For Anyone Debating a coolant flush/ adding filter and CAT ELC...

CT9AIX · Apr 28, 2014

Little background info:

-Coolant is always flushed once a year (40k miles)
- Coolant Filter changed every 15k
- Radiator/Heater core have been in for over 200k
- 100% everything engine wise was new 45k ago

Decided to finally make the switch to CAT ELC and I'm glad I did. The process I used was drained gold coolant after up to temp, did two 45 min runs with straight distilled water and drained in between, two 45 min runs of Restore/water and drained in between, two 45 min runs of Restore Plus/water and drained in between, two runs of straight water and drained in between, then the final refill with ELC.

Ford Gold Coolant after 15k miles and two runs with just water:

Two runs with Restore/water:

Two Runs with Restore Plus/water and two runs with straight water:

All 3 phases together:

I'll be changing the filter every 500 miles for the first 2000 miles and see what it catches...

Gearhead · Apr 28, 2014

Wow... that's some cool looking purple gunk....

CT9AIX · Apr 28, 2014

I was scratching my head at what the hell would have caused it to turn that color. ive never mixed any ELC or anything before? lol

B585Ford · Apr 28, 2014

Great idea for a thread. Cant wait to get home so I can actually see the pics.

Taylor D · Apr 28, 2014

Wow awesome info and pics to post I'm switching to Evans waterless while mine is apart

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CT9AIX · Apr 28, 2014

I debated the Evans coolant. Seems like the guys who do run it love it. I like the idea of 0 psi in the system too. I get the Cat elc for free so I had to atleast give it a shot lol

alradco · Apr 28, 2014

Wow that is unreal. Great thread and info.

verifine · Apr 29, 2014

Did you remove the thermostats in order to get it up to temp? Or did you just drive around to keep the temps up?

CT9AIX · Apr 29, 2014

got the coolant temp up to 190+, then started the 45 minutes. i'm literally 1000' off the highway so it was easy for me

powerstroked08 · Apr 29, 2014

WOW! That is some great info.I'll be doing a coolant flush with restore in the VERY near future. I already have a coolant filter but I want to keep this beautiful new alradco radiator clean and happy. Thanks so much for the pictures and detailed descriptions of what all you did!:toast:

Jmoore1225 · Apr 30, 2014

What exactly causes this? Is it just a ford diesel thing?

CT9AIX · Apr 30, 2014

The ford gold silica based coolant is what does this. I wonder why ford switched to the orange coolant in the new trucks? lol that stuff in the pics is legit sand too. Picture going to the beach and grabbing a hand full of wet sand right near the water.... Exactly the same texture this crap is that came out.

powerstroked08 said:
WOW! That is some great info.I'll be doing a coolant flush with restore in the VERY near future. I already have a coolant filter but I want to keep this beautiful new alradco radiator clean and happy. Thanks so much for the pictures and detailed descriptions of what all you did!:toast:

I was surprised myself at the amount of crap that came out! I'm debating on doing another flush in 3 or 4 weeks again.

Martin #6 · Apr 30, 2014

Great thread and pictures. I plan on doing the same procedure before installing a new radiator. How long was the coolant filter been installed before the flush? I'm surprised you were still seeing sand.

CT9AIX · Apr 30, 2014

Coolant filter is changed every 15k mikes and the coolant was dumped and refilled once a year

tbsimmons · Apr 30, 2014

I have never had a filter look like that.
I flushed the cooling system and put a filter on at the same time.
Ran the first filter for about 15000.
The only thing in the bottom was a little casting sand no gummed up stuff. The 2nd had almost nothing in it when cut open.
Something had to make the liquid coagulate like that.

tbsimmons · Apr 30, 2014

CT9AIX said:
The ford gold silica based coolant is what does this. I wonder why ford switched to the orange coolant in the new trucks? lol that stuff in the pics is legit sand too. Picture going to the beach and grabbing a hand full of wet sand right near the water.... Exactly the same texture this crap is that came out.

Just to correct some. The sand seen in the filters is from the casting of blocks not the coolant.
Silica in coolant is in the 200 PPM range. So say you use 8 gallons, 4 water and 4 coolant. That is 512 Oz of coolant.
250 PPM is .025% of the coolant or .128 Oz of silica. Not near enough of what you are seeing. Teaspoon is in the .166 range.

CT9AIX · Apr 30, 2014

Dear god my head hurts after reading that reply lol

KingRanch6.4 · Apr 30, 2014

CT9AIX said:
Dear god my head hurts after reading that reply lol

I hear that!

So I have a failed water pump (I believe it's leaking from the pump near pulleys) on my 2008 after 115k. This is just after getting her back from the build so the coolant that's in there is fresh. For longevity sake and to protect the new Mishimoto rad, I'd like to add filtration and have her topped off with top notch fluid. Recommendations??

B585Ford · Apr 30, 2014

KingRanch6.4 said:
I hear that!

So I have a failed water pump (I believe it's leaking from the pump near pulleys) on my 2008 after 115k. This is just after getting her back from the build so the coolant that's in there is fresh. For longevity sake and to protect the new Mishimoto rad, I'd like to add filtration and have her topped off with top notch fluid. Recommendations??

If you are just "topping it off", you cant change types (such as adding CAT ELC to Ford Gold) if that is what you are asking. If you are going to do a complete flush, my vote is CAT ELC or Evans.