Wixcool 24056
- Thread starter Ridger
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I had tk look it up. Appears to be one of many Supplemental Coolant Additives (SCA). These are usually used to replenish depleted additives and extend the service life of conventional coolant.
Since Kubota specifies a extended life coolant and regular scheduled changes it serves no purpose. Adding it to fresh coolant may actually do harm by upsetting a carefully balanced additive oackage.
Dan
Since Kubota specifies a extended life coolant and regular scheduled changes it serves no purpose. Adding it to fresh coolant may actually do harm by upsetting a carefully balanced additive oackage.
Dan
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I'm sure its just a cavitation inhibitor like NAPA Cool.
Cavitation inhibitors are recommended for all the older diesels that used the green coolant. I didn't know anything about it....till one day my ancient John Deere 2020 dumped all its coolant into the crankcase. Cavitation ate right through one of the cylinder walls. Guy who rebuilt the engine gave me a jug of the stuff and told me to periodically add it to the coolant to prevent it happening again. Since then I've learned that some of the older (7.3) Ford Powerstrokes also had to have it added to the coolant. There are test strips you use to determine if you've added the proper amount.
My understanding is that newer diesels that used like the yellow or orange coolant have the cavitation inhibitors already added - but that's why you need to change coolant periodically, to make sure there's fresh cavitation inhibitor in the cooling system.
Cavitation inhibitors are recommended for all the older diesels that used the green coolant. I didn't know anything about it....till one day my ancient John Deere 2020 dumped all its coolant into the crankcase. Cavitation ate right through one of the cylinder walls. Guy who rebuilt the engine gave me a jug of the stuff and told me to periodically add it to the coolant to prevent it happening again. Since then I've learned that some of the older (7.3) Ford Powerstrokes also had to have it added to the coolant. There are test strips you use to determine if you've added the proper amount.
My understanding is that newer diesels that used like the yellow or orange coolant have the cavitation inhibitors already added - but that's why you need to change coolant periodically, to make sure there's fresh cavitation inhibitor in the cooling system.
As far as I'm aware the 7.3L Power Stroke engine in my '02 F-250 isn't a "wet sleeve" engine, but cavitation erosion is a known cause of failure in the 7.3s if the cooling system isn't properly maintained.
Are you saying that only wet sleeve engines can experience cavitation erosion? There are more than a few 7.3 owners who have had to get the blocked sleeved due to pinholes in the cylinder walls from cavitation erosion. From what I've read, the later 6.0 and 6.4 can experience cavitation erosion too.
My approach is to replace the coolant in the Kubotas at least every two years and more often if necessary, and to use ELCs from NAPA, Kubota or whomever.
Kubota makes an ELC or extended lift coolant. If that's what you used, and you change it at least every two years as the manual states, you should have nothing to worry about. It's the lack of maintenance that causes issues more than anything. Clean the radiator regularly, make sure the radiator is full, and replace the coolant at least every two years and you'll most likely never have an overheating issue that some seem to experience here.
I am not an expert but as far as I know cylinder wall erosion from cavitation is only a problem on wet sleeve engines. The cavitation is caused my the sleeves vibrating and forming voids in the coolant that then collapse and "explode" creating pits in the metal. Nitrites are used to create a sacrificial coating on the walls that protects the underlying metal. SCAs are used to replenish the nitrites as they are consumed over time.
As for the Fords I imagine there are other causes for cylinder wall erosion - e.g plain old corrosion.
In any event Kubota specifies a nitrite free long life coolant and scheduled replacement. I would not screw around with thst chemistry by adding SCAs thst address s problem Kubota does not think exists. Many OEMs have adopted a similar chemistry including wet sleeve engines.
Dan
EDIT
A quick online search quickly found this. I cannot comment on the reliability of the source. I am sure more authoritative sources can be found with a little work
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When I bought my first 7.3L in 2002 it was all the rage on the forums back then to add SCAs to the coolant and for the reasons stated i.e. to provide a hard coating to surfaces that were wetted by coolant in order to resist the forces of the bubbles collapsing that were forming in the low pressure region in coolant passageways near the cylinders. It was a big deal with reports of major damage and costs incurred if the cooling system was neglected.
I agree that following Kubota's recommendation is the way to go and I wouldn't add anything but ELC to the cooling system. That said, I was curious if you had data regarding non-sleeved diesel engines. My interest isn't purely out of curiosity since I have a 7.3L F-250, 6.7L F-450 and three Kubota diesels and keeping them running well for many years to come is my intention.
My "data" consists of personal reasearch that finds a plethora of articles focused on cylindercwall cavitation on skeeved engines but no mention of cavitation outside of sleeved engines. I find that telling but far from authoritative.
Cavitation is a documented problem in lots of other areas - water pumps in particular. Thats not limited to diesel engines and coolant OEMs have tweaked additive chemistry in many ways to address those problems. Every ELC sold contains anti-cavitation additive chemistry in one form or another and the label on the jug usually touts it.
I am not managing a massive fleet and trying to squeeze pennies out of my coolant costs. I feel no need to test and replenish coolants with SCAs to extend their service life. I simply change the coolant in a timely manner.
Dan