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Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Yahoo Message Number: 2391
Hi Folks,

On hot days with summit elevations reaching 8000 feet and the coolant temperature reaching as high as 217 deg F, the coolant reservoir (Allure 32 foot ISC 330 hp) expels about 1 -2 quarts of liquid which currently goes via the overflow hose to a 1 gal container strapped to the cross beam. When the coolant temperature cools, it appears that the 2 foot vertical rise back to the coolant reservoir is too high for suction to pull the coolant back into the reservoir.
Knowing that only Cummins 'Compleat' brand of antifreeze can be used with the molybdate and nitrite additives to prevent the wet cylinder sleeves from cavitation, it is important that no antifreeze be lost. Use of any other antifreeze can invalidate the Cummins 5 year engine warranty. Periodic replacement of the coolant filter with the DCA additives is also very important to maintain the additive concentrations. To help prevent from losing this special antifreeze, a 1 gal metal gas can was fitted with two ? inch copper pipes acid soldered into the cap. As shown in the attached photo the 1 gal can was slipped into the area above the coolant reservoir on its side and secured with plastic tie wraps. Now the expelled liquid easily empties back into the reservoir without any loss from this added container. The cap has the upper ? inch pipe vented to atmosphere via a short rubber hose with a loop in it. The lower ? inch pipe is curved slightly downward on the inside and a plastic hose attached to it so the hose rests on the bottom of the can and the outside end is attached to the overflow hose with a reducer.
Fred Kovol

Yahoo! Health - Feel better, live better http://health.yahoo.com

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2447
Fred....

The Cummins manual says that coolant meeting certain specs.... I guess the same specs as the Compleat... is allowed. Have you heard of any problems with folks using other brands?

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438
Member: CCI, FMCA
Dick May
2002 Intrigue, #11438, towing a
2014 Jeep Gr Cherokee ecoDiesel

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2453
Hi Dick,

The coolant with the two additives in my memo is dyed blue. When you see green colored coolant in the round window of the reservoir, beware that the lack of additives in green coolant are harming the engine.
If your color is green, indicating that a gal or more have been added of auto type coolant, then the coolant should be replaced. Read the Cummins engine manual for details.
Fred Kovol

--- MayMR maymr@...> wrote:

Quote
Fred....

The Cummins manual says that coolant meeting certain > specs.... I guess the

same specs as the Compleat... is allowed. Have you > heard of any problems

with folks using other brands?

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438
Member: CCI, FMCA

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2459
I'm on my third CC and all three have had the green coolant when delevered from the factory.

Walt Rothermel
2003Allure30811

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2462
Hi Walt,

It appears we haven't gotton to the bottom of this issue. I will do more research. Where have you purchased antifreeze with the molybdate and nitrile additives in the past?
Fred Kovol

--- Spiker1029@... wrote:

Quote
I'm on my third CC and all three have had the green > coolant when delevered
from the factory.

Walt Rothermel
2003Allure30811
HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs http://www.hotjobs.com

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2467
Thanks for the info, Fred.
Dick May
2002 Intrigue, #11438, towing a
2014 Jeep Gr Cherokee ecoDiesel

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2468
Now I'm REALLY confused! (and a little color blind) Now what?

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438
Member: CCI, FMCA
Dick May
2002 Intrigue, #11438, towing a
2014 Jeep Gr Cherokee ecoDiesel

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2469
Oddly enough, I've nevr had to add anti-freeze. A couple of times it got a little under the sight glass and I added a little water.

Walt Rothermel

2003Allure30811

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2472
Hi Dick,

It is important to replace the coolant at the prescribed intervals, blue coolant 'Compleat'from Cummmins is the safest approach. Also it is important to check the additives strength periodically with a swatch and color table purchased from the Cummins dealer. The DCA level must be kept within a band for the additives strength. A DCA coolant filter which looks like a auto oil filter is located in front of the Cummins oil filter and should be changed when the oil is changed at a minimum. I use a filter with 4 DCA units but every engine may need a different replacement strength.
Fred Kovol

--- MayMR maymr@...> wrote:

Quote
Now I'm REALLY confused! (and a little color blind) > Now what?

