Curious what type of up keep is done on your tractor and farm trucks. Do you only add distilled water or tap water, flush systems or just drain, any cleaning additives, what type of coolant? Just realizing that I should be more pro-active on maintanence, I have all old tractors and trucks. Thanks for any advice.
- Thread starter hayray
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glennster
Well-known Member
i use distilled water to mix the a/f. keeps all the extra minerals and such out of the cooling system. you can get a rad flush product from any auto parts place, just follow the directions. rich, aka (old) used plain old white vinegar to flush. i tried it and it works really well. use what ever a/f is recommended by your manufacturer. the old stuff can use plain old green a/f.
i would change coolant every couple of years. coolant gets depleted of additives over time. i have never seen any one use distilled water even though that is the correct way to do it, and iv"e worked in auto shops for 45 years. can"t say i"ve seen a real problem because of it. now a lot of new cars and trucks use the orange coolant which is acid base, and no nitrites. but if they are older i would use gold, or extended life coolant which has nitrites suited for older diesels and cars. the new ford diesel says orange and absolutly no nitrites.
6 tractors, 2 dozers, 3 trucks, and one each skidloader and backhoe. Some of them have been here since they rolled off the assembly line in the 70s' Cooling system gets checked every winter for freeze point, anti cavatation additive added when the oil is changed, and drained and refilled with fresh when the system is opened, usually for a water pump, which may be once a decade or so. Other than that, they are what they are. The only problem I've ever had was on a parent bored block before I came to appreciate the anti cav additive.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
Demin or distilled water. At 3 to 5 years the ethylene glycol is flushed and non toxic propylene glycol is used.
Anybody adding tap water to a cooling system either doesn't have a clue or doesn't care.
Anybody adding tap water to a cooling system either doesn't have a clue or doesn't care.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I just bought some premixed stuff that the German Army uses (surplus) that is mixed with distilled water.
I've been just adding tap water because I was always loosing coolant until these folks told me not to fill it so full :roll:
Now I'm happy. I also have suit in my system and a slight oil (?) film (not foam). I get the motor warm/hot and drop in a dishwasher tab (NOT DISHWASHING LIQUID) and run/work an hour or so. Drain, flush out with fresh water a couple minutes and have a system you could drink out of.
Dave
Something I always wanted to know and don't seem to find an answer is what is the shelf life of antifreeze ? and if it is in an engine that just sits and doesn't run so it doesn't get heat and cool cycles will it still last as long ?
Had some in a tractor since 1978. Drained it out a few years back tested it added some wixcool additive. Still looked as good as new so I strained it and put it back in.
Had some in a tractor since 1978. Drained it out a few years back tested it added some wixcool additive. Still looked as good as new so I strained it and put it back in.
showcrop
Well-known Member
I have never heard of antifreeze GETTING acidic. In my part of the country we have a lot of acidic water so it is important to test for it as well as hardness, and use premix if conditions indicate. I also have never heard of acid "settling out" unless of course you're trying to mix it with oil.
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