Another Look Inside a Coolant Filter

FirstSixOh · Jan 7, 2012

221,698 miles on the truck, 2005 miles after the Delo ELC was added after a Restore and Restore+ flush. What was in the filter was strained through a coffee filter, and the last little bit was dumped in the white bowl. This casting sand has been circulating through the engine for over 4600 hours. Can there be any doubt about the need for a coolant filter?

sasquatch24 · Jan 7, 2012

which coolant filter do you have?

FirstSixOh · Jan 7, 2012

DieselSite system with the Baldwin 85134 filter.

Spindrift · Jan 8, 2012

FirstSixOh said:
221,698 miles on the truck, 2005 miles after the Delo ELC was added after a Restore and Restore+ flush. What was in the filter was strained through a coffee filter, and the last little bit was dumped in the white bowl. This casting sand has been circulating through the engine for over 4600 hours. Can there be any doubt about the need for a coolant filter?

When you did your flush, was your cab heating system flushed as well? That's an unbelievable amount of sound to be in there after a flush.

FirstSixOh · Jan 8, 2012

I flushed 10 times, using 33 gallons of distilled water. The engine was run and the heater turned on each time. It drained clear after 9 flushes, but I did one wore to be certain. Casting sand is heavy, and it accumulates in places in the engine that are largely unaffected by circulation. It takes the jostle of driving a couple of thousand miles to move this sand into suspension so it can be filtered. How is heavy sand lifted from the bottom of the engine to the filter which is near the top? It's pretty much undeniable that casting sand was present in my engine after 220,000 miles and 4600 hours. The filter caught some, and regular filter changes will catch more. What is this grit doing to your water pump?

Spindrift · Jan 8, 2012

That's crazy. Looks as though you did everything you should and then some. I remember back when I did my first flush before installing the filter and there were a couple of guys who criticized me for the amount of distilled water I used and the number of flushes I did. Makes you wonder about the condition of your oil cooler.

Spastik monkey · Jan 8, 2012

I'm pretty anal about flushing myself. I can't wait to see the look on the faces of the folks at wal-mart when I walk out with 40 jugs of water.

FirstSixOh · Jan 8, 2012

I get my distilled water at a store that sells nothing but water. 25 cents a gallon and it is measureably better than anything you can get in jugs. Of course, you have to have jugs, and I happen to have eleven 3-gallon jugs. The guy at the store will help you wheel it out and load it in your truck.

01platinum · Jan 8, 2012

I have the same coolant filter set up from Bob. I was amazed how much crap was in the bottom of the filter when I cut it open. I have been running mine for 3 years now. Funny think was I put mine on and two weeks later my water pump went out. I am sure it was just it's time or I filtered all the sand out that was clogging the holes.

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SmedingDiesel · Jan 9, 2012

That's pretty nasty! And that's what makes the oil cooler go bad and kills our EGRS. :jawdrop:

TurboM700 · Jan 9, 2012

I must ask why distilled water for flushing? I have heard people using it for the coolant by why for flushing seems like a waste of time and money when its only going to be in there for a few minutes.

FirstSixOh · Jan 9, 2012

Your point is well taken. I just want to keep all chlorine and other mineral contaminants out of the system. I am in San Diego where tap water contains 20 times the alkali you would get from well water. Our water comes from the Colorado River, and you only have to look at the Grand Canyon to figure out what's in the water. About half of the state of Arizona.