[Archived]

I have had my XL for a year now. I had much the same questions as do you. In reference to the collant,go to a NAPA parts store and ask them for collant test strips and what type of engine you have. The strip will give you a good report on the condition of the collant. Did not know how old my was even though it looked the proper color and clean. The test strip will give you peace of mind and or you will know if you need to flush the system. I have been told by machanics that with the series 60 and spent collant you are gambling the cylinder linnings resulting in big $s for a rebuild.

[Joe]

Power cool is a 2 year product.

There are a number of extended life coolants with the principle one being the CAT extended life meeting the EC-1 standard.

To switch from 2 year to extended (6 year) you must first make sure the system is devoid of conventional coolant because it will make an extended life coolant revert back to a 2 year life. Coolant chemistry in our engines is very important because it not only carries heat from the engine, it protects against freezing but it protects the cyclinder liners from perforation. Coolant maintenance is very impoortant.

One thing to be very much aware of is that types of coolant used to be identified by color. That is no longer the case and if and when anyone tries to educate you on coolant chemistry or properties by referring to colors take it with a grain of salt. What is important is that coolant meet the spec for your engine. Nothing else counts.

[Rod]

thanks for that,, got the coolant strips and did the test,, all parameters in the proper ranges.

Two thumbs up!

But will do flush at Marathon in October since it has been two years.

[Joe]

Jon:

Thank you for all that you do for the “Prevost Community”. I have read many of your articles and enjoy the tech articles immensely. You are correct. I have already had someone speak of the “red ” vs the “green”. And of course mine is green… Frankly, changing oil once a year and coolant once every two years not too much to ask of us to drive these incredible machines. ….. What is the recommendation on changing the differential oil?

[Archived]

I use 100,000 miles as my change interval on the differential. Prevost says 100,000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first.

[Larry & Diane]

You need the 4 pad test strips to test a series 60 the 2 and 3 pads strips don’t cut it one has to test for Nitrite,Molydate,Glyco and the PH.I just replaced a liner in the number 4 hole in a 2010 only 5600 miles

It wasn’t my idea to replace just one liner the bus is for sale the owner made the call so some one else down the line will have to deal with it coolant is cheap change to the Power Cool you have no idea what you have in the green JMO

[Archived]

Luvrbus has made a point that I hope everyone pays attention to because what he has said is so significant.

Because of poor coolant maintenance he is replacing a cylinder liner in a nearly new coach at 56,000 miles.

In case that doesn’t sink in, let me state it another way……….Do not do any maintenance to your cooling system and it is possible in 4 years and a little over 50,000 miles to expect your engine is going to destroy itself, or cost you far more in repairs than you saved by trying to save a few bucks on coolant maintenance.

[Mike]

I don’t agree with the statement you don’t know what you have with the green. Change it every couple years, always replace the pre-charged filter and use the test strips at each service and you’ll have no problem.

[Archived]

The problem with relying on color is anti freeze or coolant for our engines has to have specific chemical characteristics. That is so important that every engine manufacturer has a specification for coolant that has to be met. The coolant can be green or red or whatever color, but the bottom line is if it does not specifically state on the container that it meets the specification for the engine you are likely not getting the protection required.

In Tom’s defense there is no doubt he means the green coolant he uses meets the Detroit spec. But to select a coolant just because it is green is not the correct way to do it.

[Gary]

Nothing wrong with the green but as Jon said make sure it meets the specs and you won’t find it a Wal/Mart or places like Auto Zone.

If a liner ever starts to pit there is no stopping it.I just was making a point he just bought the bus and proabably has no idea what is in the system just be safe and start over if a series 60 gets full of coolant it can run into big bucks in a hurry

The good thing about Power Cool is you don’t spend a lot of time trying keeping the system balanced with the SCA filters and chemicals and at the DD sales you can buy it most of the time cheaper than shopping around for the green stuff

[Archived]

Any tips on how to completely remove all the existing coolant from a 60 Series? Will the valve on the bottom radiator pipe/hose completely remove all coolant?

1998 Marathon XLV

Gary

[John]

There is no general answer because all conversions are plumbed differently.

All engine coolant heat exchangers throughout the house and bays have coolant in them. If you haveaqua-hot it is not as complex, but still requires an understanding of where coolant was circulated. I drained mine as best I could and then filled and drained with fresh water about 4 times, bringing it up to operating temperature each time. That seemed easier than opeing up panels and moving some furniture to access the bleeders, but your coach may be completely different.

I did drain where you describe

[tom]

Thanks

[John]

Jeff did mine using a vaccum system and I would guess that’s about as good as it gets without flushing.

[Archived]

I have the same vacuum system and it is a big help, but like anything short of bleeding each loop nothing is perfect which is why I flush and refill with water often enough to satisfy I have done a decent job of getting stuff I don’t want out of the system.

Where the vacuum system has considerable value is pulling a vacuum on the system and then using that vacuum to pull fresh coolant into the system is an almost foolproof way of avoiding air bubbles.

Since I know from my owner’s manual from Liberty my system content is 24 gallons, when I am at the point of refilling I make sure I get 12 gallons of new coolant in and then fill the rest with water unless I am just doing a drain and refill.

In that case I measure what comes out and I alternate a gallon of coolant with a gallon of water to get the 50 50 mix.

In our county they take anti-freeze in any quantity you want to deliver to the transfer station so there is never an issue with getting rid of it. That allows me to run fresh water through after a drain until I think I have almost all the old out or at least diluted such that its amount is negligible. I have certain devices that get coolant circulating through them that are plumbed such that a complete drain is almost impossible, such as the HW tank so rather than drive myself nuts I just try to get as much as I can.