Can I use "Prestone" in 12V Cummins ?

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Does anyone know if the standard green "Prestone" anti-freeze is usable in the Cummins. Thanks, RonL

 

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I would think that it would be OK to use, just make sure you use distilled water instead of tap water for the mix. Other than that you should be OK.

John

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1999 Dodge Ram 3500 Quad Cab 5 spd, 4:10 LSD rear, Mag-Hytec diff. cover, Speedliner spray in bed-liner, Amsoil foam air filter; Smittybuilt step rails. Coming soon: US Gear EGT/Boost gauges. Towing a 31 ft. NOMAD single slideout TT.
Rammin' and Runnin' the roads




[This message has been edited by John Berger (edited 09-30-1999). ]

 

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From reading what I've been able to (and still not getting enough read) watch for SILICA's in the anti-freez. They are not good for a diesel. I read the back of some anti-freeze bottles and there are some I wouldn't think about trying. I figure I'll use the DC or Cummings brands available due to warranty(extended)I'm paying for.

\\BF//

[This message has been edited by Ben Stair (edited 09-30-1999). ]

 

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Ron:

Make sure any antifreeze you use meets the specification as found in the manual. Low silicate is one.

I went with Caterpillers Extended life Coolant. In big trucks it is good for 5 years or 600,000 miles. It was not to expensive either.

jjw

 

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Thanks for the info, but is distilled water really necessary ?

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98 Dodge 3500 QC SLT 4x4, 12V, Auto 3. 54, LSD, Camper pkg, Running Brds, Tow hooks, Tonneau cover, Cobra / K40, Westach Boost / EGT / transmission Temp gauges, Valley class V, Hadley Dual Air Horns, Mopar Bedliner, RS 9000's, Air Lift system, yada, yada, yada.....

99 Lance 1110 Truck Camper

 

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Distilled water is best but not necessary. I personally don't use Prestone because it does say on the bottle that it contains silicates. My recommendation is to use only a product that meets requirements for heavy duty diesel engines. I use Texaco because it met the requirements and was readily available. I also use distilled water.

My $. 02

 

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I think the Prestone Log Life stuff is silicate free. If I remember right that is what I used. It is orange in color.

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Rob Spading
TDR Webmaster

1996 Dodge 3500 CC, Cummins, 4X4, Loaded SLT, Mag-hytec diff and trans covers, Rickson 19. 5s with Cooper C140s, Westach pyro-boost-trans temp, etc. , etc.

 

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I have yet to see anything official come out that it is ok to use the "orange stuff" in diesel engines. I e-mailed Cummins a while back and their reply was that they had not done any testing and they could not recommend it either way. I got bit once trying something "new" in my cooling system. I put Red Line's water wetter in one of my cars and wound up with a radiator that looked like a pin cushion. It seems it was not compatible with anti-freeze. (I believe they fixed that problem now).

What do the new trucks come with from the factory? My wife's Intrepid came with extended life coolant. Do the trucks come with it?

Anyone???

 

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I've always used Cummins premix in the past and will continue with the new truck. Mark

 

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Hay Big E, how long ago was it you had trouble with redline water wetter? I just put a bottle in my 69 Vette to try to reduce temp. I have the long life prestone in it. If it's not good I will drain it in a heartbeat!!! Happy Rammin, Dave Hauser

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Dave Hauser, 96 3500 4x4 extended, auto 4:10 LSD, K&N, tow hooks, fog lights, custom front reciever hitch and mount for 8000 Ramsey winch, alum diamond plate box and running boards, Dodge dually mudflaps, tow 18' flatbed, 69 Vette, 89 HD FLHS

[This message has been edited by Dave (edited 10-03-1999). ]

 

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I had the problem some time ago when the Water Wetter first came out. It used to come in granular form. They pulled it off the shelves shortly after and came out with the liquid. I'm sure it's safe to use now, but since I got burned I'll stick with just antifreeze and water.

I also use extended life coolant in my cars but I have yet to hear if it is safe for diesel engines. Until I hear it is I will stick to the green stuff.

 

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BigE, I have been using Red Line products for many years, including their Water Wetter when it was first introduced in the granular form (with Prestone anti-freeze in a 350 cu. in. GMC 4x4), without any problems. I asked Red Line why they switched to the present liquid form of Water Wetter; they said too many people were not disolving the Water Wetter crystals prior to placing the product into their cooling system as stated. I disolved the Water Wetter crystals in heated (near boiling), distilled water prior to adding it to my cooling system at the change interval. As I remember, The crystals did not disolve as fast as I had anticipated.

I have never had a problem with any of Red Line's products yet* (excluding price).

* We will see how their 15W40 synthetic checks out at the next oil change interval (second change interval for the Red Line synthetic)... this time I will be submitting one sample to two different laboratories! As I didn't use an engine crankcase flush product prior to introducing the Red Line synthetic, this may have skewed my initial analysis.

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'98. 5 2500 QC 4x4, (black) SLT Sport, ISB, LWB, 3. 54 LSD, auto. , 275 hp. injectors, Glasstite Vision II "canopy", 285 BFG A/Ts on 16x8 M/T Challengers, Warn 4X Boards, Mopar fender flares, front and rear NW Custom stainless steel/rubber mud flaps, Mag-Hytec diff. cover and trans. pan, Edelbrock IAS shocks, VDO Vision gauges, BD exhaust brake and TorqLoc.

 

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I also used Red Line's products for years. I still use their MTL and MT90 in my manual transmissions. The racing shop I used to buy from told me about the problem. This was a respectable shop that specialized in building racing engines. They had a couple of customers that had cooling system problems after using the granular Water Wetter. They said it was OK to use if no anti-freeze was used. This was about the same time the first liquid came out that was a wetting agent only. This, according to the shop, was OK to use with anti-freeze. Over the next year I had to replace a radiator, two water pumps, and almost every hose on this car. There was nothing on the bottle that said to pre-dissolve first.

Like I said above, I'm sure they have fixed the problem. My point is that I am reluctant to try something new (orange anti-freeze) until I hear from a reliable source that it is OK to use in the Cummins engine.