I was reading a thread on a fishing board where a guy with a '99 7.3PSD was having a problem that they think is a problem with cavitation.

Basicly people were taking guesses @ what might be the problem, but there were suggestion there saying that diesels need to have the coolent tested ever 15K miles and additives added as needed.

Are any of you testing/adding additives to keep the coolant from getting corrosive? Also how often are you doing this or changing the coolant?

BTW, a guy there recommanded a coolant from Chevron/Texeco for diesels.

Thanks.

 

I don't know how much truth there is in this but, I have heard that you should knot use the "red" coolant because of that problem. Just my .02

 

If I remember seeing right, mine came w/ the "red stuff" from the factory...

 

31,000 miles and I never added crap. I was going to change the coolany out but I read somewhere that it's good until 60 or 75 or 100 k miles. Not really sure, but would like some info on what maint to conduct on this issue. Any coolant experts out there?

 

The 7.3 is a LINER(pressed in cyly liners) engine that has that problem.The 5.9 is NOT a liner engine(bored) and does NOT have that problem.Two entirely differant designs.

 

These questions about coolant bring back some old memories. I used to work in a shop that rebuilt Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and they had a problem come up as to the new kind of coolants being used. Merlins are also sleeve type engines. Sleeves surrounded in coolant within a skirt assm. I'll see what came of that.

 

The Ford V8 diesels(6.9/7.3) have always had this issue.Don't think the 6.0 does(one of the FEW issues they DON"T have

 

now my question is... I will have 100k miles on my truck in about a years time. Should I do anything or just keep runnin?? I don't see how coolant could go bad in a year. But I don't know...

 

Anyone know why sleeved motors have this problem? It doesn't make sense to me because the way the thread went, somehow, the corrosion puts holes in the pistons or something.

BTW, now I'm with underwoodtransp; is there anything I need to do like check the antifreeze and add any additive as a preventative?

Thanks.

 

From my brief powerstroke days - liners are relatively thin and surrounded by coolant. Coolant boils at any hot spots which pits the outside edge of the liner. Over time these pits can actually form holes in the liner and then the engine is done. Ford/International require an additive to help prevent this which has to be tested/adjusted periodically. Another problem is that if you have too much of the additive it is bad for the water pump.

I REALLY like my Cummins!