Motorcraft Gold Coolant (Maintenance Threashold)

[Spooner65]

I have Motorcraft Gold coolant in my 2002 7.3L. The coolant itself it pretty new. Less than 10k miles/6 months. I did a test with a test strip and the results were 25% glycol and 8.0 pH. I tested coolant from the bottle for a control and it was 45-50% glycol and 7.0 pH.

At what point should the motorcraft additive be added? What should the pH be maintained at?

 

[Spooner65]

I just saw a post about nitrile levels. My test strips dont test for that so I will get new test strips.

So I will test that, other than nitrile, do I need to test pH? I know glycol is supposed to be near 50% and that the only down side is boil protection.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Spooner65
I know glycol is supposed to be near 50% and that the only down side is boil protection.
you're forgetting freeze protection and preventing erosion,electrolosis and cavitatation damage especially with a diesel.

 

[FoxS]

For Ford Gold coolant testing, in particular for diesels, you want the Acustrip CTS-3 strips that test for nitrite. It has a Rotunda part number and can be ordered directly from Acustrip.

On Ford diesel forums, you can find the TSBs about the procedure. Also on the Acustrip website. You add 32ounces of VC-8 when nitrite is between 300-800ppm

Below 300ppm, you flush with VC-9 and refill with new 50/50 Gold

 

[roadrunner1]

You need to be 50/50 to have the proper corrosion protection. You could just drain some coolant out and add some concentrate to get your mixture as close to 50/50 as possible.

If/when you do this you won't need to add additives as the new concentrate should replenish your existing fill.

 

[FoxS]

The 25% that's in there could be depleted.

Hence Ford has a recommended procedure to test for this in diesels and there is a Ford part number for the test strips

 

[doitmyself]

There are/were heated debates on Ford truck forums whether the "light duty" nature of G-05 was good enough for the 7.3L and some members contended that it was better to use a heavy duty diesel coolant, as International recommended.

I didn't follow the debate, but some of the links in this BITOG thread were very interesting: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2082938&page=1

You may wish to not go to the diesalstop links, as it will make your head spin.

Best of luck. A couple of the links in the BITOG thread I suggest above go to a site that explains SCA use.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
There are/were heated debates on Ford truck forums whether the "light duty" nature of G-05 was good enough for the 7.3L and some members contended that it was better to use a heavy duty diesel coolant, as International recommended.


I wonder how "light duty" G-05 really is though? Isn't John Deere Coolgard II just G-05 with JD's own color and some extra anti-cavitation protection? JD fluids tend to be top notch, and they probably have more liquid cooled diesel offerings than gas. If it's heavy duty enough for a combine, I'd hope it would be heavy duty enough for a pickup.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
There are/were heated debates on Ford truck forums whether the "light duty" nature of G-05 was good enough for the 7.3L and some members contended that it was better to use a heavy duty diesel coolant, as International recommended.


I wonder how "light duty" G-05 really is though? Isn't John Deere Coolgard II just G-05 with JD's own color and some extra anti-cavitation protection? JD fluids tend to be top notch, and they probably have more liquid cooled diesel offerings than gas. If it's heavy duty enough for a combine, I'd hope it would be heavy duty enough for a pickup.


There were some discussions here a few years ago about the OLD John Deere Coolgard's relationship to G-05. It's hard to know what to believe. Some person that professed to have the inside scoupe said that they were similar, but the JD was different.

The Zerex label still says that it is suitable/approved for use by Deere. Yet, the NEW John Deere Coolgard II is a new chemistry that contains no nitrites.

HERE, I FOUND THE PAST DISCUSSION THAT ALLEGEDLY QUOTES A JOHN DEERE CHEMIST:....An excellent discussion:

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1696012

Quote:
Per Coolant_Man...."I have been having an interesting e-mail conversation with a John Deere chemical engineer."

"John Deere Cool-Gard and Cool-Gard II are NOT G-05. They are both Hybrid Organic Additive Technology (HOAT) coolants as G-05 is, but Cool-Gard and Cool-Gard II are not G-05. G-05 is not formulated to protect against cylinder liner cavitation erosion and pitting, and does not pass the ASTM D7583 John Deere Cylinder Liner Cavitation Erosion Test."


I'm just the messenger. Choose what you wish to believe.

Take care.

 

[01rangerxl]

Interesting, thanks for digging up the old thread.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
There are/were heated debates on Ford truck forums whether the "light duty" nature of G-05 was good enough for the 7.3L and some members contended that it was better to use a heavy duty diesel coolant, as International recommended.



If the 7.3 were a industrial or marine wet-liner diesel, then there *might* be an argument for a coolant with stronger cavitation protection than G-05. But sheesh. The 7.3 is constructed much more like a gasoline engine with cast-into-block cylinders with no liner, and is very rugged and forgiving on top of that- its not going to have huge acoustic cavitation problems to be addressed like a diesel where the replaceable cylinder liner is exposed directly to coolant. G-05 should be FINE for it!