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Question on new ELC coolant
I am switching over my coolant to Shell ROTELLA ELC nitrate free. Have any of you done this? Is there anything I need to know?
Reason for switch. I believe that green coolant and elc got mixed. My temps have run higher than normal (210 or so). I replaced the fan clutch, the thermostats, the temp sending unit and all the relays. My temps still ran warmer than normal. This leads me to believe that a coolant mix happened.
i have 24 gallons on the Rotella ELC Nitrate free. I was wondering what type of cartridge I would need?
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18 Replies
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I switched from green to Shell Rotella Ultra Extended Life Coolant – the yellow stuff. For that, we are to run a blank water filter. If you are running red, I don’t remember the right filter. I went yellow because the heat exchanger has red tranny oil running through it and wanted a not red coolant on the other side. I too put new stats and fan clutch in when doing the coolant change, but don’t believe it is necessary just to change coolant. And don’t know of anything else that would need to be changed.
I would suspect the new fan clutch more than the coolant mix regarding your 210 temp. The water pump belt also runs the 50DN, so if you don’t have charging symptoms then the water pump is probably spinning ok.
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The engine water pump is gear drive. Darrell
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What does the pulley do by the water pump, say about the 8:00 position?
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Is 210 the maximum or is it the average temp? I would have no concerns about 210 if it was the temp I see pulling a long steep hill on a hot day and when 210 is reached I see evidence the high speed fan kicks in and the temp cycles down. A whole lot more information about engine temp is required because our temps are never sitting at one place as the fan cycles on and off and at low and high speed.
The coolant in the system has nothing (or almost nothing) to do with temps. Anything wet is going to carry heat from the engine. However poor coolant maintenance such as failure to use the correct coolant or change when required can occlude the radiator and that will affect heat transfer.
The type of coolant is your choice, but to use extended life the system needs to be purged of all conventional coolant so a good flush and repeated filling and discharging with water until old coolant is out is required. If extended life is going to be used it is important to make sure all hoses and clams and the radiator are in good shape because if any have to be serviced you are draining and refilling coolant.
I would strongly urge you make certain that whatever the choice of coolant that you make sure it is acceptable to Detroit Diesel and makes their spec. THE COOLANT COLOR IS MEANINGLESS. DO NOT THINK IF IT IS GREEN OR RED OR WHATEVER COLOR IT IS OK FOR THE ENGINE. IT HAS TO MEET THE DETROIT REQUIREMENTS AND IF IT DOES NOT THE COLOR MEANS NOTHING.
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Just a comment on engine temps,
I “average” 196-198 when not running the A/C and, 187-188 when running the A/C.
I run with the green coolant, although my father-in-law, in all his tractors on the farm, runs the yellow stuff. But then, he doesn’t have any DD engine in his tractors or combine.
My trans temps average 205 though …
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Those numbers for Tim are the same as mine.
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Maybe that pulley is driven, and called the “bull gear”, and with the serpentine belt drives the alternator (which is actually a generator but we dare not call it that).
Rotella Ultra ELC does meet the Detroit spec.
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My temps have always stayed in the 190 to 195 range. No matter what the outside temps were. It was not until we departed Arkansas and drove to Dallas that the temps rose from around 195 to 210 to I guess 218. Outside temps were in the upper 50’s
After we changed to the new fan clutch, new thermostats and sending unit we drove to Livingston Texas. My temps once again rode up to the 195 to 210+ range. Outside temps were around 65. The temps rode up and down. This tells me my clutch is engaging. And the water pump is doing it’s job. We have no charging issues with the Delco Remy.
Jon, Shell Rotella ELC NF is on the Detroit Fluids Specification 93K217 Approved Coolants List. I double checked.
I shall run a blank water filter as suggested. I really hope this puts my system back to its normal temp range.
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Chip,
Would be a good time to do a radiator flush. Using only DD approved stuff of course.
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Chip, so there is no misunderstanding, the yellow ultra elc gets a blank filter. The red elc (not ultra) might need a charged filter, I just can’t remember.
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Does anyone understand color no longer means a damn thing?
I don’t care what the colors used to be because the manufacturers of coolant are now dying their product whatever color they want for brand identity and except for coincidence it is the spec that is important NOT THE COLOR.
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I never meant to imply that color makes a spec. I mentioned the yellow color only because it would contrast with the red tranny oil, both of which flow through the heat exchanger. Both Rotella products, ELC and Ultra ELC meet the Detroit spec.
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I guess the question i ask DD & Prevost is: What filter do I use? Rotella ELC is nitrate free. The blank cartridge sounds right.
Prevost is about 6 miles from me. I’ll go visit them this week
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I have been very disappointed by technical advice from people involved in service. OAT (organic acid technology) is a relatively new coolant concept developed by Caterpillar and the standard for that technology.
Unlike the more conventional coolants any OAT or extended life coolant should not have its chemistry adjusted and the best source of information is going to be the internet and the manufacturer’s recommendations. I recently tried to buy coolant from a Detroit dealer along with a Detroit Diesel coolant conditioning filter element and all I got from the young parts guys was a dumb blank look.
I ended up at Truck Pro who had what I needed including the Donaldson equivalent of the Detroit spin on cartrdge. I had a recent on road catastrophic failure of a hose and when Prevost replaced the hose and refilled the system they actually mixed extended life and conventional coolant. So much for service folks understanding the difference between the two technologies.
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Yes I had a similar experience at American Fleet Labor Day week. Danny, their customer service person, told me they had never used Rotella Ultra ELC before (I brought my own), and some customers who had just used ELC were going back to the traditional chemistry, 2 year stuff because it is a bit cheaper, readily available, and lower risk of degradation. Probably a good strategy, especially for those who have their service done for them.
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