedure for a CAT I once found on RV.net. This procedure does not specifically pertain to a CC, but I think it is accurate and will work. I have not done this yet.

Larry, 03 Allure #30856

"With the engine cold, pull off the lower radiator hose. Capture the old coolant for recycling (I use an old Rubbermade tub). Close and fill cooling system with tap water. Put dash heater on full hot.
Start and run engine until operating temp is achieved plus 10 minutes to circulate the coolant. Let cool and drain. Repeat until what you drain is clear.

For the last flush, use distilled water. You can NEVER drain the whole system with all the hoses to the front of the coach, dash heater core, etc. The residual you leave in the cooling system should be distilled water. Now add the correct number of gallons (exactly 50% of the total system capacity) of the CORRECT (low silicate antifreeze that meets Cat specs that are in your owner's manual-- NOT regular Prestone).

You will need to calculate the correct initial dose of SCA. It can be added as a liquid or coolant "filter" if you have one or BOTH.

Now, top off with distilled water.

Note: Cat recommends replacing the thermostat every few years. With the coolant drained, it is an easy job, and you are likely due.

While you are back there, make sure to lube the grease zirk on the upper idler/fan bearing-- one small squirt of grease. Do NOT overgrease or you will blow the seal.

Also check all hose clamps for tightness.

You are good for another 2-3 years with routine checking/adding of the SCA's.

It does take time, but is VERY low tech-- and you will have done it correctly. It is close to impossible to pay someone to do it the correct way.

I do NOT recommend changing from one "type" of coolant to another-- it is just too hard to get all of the old coolant out of all the lines and permanent (like ELC) and regular low silicate antifreeze are NOT mixable. "

Quote from: Jim Hughes
It will be interesting to see the response to this. I am going to

try

Quote
and do mine for the first time myself and would like to hear how

some

Quote
have approached it. I was thinking about pulling the thermostat

and

Quote
then draining the system through radiator and removal of heater

hose

Quote
connection. Everything should gravity drain at that point.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511

[quote author=ccallure2002"

>

> I have an 02 CC Allure with ISC 350hp Cummins. My mechanic is

having

Quote
trouble draining all 25 gals of coolant. He can only get about

12

Quote
gals

> out. Called CC and they said to pressurize the coolant tank and

it

Quote
would open up thermostat and drain. That brings up another

question,

Quote
How are you going to get all 25 gals back into system if you

have to

Re: Channging Antifreeze Question

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30304
Also add this to my previous message: (I got this from the RV.net forum, same source)

Larry 03 Allure #30856

"I STRONGLY recommend against pre-mix, whether you stick with regular low-silicate or go with an ELC.

It is just NOT possible to get a 50/50 mixture of coolant and water with pre-mix IN A DP because of the several gallons that will remain in the heater core, many yards of hoses, etc.

If for example you have an 18 gallon system capacity, I would bet you will have about 3 gallons "residual" after complete draining. 15 gallons of pre-mix and 3 gallons of distilled water (see my method above) IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT."

Quote from: Larry Feather
>

Here's one procedure for a CAT I once found on RV.net. This > procedure does not specifically pertain to a CC, but I think it is > accurate and will work. I have not done this yet.

Larry, 03 Allure #30856

"With the engine cold, pull off the lower radiator hose. Capture

the

Quote
old coolant for recycling (I use an old Rubbermade tub). Close and > fill cooling system with tap water. Put dash heater on full hot.
Start and run engine until operating temp is achieved plus 10 > minutes to circulate the coolant. Let cool and drain. Repeat until > what you drain is clear.

For the last flush, use distilled water. You can NEVER drain the > whole system with all the hoses to the front of the coach, dash > heater core, etc. The residual you leave in the cooling system > should be distilled water. Now add the correct number of gallons > (exactly 50% of the total system capacity) of the CORRECT (low > silicate antifreeze that meets Cat specs that are in your owner's > manual-- NOT regular Prestone).

You will need to calculate the correct initial dose of SCA. It can > be added as a liquid or coolant "filter" if you have one or BOTH.

Now, top off with distilled water.

Note: Cat recommends replacing the thermostat every few years.

With

Quote
the coolant drained, it is an easy job, and you are likely due.

While you are back there, make sure to lube the grease zirk on the > upper idler/fan bearing-- one small squirt of grease. Do NOT > overgrease or you will blow the seal.

