Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/340589
24 Service Bay type of maintenance, Goodheart says. "I'm actually really disturbed by 'set it and forget it' because it creates the impression you can 'set it and neglect it' and that's not true," says Turcotte. "There's no free lunch. Some people think extended life coolant means no maintenance and it doesn't; it means minimal maintenance." Adds Dilley, "One of the worst things you can do is think 'I'm not going to check it. It's supposed to last me X amount of time.' It doesn't matter what coolant you have or what the [OEM recommended] service interval is, if you don't follow those instructions you put the vehicle at risk." Once additive levels in coolant begin to fade "things can go bad quick," says Turcotte. And when a truck needs more addi- tives or coolant, the suppliers are unani- mous that it's best to refi ll the system with the current coolant and inhibitor/ extender. Coolants don't blend well when mixed. Adding extended life coolant to conventional coolant or vice versa can lead to disastrous results. "The inhibitor packages and additives for all of these coolants operate differ- ently," says Goodheart. "One half plus one half doesn't always equal one." Adds Turcotte: "It's like mixing tomato soup with chicken soup. It isn't very good and it doesn't go together very well. You only want one." And water also should be added care- fully, adds Doiron. "Topping off with bad water will lead to dilution and possible damage to the corrosion inhibitors in the coolant system, which will lead to deposits, fl ow restriction, corrosion and ultimately to coolant system failure," he says. The suppliers cite 15 percent contami- nation as a safe operational barrier, and recommend fl ushing a cooling system if more than 15 percent of two coolants are present. "I think one of the biggest problems we face [in educating the industry] is the non-educated technician or driver who thinks that coolant is just coolant and puts in whatever he can fi nd," says Granger. Snyder says that's far and away the bigger factor in the 40 percent service number associated with coolants. Com- promised coolant increases the risk of liner cavitation, corrosion, leaking and overheating. "When that driver pulls over and buys a gallon for top off purposes, what he adds really does make a difference," Snyder says. "It is hard to maintain [a] truck or fl eet if you do not have a good handle on what type of coolant is being used," says Doiron. T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E | J u l y 2 0 1 4 When topping off a cooling system, it's important to use the same coolant as is already in the system. Mixing coolants will reduce performance. It's like mixing tomato soup with chicken soup. It isn't very good and it doesn't go together very well. You only want one. – David Turcotte, technical director for engine coolants at Valvoline, on mixing different coolant types.