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Coolant Additive For 7.3

47K views 35 replies 15 participants last post by  f250 hd Powerstroke 
#1 ·
What additives other than the one from Ford works for keeping the injector cups happy when refilling the coolant? Doesn't Napa have one called something like napacool or something like that?

Thanks,
Matt R
 
#2 ·
I think your thinking of Nalcool. I dont know if it does the same things as the additive from Ford or if they have two different purposes:shrug: The Nalcool is a water treatment that prevents cavitation erosion, mineral build-up, etc.
 
#6 ·
DCA4 is recommended for our cooling systems.
Any good name brand DCA4 is equivalent to or at least a substitute for Ford FW-16, IIRC the new name VC-8.
You need to use Fleet guard 3 way test strips to accurately measure and keep a chemical concentration of 1.5 - 3.0 UPG in the cooling system at all times.

DCA2 is not recommended for our cooling systems and shouldn’t be used..

You could use good quality ELC and do away with the use of DCA4 and the testing.
An organic acid is used in ELC and is not compatible with the conventional SCAs so pick one method or the other and stick to it.
Thorough flushing of the cooling system before changing to an ELC is a must.
 
#14 ·
You can use either DCA-2 or DCA-4. It comes in various brands. I always use Fleetguard branded stuff because it is easy for me to get. If you aren't flushing the system it would be best to use the same kind that is currently in there. If you have no way of knowing it isn't a big deal because you can mix DCA-2 & 4 without any issues. I'd use a Fleetguard strip that tests for both molybdate and nitrite (CC2602) even if you use DCA-2 because you might have some molybdate in there from a previous dose.

Ford Gold coolant has a minimum dose of DCA-2. You can enhance it's protection by adding either DCA-2 or DCA-4.
 
#8 ·
I dont think you need an additive if you use the original motocraft gold.Please correct me if im wrong,before i mess something up.:confused:
 
#10 · (Edited)
The Motorcraft premium gold coolant supposedly does not need additional SCA.
AFAIK the only 7.3 SD’s that came from the factory with this coolant are 02-03.

I personally have little confidence in the gold coolant. I changed my 02-03’s within 50,000 miles to green with the proper concentration of DCA4.
Now as service life dictates they are being changed to a heavy duty ELC.

The gold and the green are not compatible and should not be mixed.
 
#9 ·
I have been told that Baldwin CS5008 will work in place of the Ford stuff at a fraction of the cost, but I'm just noticing that it says nothing on the bottle about specs.
on edit Baldwin BTA Plus is the DCA4 equivalent.
 
#11 ·
Best price I've found for Fleetguard DCA4 and three-way test strips is Ryder Fleet products - http://www.ryderfleetproducts.com . I have no affiliation with them, just happened to find them significantly cheaper for these products. One caveat - the test strips usu. have a pretty short shelf life. I bought some last November, and they expire this month. Dunno if other sellers have them "fresher" than that, though.
 
#12 ·
I prefer Fleetguard DCA4 which is a nitrite-molybdate-phosphate mix and a direct replacement for the Ford VC-8.

You can buy a gallon jug of the right stuff for around $34 or a pint for around $8, why cheap out on the protection of your cooling system.

I forget which brands are but some are a nitrite only formulation. I don’t believe any damage will occur by the use of this type, Imo they are a less desirable product.






Don't make me go all Gooch on yo ass:D
 
#15 ·
Only buy a gallon if you drive a lot of miles, it spoils. A half gallon is more than enough for a complete flush. Then you will need about a pint every 15,000 miles for maintenance.
 
#16 ·
How long does it last in the bottle. I average about 30K a year. I am fixing to do a complete flush within the next couple of weeks.
 
#23 ·
Like 444-4D said, either DCA-2 or DCA-4. Both great stuff. The NapaKool mentioned is DCA-2.

Ford didn't even come out with a SCA specification until late 2002. FW-15, FW-16, VC-8 , etc. were/are just Motorcraft part numbers, not specifications...just like a Motorcraft FL-1995 oil filter...it's a part number, not a spec. I think Ford knew by listing their own SCA spec in 2002 (ESN-M99B169-A), they could sell owners more of their own Motorcraft products.

DCA-2 and DCA-4 both do the same thing, using different methods. DCA-2 is Nitrite only and it's usually sodium buffered. DCA-4 is Nitrite/Molybdate with a potassium buffer. As mentioned, they are compatible and could be mixed if you had to. I like DCA-2 for reasons I won't get into here.

I've been told by SCA manufacturers that one of the reasons DCA-4 was developed was because it is less toxic to the environment. And one of the main reasons Ford began using it was because Fleetguard (who makes the DCA-4) is owned by Cummins, who at the time had interest and collaborations with Ford. And of course Ford and Navistar/International were also collaborating. So Cummins, Ford, and International all recommend using their own SCA, so-to-speak.

BTW, there are popular industry conversions available for using the easier-to-find 2-way test strips with DCA-4: Basically 800 ppm of Nitrite on the 2-way strip is equivalent to 1 DCA unit. 1200 ppm of Nitrite on the 2-way strip is equivalent to 1.5 DCA units. Or every 400 ppm of Nitrite is equivalent to .5 DCA units.

SCA is "old-school" compared to the modern HD ELC diesel coolants. But it is very proven.

Cheers. Gooch.
 
#24 ·
Good info, could you elaborate on the ethylene glycol concentrates of the DCA-2 vs the DCA-4 meaning the DCA2 says you have to have at least 30%, DCA-4 0%, now what happens if you have less than 30 % with the DCA-2?
 
#25 ·
Has anyone used the EVANS NPG+, NPG and NPG-R Coolant that dieselsite sells on their site? Where does this compare to using regular coolant with the additive?

I am thinking about draining the coolant and switching to the evans stuff, but if it considered harmful or not worth the money, I will just go back to something mentioned above.
 
#26 ·
I've used EVANS before in my cummins and d-max,but not in my strokers, yet,from all the info i gather it seems to be the best-longest lasting coolant.just my $.02 (still gathering info)
 
#30 ·
I drive it about 2000 a year at the most i just got the truck about a year ago the truck had been sitting for 7 years and i got it and have been keeping the coolant clean because it turns brown about in 500 miles there for i change it every season to keep it clean. But i use 50/50 long life.
 
#31 ·
If your coolant turns brown in 500 miles, your cooling system needs some attention starting with a good flush. I wouldn't use the coolant you are using. For Peak products, I would use either Fleet Charge or Final Charge or one of their conventional coolants such as Full Force. What year is your truck?
 
#33 ·
Going to IH and buying Fleetrite if fine but you can get fully formulated coolant many places. Peak Fleet charge was the first fully formulated coolant I can remember seeing.
 
#35 ·
I wouldn't use Final Charge in a 97, but I would use Fleet Charge. You could use one gallon of concentrate and six gallons of 50/50 but it is probably cheaper to buy 4 gallons concentrate and 4 gallons of distilled water.
 
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