Coolant capacity and refill on 06

[navyjoe]

The manual says 7 gallons, other posts say 7. 3 gallons. Does that include the cooant recovery tank?



I was amazed, it drained out 6 gallons, maybe more (containers overflowed twice !!)



can't get 6 gallons back in however, guess you have to run the engine to get the thermostat to open ??????



Can you run the engine with the radiator cap off untill it reaches temp and the thermostat opens? On some engines I've had in the past the radiator will burp when the thermostat opens and dump coolant.

 

[pjorlando]

When I replaced my thermostat and coolant, I could only get in just under 6 gallons. Ran the truck to warm it up, topped up the coolant tank and allowed it to cool down enough to reopen the radiator cap, topped evertything up and still shy of 6 gallons. I've checked it a few times since and have never had to add any more. My son runs an '03 and he used the same amount when he repleced his water pump, thermostat and coolant. It seems right on. By the way, since new thermostat, the truck runs a few degrees cooler just under 200 on the gauge now.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Same here and I had the back of the truck jacked way up in order to get the most out I could.

 

[navyjoe]

Where you able to able to get it all back in? So far I took out 6 and only got 5 back in and 1 gallon of that went into the overflow tank!!!! I guess sooner or later it will go back in but I'm a little perplexed that its that difficult.

 

[NavyDood]

Don't sweat it. Just keep an eye on it by keeping it at the levels in the over flow bottle until it settles itself out.

 

[navyjoe]

OK, Chief.



The Chief always has the right answere. I spent 10 years in the Navy during vietnam area.



Thanks

 

[RottonRob]

Wondering if Walmart antifreeze is ok to use Thanks

 

[navyjoe]

Wondering if Walmart antifreeze is ok to use Thanks

Its OK to use, but not recomended. A lot of debate on that. I used Zerex G-05 which is the recomended type. I will say very few people do however because Orelieys, Autozone, Advance and NAPA don't stock it on the shelf. You have to order it. If you use the universal type, a flush is probably a good idea.



One thing I have decided, I'm not going to wait 5 years to do it again. I think I may just drain out one Gallon each year and replace it with one gallon of the G-05 50/50 mix. After all, the antifreeze never goes bad, only the additives, so if I replace 1/7 of it each year from a clean start, it will probably outlast me. :-laf

 

[Wal_mart]

If you are having trouble with trapped air in system loosen one of the water plugs top side of engine, passenger side while adding antifreeze/water with engine running. Only use Zerex G05

 

[navyjoe]

That sound like a winner! Where are they? Got any picrures?

 

[navyjoe]

If you are having trouble with trapped air in system loosen one of the water plugs top side of engine, passenger side while adding antifreeze/water with engine running. Only use Zerex G05

I see three plugs infront of the heater hose. Two are large (3/4 inch perhaps) the front one smaller. Are those the ones?

 

[Wal_mart]

On my 06 there are 3 3/4 inch plugs. I removed the center one to burp air out. I still had over a gallon left to add.

 

[Wingate]

an alternative to Zerex G05 is Cat ELC... Im fixing to replace my H2O pump... its not leaking, but im sure it will start as soon as I replace the coolant. . Seems like I read somewhere that the ELC is much better than factory stuff. .

 

[navyjoe]

an alternative to Zerex G05 is Cat ELC... Im fixing to replace my H2O pump... its not leaking, but im sure it will start as soon as I replace the coolant. . Seems like I read somewhere that the ELC is much better than factory stuff. .

It appears to be a 1st class coolant but it does not meet the Chrysler, Ford, or Mercedes specs which call for HOAT. Now weather or not that is totally necessary only an expert would know, and "they" don't agree either!

 

[Wingate]

you are correct, it isnt part of the HOAT specs, but it is a MUCH beeter coolant than the HOAT stuff. .

I cannot remember the last cooling system failure i've seen on a Cat engine running ELC... .

 

[navyjoe]

One thing to ponder. Those industrial diesels, Cat for sure, are far more rugged and built to last than our cummins which is basically a consumer diesel package. As good as our cummins engine is, its no match for an engine that goes a gazillion miles in a Peterbuilt.

Different design and focus. Totally different approaches to how they are run, built, and maintained.



Personally I doubt that it makes that much diference which you use, but since it is only going to cost me $15 more to go with HOAT over a period of 10 years, why take a chance?

 

[Wingate]

TBH. . I've been running Cat ELC in everything for years... I always knew it was good stuff, but until recently, I never knew how good it really was.

Been using it in ATV's, cars, trucks, tractors... etc...

 

[NavyDood]

One thing to ponder. Those industrial diesels, Cat for sure, are far more rugged and built to last than our cummins which is basically a consumer diesel package. As good as our cummins engine is, its no match for an engine that goes a gazillion miles in a Peterbuilt.
Different design and focus. Totally different approaches to how they are run, built, and maintained.

Valid points, but the Undurablemax and PowerCroaks are consumer based engines where the Cummins is far from that. Here's something to think about when it comes to the 6BT and baby brother 4BT series Cummins engines. The Cummins 6BT series engine is used in many applications. It's used in Marine, Generators, Oil fields, Mining, Buses, Military Vehicles, Construction Equipment, Agriculture, and a few others. It has been in production since 1989. And its baby brother the 3. 9L ISB 4BT is the SAME engine with 2 cylinders lobbed off, and used in the same applications as the 6BT.

As for the coolant, there is absolutely no/zero/nada/zilch reason to run anything other than HOAT. HOAT is that good.

 

[mwilson]

Penray "Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Coolants" Chart... Go to this thread. . then to Post # 18.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com...sions-2003-2007/212850-zerex-anti-freeze.html



Make your own determination, I am running CAT ELC and Rotella Extended Life in my vehicles.



What really stands out is the Dodge requires the HOAT but Cummins is happy with OAT.



Mike.

 

[navyjoe]

Valid points, but the Undurablemax and PowerCroaks are consumer based engines where the Cummins is far from that. Here's something to think about when it comes to the 6BT and baby brother 4BT series Cummins engines. The Cummins 6BT series engine is used in many applications. It's used in Marine, Generators, Oil fields, Mining, Buses, Military Vehicles, Construction Equipment, Agriculture, and a few others. It has been in production since 1989. And its baby brother the 3. 9L ISB 4BT is the SAME engine with 2 cylinders lobbed off, and used in the same applications as the 6BT.

As for the coolant, there is absolutely no/zero/nada/zilch reason to run anything other than HOAT. HOAT is that good.

I agree that our engine is good, thats why I bought my second one. I will go on to say that those industrial/marine engines are not built the same way as ours. Specifically the cooling systems are vastly different, especially on a marine engine. I don't think any of the Cummins industrial engines specify HOAT, but instead have a Cummins specification.



I started digging into some of the universal bands, for example Prestone's brand. In their specs thay say they meet the Chrysler specs, both of them as I recall, but they have no silicates which the HOAT does. (big debate on silicates among the manufactures, some yes and some no). So I back off from Prestones product. Again all it took in that case was $2 or $3 more a gallon and an extra day to wait.



If you want to see something interesting look at the chart on the side of the Zerex G-05 and you will notice some flipflops by the big three.



Here are some interesting links for those who are interested



http://www.benzworld.org/forums/att...zerex-g-05-coolant-zerex_coolantchart_red.pdf



http://www.valvoline.com/pdf/zerex_g05.pdf



http://www.whitfieldoil.com/downloads/ZerexAntifreezeLineupChart.pdf