i heard that were (as diesel owners) are supposed to check are anti freeze for acid or some thing like that . also heard about bubbles along the cylinder walls and a additive for this ? ford owner was telling me but ive never heard about itso i thought id better ask!

 

Yes Diesels do generate acid in the anti freeze, go to your local Diesel dealer or Diesel high performance shop and ask them for the pint of anti acid for they anti freeze, your diesel generates corrosion in the block and radiator if this additive is not added. I have two diesels and additive is in both, I get the additive from my local performance shop & repair shop (Rapid Diesel, Rapid City SD).

 

is there a test kit or just add to it

 

I have been on this board for almost 2 years daily....and I have never heard of this. I don't recall reading it in the owner's manual either. Are you sure this a Cummins Diesel thing too??

 

its absolutely an every diesel thing......its called cavitation. it attacks the major thrust surface of the liner on the coolant side. Basically little bubbles form and collapse instantainiously against the major thrust side of the liner everytime the piston passes by on a power stroke. it badly pits any metal surface that the bubble implodes on. leads to engine failure if not dealt with.

Coolant conditioners prevent this from happening.

 

Ok thanks for the info!! Where do you get this conditioner? What is a good brand to get? Do I need to go flush my radiator and put in fresh antifreeze? My truck is 2.5 years old....I haven't touched the cooling system because the owner's manual said 100,000 miles and/or (4 or 5 not sure which) years before it needed servicing. No mention of a "conditioner".

 

ELC's have conditioners built in. that why you get paper test strips to monitor your coolant, separate from the strength tester. you know once or twice a year thats all. every diesel engine manufacturer has their own additive. and if you put a spin on coolant filter on your truck, the filters are imbedded with condtioner, thats the primary reason you change coolant filter, not that it doesn't get "dirty" but to keep medicating the coolant.

 

Our engines are not a LINER engine.Mainly affected older Ford diesels.Never have ever heard/read of cavitation affecting these Cummins engines used in these trucks.

 

Cummins will tell you its NOT required for our trucks! Thats info for a Ford.

 

I understand that cavitation affects all diesels, whether its a wet liner or parent block engine. explain to me how cavitation affects one and not the other.

And what does Ford have to do with anything, they don't manufacture any diesel engines. Cat, Cummins, Detroit, all offer ELCs with conditioners.

 

From what I've read(many years now)that the pitting of cylinder walls(liners)affects mainly engines with LINERS not a BORED block.I use to sell reman engines and the Ford,Navastar WHATEVER was the main engine that had that issue.Was told engines with LINERS where affected and that you would hardly ever(almost NEVER)see it in bored cylinder blocks.This was told to me by the reman comany and shops that were calling and pricing/buying remans. I have NEVER seen a ruined Cummins in our trucks because of this issue or read about one on a forum in oh 10 years or there abouts.If it happens its very rare on these engines.

 

I guess the right question to ask would be "will it hurt anything if I use it?". If there are no detrimental effects to using the additive at least you won't be causing a problem.

I have yet to hear anything on cavitation issues with the Cummins engines. My understanding is the same as stated above; cavitation affects engines with liners or sleeves. Cavitation shows up to some degree in all engines, diesel and gas alike.

 

Well we're really not on the same page then because the navistars in the Fords are NOT LINER engines either.


Cavitation failure isn't common in any engine. Only the neglected and poorly maintained ones.

Now you really think the 6BT is only in a Dodge.........theres FAR more in the field as gensets, and equipment and busses than there is in the Dodge fleet. You don't think these other folks don't test the coolant and run conditioner.

 

Well the older Fords with a V8 diesel got ate up because of cavitation.Sold a buch of remans because of this issue and some of the remans had the issue from the get go.

 

So them the theory of cavitation in a liner only engine is kind of out the window then 'eh?


coolant conditioner in any diesel engine will not hurt it in the correct proportions. it will protect it, whether Cummins or DC or whoever says its not nessicary. That why you cannot run automotive coolant in a diesel engine. what makes the ISB in the bluebird bus really any different than one in a dodge. except maybe the air compressor and different power ratings. but you would never put anything but HD diesel coolant in a bus. and most every one that I've had the misfortune of working on has a spin on coolant filter.

Time for a Cliche----whats good for the Goose outta be good for the Gander.