Also check all hose clamps for tightness.

You are good for another 2-3 years with routine checking/adding of > the SCA's.

It does take time, but is VERY low tech-- and you will have done

it

Quote
correctly. It is close to impossible to pay someone to do it the > correct way.
> I do NOT recommend changing from one "type" of coolant to another--

it is just too hard to get all of the old coolant out of all the > lines and permanent (like ELC) and regular low silicate antifreeze > are NOT mixable. "

[quote author=Jim Hughes"

>

> It will be interesting to see the response to this. I am going

to

Quote
try

> and do mine for the first time myself and would like to hear how > some

> have approached it. I was thinking about pulling the thermostat > and

> then draining the system through radiator and removal of heater > hose

> connection. Everything should gravity drain at that point.
>

> Jim Hughes

> 2000 Allure #30511
>
>

[quote author=ccallure2002"
>]
> >

> > I have an 02 CC Allure with ISC 350hp Cummins. My mechanic is > having

> > trouble draining all 25 gals of coolant. He can only get about > 12
> gals

> > out. Called CC and they said to pressurize the coolant tank

and

Re: Channging Antifreeze Question

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30305
Would adding grey water from your grey water tank work? Grin! I talked to a guy at Buddy Gregg in Knoxville who put his grey water into his radiator in order to limp back to Knoxville when the radiator in his new Monaco Executive went out on him in Tennessee. Yep, same radiator that CC used at the time. He said, in good spirits, that he had found a new, inexpensive method of flushing radiators!

R. D. Vanderslice
Rockwall, Texas
06 Allure 31294

Re: Channging Antifreeze Question

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30306
Thanks for the input Larry. You are correct in that you cannot trust someone else in doing it correctly. From experience, Cummins Coach Care does not even come close in doing it correctly. I watched one Cummins technician service SOB diesel pusher and all he did was drain the radiator, changed the SCA filter and added some SCA additive to the coolant. All together the tech maybe added 3 gallons of antifreeze/coolant and topped to all off with tap water. I was getting an oil change and chassis lube at the time. I bet the owner was charged for a complete cooling system service. I decided then, I was not going to let them touch my cooling system.
From looking at the coolant system diagrams, I am assuming the heater system will gravity drain if I open up the diverter valve in the heat system up front. I am not sure if the valve is mechanically, vaccuum or electrically controlled. I will have to take a look before I get into it.

Again, any and all comments/suggestions welcome.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511

Re: Channging Antifreeze Question

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30307
How dose one typically recycle the antifreeze and flushing fluids? Thanks
Russ

05 Intrigue
11883
 

Re: Channging Antifreeze Question

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 30309
Russ,

I have found two places here in Memphis for recycling antifreeze. Autozone has a tank for recycling antifreeze and a chemical company that sells antifreeze also recycles it.

I would call Autozone and see it they take it where you are located. If they don't, they may know where to take it.

The old green antifreeze (ethylene glycol base) is very toxic and one of the worst pollutants for the water table. Make sure it gets recycled.

The new blue antifreeze (propylene glycol) is more environmentally friendly but I still make sure mine is recycled.

Kevin

05Intrigue

--- Russ Glines russg@...> wrote:

Quote
How dose one typically recycle the antifreeze and > flushing fluids?

Thanks

Russ

05 Intrigue

11883

_____
> From: Jim Hughes [mailto:kc4fws@...] > Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:43 PM > To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com > Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: Channging > Antifreeze Question

Thanks for the input Larry. You are correct in that > you cannot trust

someone else in doing it correctly. From experience, > Cummins Coach

Care does not even come close in doing it correctly.
I watched one

Cummins technician service SOB diesel pusher and all > he did was drain

the radiator, changed the SCA filter and added some > SCA additive to

the coolant. All together the tech maybe added 3 > gallons of

antifreeze/coolant and topped to all off with tap > water. I was

getting an oil change and chassis lube at the time.
I bet the owner

was charged for a complete cooling system service. I > decided then, I

was not going to let them touch my cooling system.

From looking at the coolant system diagrams, I am > assuming the heater

system will gravity drain if I open up the diverter > valve in the heat

system up front. I am not sure if the valve is > mechanically, vaccuum

or electrically controlled. I will have to take a > look before I get
into it.

Again, any and all comments/suggestions welcome.

Jim Hughes

2000 Allure #30511
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