maintenance | by Tom Jackson
TJackson@randallreilly.com
ELC
Making the switch to
Extended Life Coolants
requires new
shop protocols
W
hen it comes to
extended life coolants (ELCs), the
news is all good.
They're more expensive than
conventional coolants, but last
for 500,000 miles or better in
trucks and 6,000 hours or more
in off-road equipment. And
ELCs don't plate out a mineral
coating on the inside of your
cooling system, so the heat exchange process is more efficient
and water pump wear is greatly
reduced.
ELCs are also backward compatible to any age
or vintage of truck or equipment, and they deliver exceptionally good returns on investment
in trucks or equipment that operate in severe
conditions, high dust areas or have high idle
time, says Jeff Snyder, industrial brand specialist,
Chevron Products.
But remember, some people can screw up
an anvil.
"With conventional coolants, the system was
checked at every service interval," says Snyder.
"A lot of times with extended life coolants they
fail to do that because they see that word 'extended' in there."
The lesson here is you don't have to change
ELCs nearly as often, but you should keep an
eye on your cooling systems regardless of what
type of coolant you use, for reasons unrelated to
the coolant itself.
The best coolant in the world won't save you
any money if you neglect your cooling system
or don't follow the manufacturer's recommended procedures. So make sure everybody in your
shop and your drivers and operators and the
people in your supply and inventory positions
know what's going on and why. Here are the
steps you need to take to ensure success:
EquipmentWorld.com | November 2013 47
