Coolant additive???

[JARichard]

Is it true there is a coolant additive for HOAT we should use yearly?

A Cummins dealer told me this but I could find nothing in the owners manual. But hey!!! When has DC been right?

Thanks!!

 

[jelag]

There are several vendors that offer a coolant filter and additive... the complete assembly is inexpensive to install and uses a screw on filter... . inside the filter is an additive to increase lubrication and prevent rust... . Once a year you pitch the old filter and screw on a new one... .



All my trucks use them... . good basic habits... . keeps the system clean... . we check the over flow tank at each oil change, and only add back distilled water, and open the radiator cap once a year to check the antifreeze level before the cold weather.....



Jim

 

[rholcom2]

I just purchased an '03, and last night discovered the HOAT antifreeze requirement. Tell me a little more about this coolant filter. Is there a factory coolant filter on the '03 model, or are you speaking of a heavy duty truck? Also, where is HOAT antifreeze avaliable, I went to the store last night and read the backs of all the bottles and none stated that it was HOAT compliant, therefore I came home empty handed and referred to the TDR. Thanks for any and all help!!!

 

[PHeadings]

I added Redline (Water Wetter). Lowered my engine temps by 20 degrees.

 

[rbattelle]

Is it true there is a coolant additive for HOAT we should use yearly?

A Cummins dealer told me this but I could find nothing in the owners manual. But hey!!! When has DC been right?

Thanks!!

Here's what I think is going on. The Cummins service center doesn't really know much of anything about the Dodge trucks. They only know the Cummins industrial engines that they normally work on. All those are serviced with either Fleetguard ES Compleat Ethylene Glycol or Fleetguard ES Compleat Propylene Glycol. That coolant can be used until the first engine rebuild (350k miles in our case), but an additive package supplement must be added to it every 1 year or 150k miles. I know this as fact because I have changed out my coolant to Fleetguard ES Compleat Propylene Glycol.



For the Dodge application, the factory fill is HOAT (which is what Ford and GM are also using; identical formulations, different colors). This coolant is (apparently) good to 150k miles (I think) but NO ADDITIVES ARE REQUIRED!



That's the cooling system as I understand it.



-Ryan

P. S. As an aside, I have had the Fleetguard coolant for over 1 year now (788 hours, about 27k miles) and I have NOT added the supplemental coolant additive.