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Antifreeze change
Go about everything serviced on bus except antifreeze? What is the correct green antifreeze that I should use for the series 60? What kind of job is it? how many gallons? I’ve done my last coach but not this one, any suggestions?
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19 Replies
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THE COLOR OF ANITIFREEZE IS MEANINGLESS.
There is no end to the old wive’s tail our antifreeze needs to be green, or that green antifreeze is going to meet the Detroit spec. Note on this link which shows manufacturer coolant colors there are no green coolants that meet the DD spec.
http://www.eetcorp.com/antifreeze/Coolants_matrix.pdf
The extent of the job relates to your cooling system and if it has a lot of heat exchangers through the coach, all of which make it a pain to drain completely and to refill completely.
I think a typical coach is going to have somewhere near 24 gallons. However, if you want to cheat a little and you are changing coolant to the schedule you can cheat like I have done. When I was using 2 year coolant I drained what I could without doing any super human tasks like opening up panels to open bleeded valves to drain every last drop. Of my total capacity I typically drained about 19 gallons. It was critical that I accurately measured the amount because that was how much I was going to insure I put back in. Easier said than done, but with a little effort, the use of a Webasto or OTR circulation pump I was able to purge the air bubbles and get all the coolant in. I hate changing coolant because it is a pain in the ass.
If you opt to switch over to OAC (organic acid chemistry) coolant it has a 6 year life, but it reverts back to a 2 year if contaminated with conventional coolant with SCA’s. When I switched over (twice now) I drained, filled with water, recirculated the coolant, drained, and repeated about 4 times. Theoretically whatever conventional coolant remained it was well below the threshhold that would damage the OAC coolant. After the four drain cycles I used radiator flush and followed the instructions, then I drained and flushed that a couple of times. Now I only have to change coolant every six years.
If you get a sense changing coolant is laborious you are correct. I described how I do it. Others may have a better or easier way and if so I hope they share.
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One good thing with mine it has an Aqua Hot instead of a Webasto system so Aqua Hot antifreeze is totally seperate from engine antifreeze but I still have loop to dash heat. So it might be a little easer.
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That will make it easier. It is not hard work, but fussy work.
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Jon, maybe you need to get rid of that Liberty because my DD got the coolant changed last year and it was easy as could be.
All I had to do was say
“Jeff, while we have the back end open, go ahead and change the coolant out”.
That is all the effort it took. Simple and easy. Why do you try to make everything sound so hard?
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I’ll let the master chime in here, but my guess is it was likely as difficult as what I have gone through. Maybe not the actual work itself but in trying to get you to pry open your wallet so he could make enough money to pay his electric bill.
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Ha! Prying open my wallet does no good. After Helen goes shopping, there is nothing left in there.
And, Don’t try threatening me with “I will tell her posted that on the Forum.” because I have already shown it to her.
I am just hoping the doctors will let out of the hospital in time for Bella Terra next month.
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You need to stay in the hospital. Just send Helen. I like her better than you anyway.
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I use NAPA Heavy Duty antifreeze. It supports the Detroit spec. It comes precharged so I use a blank (no SCAs) coolant filter initially. I change to the filter with SCA in the following years and always test the coolant with strips at least once a year. NAPA says you can go longer than 2 years as long as you test the coolant (ph and nitrites remain good).
If you have OTR, clean the stainless steel filter in the evaporator/heater bay, that one gets overlooked. Also, open the vent lines in the OTR and driver’s heat exchangers to fully drain the coolant. Both are easy to get to. Leave the vents open while filling until a solid stream of coolant comes out.
Gerald
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Do you drain by opening drain valve or removing a lower hose, Then fill then flush with water?a couple of times, What’s the correct way, Is there any pictures or a instruction sheet? on changing and flushing
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I did not remove any hoses. I just open the drain and vent valves on the engine and open the drains and vents on the heat exchangers (OTR, driver) and remove the cap on the reservoir. It does not take long for the coolant to run out.
I did flush twice with water the first time I did it since I did not know the maintenance history. I did not do anything special for the Webasto. It drained and filled fine with the rest of the system.
I’d download the maintenance manual sections for the cooling system from the Prevost site for your coach. It includes pictures/drawings that show vents/drains etc and describes the process.
Gerald
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The Prevost service information however omits all information regarding converter installed devices and systems that tie into the Prevost coolant system.
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Jon,
Am I reading the chart correctly? Jeff changed by antifreeze to DD power cool, so if need to top off, I can use any brand that is the same formulation and meeting the same spec, or stated another way any thing listed between the bold horizontal lines above and below the power cool entry.
i have not been able to locally source or even find an on-line supply of the power cool. Perhaps I can find another brand, same spec.
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Si9nce you do not have the extended life (organic acid compound) coolant any coolant listed in the entire second block down meets the DD spec and would work as something to top off the radiator.
If you did use OAC coolant, adding that type changes it from a 6 year extended life coolant to a 2 year.
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Joe said: i have not been able to locally source or even find an on-line supply of the power cool
I alway purchase it at my local Detroit Diesel dealer/service provider(Stewart Stevenson)
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I live between two small SC towns, one population 300, one 50,000. The nearest Stewart and Stevenson is 260 miles in Jacksonville, The nearest WW Williams is 60 miles to Columbia, SC. Jeff is 340 miles and Prevost Jacksonville about 300.
The nearest big town is Augusta and they don’t have a DD dealer/shop. Freightliner and Cat OK but its still an hour drive.
My local NAPA store is not geared for heavy duty stuff, they had nothing in fully formulated SCA antifreeze but they ordered it and it will be here Monday. 2 to 3 day delivery is about par. If I can give them a part number they will order it but nothing is same day for me.
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