Testing Coolant

Is there a way to test if the coolant is good in the radiators on my Farmall gas tractors? I can test if the coolant is set for a low enough temperature but I need to know if the quality is up to an acceptable level.

I know of the specific gravity testers with the little balls or floating needle, and I've seen some sort of test strip for pH.

You could probably send a sample off to be analyzed but it would be cheaper to just flush and fill with new coolant.

We've got tractors with coolant in them that's older than I am.

I agree with mkirsch, I have tractors with the same antifreeze for thirty years and no signs of corrosion. I have even drained them sometimes and removed a cover or frost plug so I could see inside the engine. Results clean as a whistle. IMO

I've got a test kit, bought at maybe O'Reilly's, or a dealer's, or maybe Race Bros. Farm n Home, dont' remember. It tests for pH, freeze point, and nitrites, whatever they may be. I used it once or twice, don't pay much attention anymore, everything tested out OK. No name, but 704-864-6711. Made in USA.
OOPs it was made by Wix Filtration Products. Musta got it at O'Reilly's.

I've got and old balkamp tester with the balls I use for general testing. If you float a lot of balls and the temp coverage is low enough for your area, you dshould be ok.

I did learn years ago that antifreeze can go through molecular breakdown over time and start to build an electrical charge. This is especially hard on aluminum blocks and aluminum heads. An electrolysis process will begin and it will burn holes in aluminum like acid.

The way you check for this is to use a volt meter. Ground one probe then place the other probe in the coolant. If the voltage measured exceeds 0.5 volts, electrolysis has begun.

Since your engine block and head is cast iron, you are not at risk. Not many people know about this. I learned the hard way on a Toyota engine. ).

One brand is cool strips.For most, more important than freeze point, is PH. Is your coolant eating your engine?http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Trak-311519-Coolant-Testing-Strips/dp/B000MIUJMO

Had one guy tell me that I should use "propylene glycol" anti-freeze coolant in my IH tractors to protect the engines. Had another tell me to install coolant filters and use "ethylene glycol" anti-freeze coolant. Is either one or both right?

I was the coolant engineer for a major HD diesel engine company. As a tractor collector and engineer, I will tell you with a vintage tractor, don't worry about checking coolant condition. This goes against what we preach to customers. But the fact is that remember that for 50-75 years your cooling system has been neglected. And unless you are doing a full rebuild, ain't noting gonna change now. The block is probably full of rust and hard water deposits. Just keep it full of good coolant and forget about it. Check your freeze point going into winter. But who really cares about pH or coolant additives.

Now if you send thousands on a good rebuild and everything is fresh, yea take care of it. Change your coolant ever few years and use quality water to mix the coolant or buy pre-mix. Don't use well water.

Most importantly, don't use the widely available extended life or long life coolants. You will have gasket leak issues. Stick with a traditional coolant.

Don't waste your money with propylene glycol unless you are worried about a leaking coolant that a pet or animal may lick up. Even a small amount of ethylene glycol can kill any mammal.

If you check your coolant with many of the available test strips, it will likely tell you your nitrite level is low. That is because these strips are designed for HD diesel engines with wet cylinder liners. They need nitrite to prevent liner cavitation that can perforate a liner allowing coolant to leak into the cylinder. Unless you are using a HD diesel coolant, you don't have nitrite in the coolant anyway. Nitrite doesn't provide corrosion protection. It only provides cavitation protection.

As for checking coolant freeze point, a hand held refractometer is the best solution. Floating balls are not accurate. The test strips are really bad at this. A refractometer is not very expensive and they are available at most automotive parts houses. For $25-$50 you can get a nice one.

Brian, I have a question for you. You state "Most importantly, don't use the widely available extended life or long life coolants. You will have gasket leak issues." Why do you make that recommendation, since you are the "coolant engineer" for John Deere, you should know the coolant in the jugs John Deere sells is/was EXACTLY what you say NOT to use. Has JD changed the supplier of their coolant? Secondly, does Deere request any addition additves for CoolGaurd? (Again, if its the same supplier as it was 4 or 5 years ago)

Im not calling you out on anything, Im just wonder why JD, assuming you still work for them, would spec a coolant that barley meets most manufacture's requirements for a gas engine, or at least 3 that I know of right off hand.

My trucks & tractors have been owned by my family for decades. The coolant only ever got replaced if an engine was dismantled for repairs. Even then, it often got reused or poured into another machine. Some seasonal machines were filled with well water. I didn't know any better and was raised under the philosophy that coolant lasts forever and it costs money.

Years later, wiser, and marginally better off financially, I realize that ignoring the cooling systems was a mistake. I have had a few rotted out radiator cores, water header plates, and some clogged up systems. Good replacement radiators are difficult to find. Radiator shops that can do a good re-core are getting harder to find and expensive if you do. I wish I had replaced the coolant in my machinery every few years instead of the mess I have to deal with now. Coolant really isn't that expensive. Just my 2 cents.

John,

Yes, I still work for JD. However, I no longer have the responsibility of coolants. I have moved into new things.

What is "widely available" in the market is not JD CG II. The "widely available" coolants are of other names and formulations which are not manufactured by JD. Through years of testing, I have found none that have as good of protection as JD CG II. To purchase JD CG II, an individual must visit a JD dealership.

But the issue here was not about long life coolant, it was a guy that wanted to learn why he should change coolant vs. just checking the freeze point. So for him, I didn't take it that he is interested in the best product on the market, and most likely wouldn't spend the extra money on something like that. The recommendation was to purchase a traditional product that would not cause harm to his engine.....

As for CG II, there have been no changes in formulation nor supply chain of the product on the shelf.

As for additives, CG II uses CG II Extender only when the CG II test strip dictates it. Not just added as preventative maintenance...

As for the statement about JD CG II barely meeting most gas engine manufacturers specs, I am not following you on this... JD CG II exceeds ASTM D6210 heavy duty coolant specs. For any coolant to meet this spec, it must first pass ASTM D3306 specifications. This is the automotive spec which all automotive manufacturers call for. So there is no issue using a HD coolant in an automotive application.

Now that we have strayed from the topic very far, I would suggest starting a new topic if you want more information or contacting me offline as my email is always open.

OK, I take it CoolGaurd is no longer the same formula is was say 7, 8, 9, 10 years ago. AT that time, CoolGard was the EXACT same coolant as Zerex G05, just dyed green, and per the MSDS not special additives. It barely met the specs for Ford, Dodge, and Mercedes engines, but it did meet them, and I was wondering why JD would use this in its new diesel engine. Ill consider it a closed issue.

Great info Brian, I also agree with not using extended life coolant in gas engines. 2 guys I worked with tried it, 1 in his 1980 Ford F150 gas 351W, other guy in a 90's Polaris Sportsman 500 quad. There was always white residue from orange coolant leaking all over the place. This coolant was in CAT jugs at the time, not sure who made CAT coolant. They both gave up on trying it, went back to everyday green leaks went away.

Years ago read a bulletin from IH not to use extended life coolant in 6.9/7.3 diesel as there oil-coolers couldn't handle it.