Coolant... after the fact

[Butch]

I changed all the fluids in the B2410. Replaced the mid PTO seal along with one axle seal... no more seeps!

This is where I need some opinions.

I also replaced the engine coolant with Valvoline Zerex g-05. as recommended for diesels. Instead of using the 50/50 method I went with 70/30 mixture guide. I did it not so much for the lower freezing point however I kind of liked the idea of the higher boiling point. My rationale was if the engine would ever overheat (which it has never done thus far} the higher boiling point would help protect pressure build up if it did until I could take measures to reduce the temperature on the gauge.

Given the lack of coolant specifications on the Kubota engine I went with the Zerex g-05. Did I screw up?

 

[Roadworthy]

My L2501 specifies an ethylene glycol based antifreeze. I can't tell what your user manual specifies. You may wish to check. As far as 70/30 as opposed to 50/50 it's a trade off. Water transfers heat better than ethylene glycol. Your greater concern is damaging the engine due to overheating not so much worrying about boiling. Your pressure cap raises the boiling point quite a bit, too.

 

[Bulldog]

I believe the Zerex will be fine. I use the same red elc in my tractors that I use in my diesel truck. Main thing I look for is make sure it's silica free.

 

[rjcorazza]

I have used Zerex G05 in my last 2 Kubota tractors, and ZD mowers. Almost all coolants are ethylene glycol based, including Zerex G05. The far distant second is propylene glycol based coolants, which are less toxic.
I personally would stick with the 50% concentration, as heat transfer will be better than 70/30.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[SidecarFlip]

Every owners manual (and Shop Manual) for every Kubota I've owned (at least 10 now) plainly stated conventional (green) antifreeze in a 50-50 mix with a change evert 2 years, which I stick to. I use Zerex 50-50 pre mix.

The higher the concentration of anti-freeze solution, the lower the heat transfer rate. I like the pre mix because they use distilled water and anti freeze so no minerals in the coolant.

The M's are a PITA to change coolant in, as there is no drain plug in the Rad. You have to remove the lower Rad hose to drain the system.

I flush mine with distilled water 2 times before I recharge with 50-50 Zerex.

 

[SDT]

Every owners manual (and Shop Manual) for every Kubota I've owned (at least 10 now) plainly stated conventional (green) antifreeze in a 50-50 mix with a change evert 2 years, which I stick to. I use Zerex 50-50 pre mix.

The higher the concentration of anti-freeze solution, the lower the heat transfer rate. I like the pre mix because they use distilled water and anti freeze so no minerals in the coolant.

The M's are a PITA to change coolant in, as there is no drain plug in the Rad. You have to remove the lower Rad hose to drain the system.

I flush mine with distilled water 2 times before I recharge with 50-50 Zerex.

Interesting comment about distilled water.

I have used only distilled water (from Krogers or Wal-Mart) and full strength antifreeze in cooling systems for 30+ years.

When the 50/50 pre-mixed anti freeze hit the market I inspected multiple bottles for any mention of distilled water but to this day I still have seen no such claims. My suspicion is that the manufacturers simply use tap water.

Are you sure that distilled water is used in pre-mix and where might I find documentation.

SDT

 

[SidecarFlip]

Inquired with the manufacturer and was told either de-ionized water or distilled water/ That is Zerex. Not sure about the others as I only checked with them. I'm reall funny about calcium deposits in my rad on my vehicles and tractors. Rads are insanely expensive today ( like everything else).

 

[dlundblad]

Zerex G05 is an excellent well rounded long life coolant. It is the factory coolant for older Chrysler and Ford products too. You did good.

In a newer machine, I***8217;d probably use Kubota coolant though.

You might try doing the opposite water to coolant ratio for better cooling later on.

 

[Pau7220]

Zerex G-05 is a HOAT (Hybrid Organic Acid Technology) anti-freeze. It does not play well with others. It's been discussed before.

Read posts 12 & 13
https://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42547&page=2

Then check this out....
http://knowhow.napaonline.com/what-is-hoat-coolant-4-things-you-need-to-know/

 

[Butch]

Thanks for all the input! I checked with two dealers who said it would be just fine... with one exception. They both agreed with you all on the 70-30 concentration ... readjust it to 50-50. That is what I am going to do ...

Just for grins and giggles here is what was indicated for the Zerex g-05.


