Do you get corrosion from not changing coolant?

[The motor guy]

I bought my 99 dodge cummins a while back and if was clear the coolant was never maintained. I took the thermostat out and it has a large amount of rust inside the housing with deep pitting. Do you get the same amount of rust running straight water as you would if it just never got changed?

 

[Warstud]

Do you get the same amount of rust running straight water as you would if it just never got changed?

I'll say NO ..... because the old coolant probably still has weak corrosion inhibitors that are still preventing corrosion .

 

[bullwinkle]

Eventually the additives get depleted, tha coolant turns acidic, and galvanic corrosion begins (turns your engine into a battery)! Need a citric acid flush, new coolant/distilled/deionized water, and (preferably) a coolant filter to catch anything in the cooling system. My F-450 had neglected coolant in it when I bought it-bottom tank of the radiator full of silicate, took 3 coolant filter changes & boiling out the radiator to get it all.

 

[ripcord]

The corrosion protection of coolant does reduce over time, but it's going to be better than straight water for white a while. After 25 years there's probably little to no corrosion protection left.

 

[The motor guy]

The corrosion protection of coolant does reduce over time, but it's going to be better than straight water for white a while. After 25 years there's probably little to no corrosion protection left.

That's probably it then. Never changed then anytime coolant was lost over the years, such as from a bad water pump it probably also had different stuff added. I've done like 3 changes on it already. It's as good as it gets now

 

[Warstud]

I've done like 3 changes on it already. It's as good as it gets now

Depending how the 3 changes were done most of the old coolant should have been replaced with new . Did you check it with a Coolant Tester ?

 

[The motor guy]

Depending how the 3 changes were done most of the old coolant should have been replaced with new . Did you check it with a Coolant Tester ?

No. You mean a hydrometer?

 

[The motor guy]

Depending how the 3 changes were done most of the old coolant should have been replaced with new . Did you check it with a Coolant Tester ?

I also stuck the garden hose in the thermostat housing while the lower rad hose was unhooked. It got flushed good enough lol

 

[CarDoc66]

Pitting= possibly electrolysis or cavitation. Fords get cavitation (or something of the sort) around cylinder liners and causes pinholes. I believe there is an additive for that.

 

[Warstud]

No. You mean a hydrometer?

One of these Testers ...... your Antifreeze needs to be good down to -34 Degrees

 

[The motor guy]

Pitting= possibly electrolysis or cavitation. Fords get cavitation (or something of the sort) around cylinder liners and causes pinholes. I believe there is an additive for that

It's not an issue on dry liner engines. Only removable sleeves. The Ford powerstrokes have some other type of stupidity going on.

 

[JohnnyG]

No. You mean a hydrometer?

I think a hydrometer would be OK, but if you want know the exact concentration, this is the better tool for $20.00:

 

[ripcord]

The older Dodge Cummins are much more forgiving of coolant type. As long as it's in the neighborhood of 50% and it's changed per the coolant type recommendations, you're good to go for corrosion protection.

 

[Chris142]

When coolant is left in too long it gets acidic and starts rusting steel and iron as well as corroding aluminum.... So yes!

 

[Chris142]

It's not an issue on dry liner engines. Only removable sleeves. The Ford powerstrokes have some other type of stupidity going on.

It happens on the idi and powerstroke too. Not just wet sleeves

 

[bullwinkle]

The older Dodge Cummins are much more forgiving of coolant type. As long as it's in the neighborhood of 50% and it's changed per the coolant type recommendations, you're good to go for corrosion protection.

It happens on the idi and powerstroke too. Not just wet sleeves

Yes, the cylinder walls on a Cummins 5.9 are thick enough that cylinder perforation is unlikely, not like my 7.3 IDI or a wet sleeve diesel, which would be prone to it.

 

[The motor guy]

It happens on the idi and powerstroke too. Not just wet sleeves

Cavitation is different than corrosion due to neglect

 

[ruSSrt]

I'm about to do a coolant flush on my 01 Cummins. Can I stick water hose in the radiator and run my truck while it flushed all of the old coolant out and just leaves water in the system. Would pressure from the hose do anything to the coolant system while it's running?

 

[The motor guy]

I'm about to do a coolant flush on my 01 Cummins. Can I stick water hose in the radiator and run my truck while it flushed all of the old coolant out and just leaves water in the system. Would pressure from the hose do anything to the coolant system while it's running?

If it was dead cold, probably but why would you want only water?

 

[ruSSrt]

If it was dead cold, probably but why would you want only water?

Just to flush everything out.i will drain it after that and fill with coolant. I was just thinking if it would be okay to put home water pressure through the system. I don't know what is working pressure of 01 Dodge ram 2500.