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438
Member: CCI, FMCA

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2476
Fred,

This coolant thing in diesels is new to me. What is DCA?

Thanks............Steve.........Intrigue #10673

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2478
Hi Steve,

The DCA units are covered in the Cummins engine manual. They are the monybdate and nitrile additives to the propyl based coolant which lubricate the wet cylinder sleves to prevent pitting and premature failure. The additives cannot be too strong or weak.
The blue color is quite evident when you siphon out about a pint of the coolant from the reservoir. If the coolant is green, then it becomes suspect as green coolant is associated with car antifreeze which is normally ethelene based with inproper additives.
Orange coolant is also not useable.
Fred Kovol

--- rheavn ssfarms1@...> wrote:

Quote
Fred,

This coolant thing in diesels is new to me. What > is DCA?

Thanks............Steve.........Intrigue #10673 >
HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs http://www.hotjobs.com

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2483
Quote from: kovol

Hi Dick,

The coolant with the two additives in my memo is dyed > blue. When you see green colored coolant in the round > window of the reservoir, beware that the lack of > additives in green coolant are harming the engine.
If your color is green, indicating that a gal or more > have been added of auto type coolant, then the coolant > should be replaced. Read the Cummins engine manual > for details.
Fred Kovol

Fred,

I would like to shed some additional light on the coolant question. I agree that Cummins Compleat propylene glycol is a good antifreeze and recommended by Cummins and should be considered when replacing existing antifreeze. However, there might be some misunderstanding about other types.

First, the color of the antifreeze does not make any difference. The Cummins Compleat comes in both ethelyne and propylene forms. One is blue the other is green. More importantly, any good quality low- silica antifreexe may be used. This can be obtained at any truck parts house. The anifreeze should meet TMC RP 329 Or TMC RP330 specifications. To make it even clearer, both forms of antifreeze can be mixed. As an example, you can use Cummins Compleat propylene to top off either propylene or ethelyne glycol. The important thing as you mentioned is to make sure the DCA (Diesel Coolant Additive) level is correct. Any Cummins dealer can check this quickly or you can do it yourself by obtaining the test strips from Cummins. The major advantage of the propylene glycol based antifreeze is it is least harmful to the environment and is a so called lifetime coolant. Hope this helps.

Denny F Coach # 10938 Intrigue

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2516
Thanks for the insight, Fred. My engine now has Compleat (blue).... and a new DCA4 filter. Cummins (tech support line) told me that either color is ok but the guy I talked to said he preferred the blue. A service manager at one of the Cummins shops told me that the two could be mixed. Another Cummins shop told me that they MUST not be mixed. So I had the system drained, flushed and filled with blue. They make it so easy to do the right thing, don't they?

Oh, well........ it used to be so simple when all you had was one choice and add some water. Any way... thanks again for the info.

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438
Member: CCI, FMCA
Dick May
2002 Intrigue, #11438, towing a
2014 Jeep Gr Cherokee ecoDiesel

Re: Addition of Auxiliary Coolant Tank

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 2519
Hi Dick,

It pays to follow the book. So simple and you have peace of mind! I use the litmus swab regularly to check strength.
Fred Kovol

--- MayMR maymr@...> wrote:

Quote
Thanks for the insight, Fred. My engine now has > Compleat (blue).... and a

new DCA4 filter. Cummins (tech support line) told > me that either color is

ok but the guy I talked to said he preferred the > blue. A service manager at

one of the Cummins shops told me that the two could > be mixed. Another

Cummins shop told me that they MUST not be mixed. So > I had the system

drained, flushed and filled with blue. They make it > so easy to do the right
thing, don't they?

Oh, well........ it used to be so simple when all > you had was one choice and

add some water. Any way... thanks again for the > info.

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438
Member: CCI, FMCA