This item contains a bittering agent. Valvoline ZEREX G-05 antifreeze coolant is a long life, fully formulated, ethylene glycol-based fluid suitable for passenger cars, light trucks and heavy duty vehicles. The formulation is designed for both gasoline and diesel engines. Its lower-silicate, reduced pH, phosphate free European technology protects all cooling system metals, including aluminum, from corrosion. ZEREX G-05 is a nitrite containing coolant designed to protect diesel engine cylinder liners from cavitation. It contains deposit control additives for protection from hard water deposits and scale. The ASTM and other test data shown on this sheet reflect the high performance corrosion inhibitor package. When diluted 50% with water, ZEREX G-05 protects modern engine components from winter freezing and summer boil over. A 50% to 70% concentration range is suggested for optimum corrosion protection. ZEREX G-05 is compatible with other premium brands of coolant commonly available. It contains a high quality defoamer system and will not harm hoses, plastics or original vehicle finishes. It is also suitable for use in Cummins Deere, Detroit Diesel, Mercedes, MTU, CAT, Navistar, Isuzu and Yanmar diesel engines. ZEREX G-05 is approved by Ford North America for newer models. Call 1-800- TEAM-VAL with questions. ZEREX G-05 antifreeze coolant is approved, meets or exceeds the performance requirements of the following antifreeze specifications and/or is recommended: ASTM D3306 Cummins 14603 Approved ASTM D6210 GM 1899M GM 1825M MTU / DDC Approved Mercedes Benz Approved Perkins Diesel CAT EC-1 Mack Paccar TMC of ATA RP-329B Federal Specification A-A-870A Chrysler MS 9769 Approved Ford WSS-M97B51-A1 Approved Detroit Diesel 7SE298 Approved John Deere & Co. Approved GE Wind Turbines Approved Navistar.

 

[beex]

I looked into this topic once before too. Found out it’s more complicated that I thought. For my bx, I thought since it’s diesel I should get the antifreeze designed for diesel. So did that, poured it in, found out it was red colored. At first I thought the color was just food coloring. Then thought about it, gas color means something, maybe antifreeze color means something too. Turns out it does. Red and green and yellow antifreeze means they are different chemicals and different chemicals processes. And you definitely shouldn’t mix and you should stick with the type the manufacturer designed it to have. I also found out that even with one color there are types. Toyota green is not the same as Honda green. So Prestone makes green stuff for Honda/Nissan, European, Toyota .. and Generic. Since the bx came with green, ran back to the store bought 6 bottles of green and flushed out the system 6 times in one hour to make sure I got all the red stuff out. I had to wait for the store to open back up, so the red stuff was in for about 8 hours, don’t think it did any damage.

Kubota uses green, I recommend you don’t put red or yellow in. And since they done give any info on which green to used, buy the most generic green you can.

 

[beex]

Oh and don’t ask the guy at the auto zone counter buy, that moron doesn’t know anything, that’s how I ended up with the red stuff in the first place.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

beex,
If you drained it completely and flushed it, the red wouldn't have done anything negative to the system at all.
The red just as components in it to eliminate cavitation in wet sleeved engines, which is not the case with kubota engines that either have no sleeves or are dry sleeved.

Now mixing red and green, well then who knows, but for the brief time you had it in there nothing happened because of the coolant.

 

[rjcorazza]

Coolant selection can rapidly become a quagmire of confusion. The safe answer is always to go with manufacturer specifications, though Kubota does a poor job of this in any of my past or present owner's manuals.
The other safe advice is don't mix different coolant types, and don't rely on the color of coolant to determine it's properties.

All that said, a 2 year standard green (IAT) interval does not work for me. There are plenty of OAT and HOAT coolants that are perfectly compatible with my equipment, and offer intervals of 5+ years.

Oh yeah, the cardinal rule of antifreeze... DO NOT use DexCool (or clone) in any machine not specifically designed for Dex.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[beex]

beex,

If you drained it completely and flushed it, the red wouldn't have done anything negative to the system at all.

The red just as components in it to eliminate cavitation in wet sleeved engines, which is not the case with kubota engines that either have no sleeves or are dry sleeved.



Now mixing red and green, well then who knows, but for the brief time you had it in there nothing happened because of the coolant.

Thanks, that makes me feel better. Did the super thorough flush because I wanted to make sure I got all the red out, didn’t want any residual mixed red in there, didn’t know what would happen.

With each of the 6 flushes I got more in a hurry and sloppier, by the time I was done the stuff was all over the place, probably qualified as an environmental disaster area.

I have no idea what all the different acronyms for types of antifreeze mean, or how the chemistry works, what they are for. I don’t need to fill my head up with all that info because I don’t have lots of equipment like some people here. I only have my bx, and my cars.

The bx I do all the maintenance, and the cars someone else does it. The bx is higher priority, want to make sure it’s not screwed up.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[SidecarFlip]

All well and good unless you have dogs and cats around. They are attracted to the sweet taste of Glycol based antifreeze and it causes immediate liver failure and death in animals.... Humans as well.

 

[beex]

no pets, was on my garage floor, so no outside animals should be at risk.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DrakeHeyman]

I myself almost lost my pet due to freon poisoning. My friend was less lucky, he did not see a leak of freon after repairing the air conditioner in the tractor, and a small amount still leaked out in his garage. His beloved dog was poisoned by it and unfortunately it could not be saved. He was very upset about it and always blamed himself for her death. Now he uses the best refrigerant leak detector to prevent such cases from happening again. I also decided to purchase such a tool just in case. Many thanks to the user SidecarFlip for explaining why this attracts pets. Now my friend and I are more attentive.

 

[Lil Foot]

All well and good unless you have dogs and cats around. They are attracted to the sweet taste of Glycol based antifreeze and it causes immediate liver failure and death in animals.... Humans as well.

There was a murder some years back when a wife wanted to get rid of her husband. He loved Mountain Dew, so she just started adding antifreeze until he died. His family was suspicious & got an autopsy done & they caught her.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Same color as Dew too. What a cunning way to snuff someone.