What mileage to replace Ford Gold Coolant?

[wfd2]

I've read all the posts about Ford Gold Coolant and have decided that I'm changing mine out ELC. I'd like to do it myself, but closer to the spring when temps are warmer outside. (I don't have a garage at the moment.)

I know that it's a crap shoot running the Gold coolant and it should have never been used by Ford in the first place, but how many miles have people gotten on this stuff? My truck is a '06 but only had 26K miles on it. I'm I good to wait a couple of months? Max mileage until I can get it changed would be ~30K miles since it is not my daily driver.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

[NYC F-350]

Read the Ford TSB on the subject of when to check/maintain and replace your Ford Gold Coolant.
Ford TSB 09-8-5 click here

[Idahoser]

I don't think you can get a meaningful answer to your question without a monitor to tell you the difference in temps between oil and coolant. That's the indicator that tells you whether it's too late.

[howell_jd]

Only a test kit analysis of the nitrite level will say "how long" you have left on the coolant's properties. Fleetguard or Accustrip test strips will indicate freeze point (definitely a noteworthy reading although few have issues here), nitrite/carboxylate/molybdate concentration (this is one of the most critical measurements for coolant), pH, alkalinity, etc. You may also have a laboratory analysis of a sample provide chemical information. I have used these three labs:
Blackstone Labs
Oil Analyzers, Inc. - Oil Analysis, Oil Testing Services
Predictive Maintenance Services, Inc.
Motorcraft's Premium Gold comes out of the bottle with about the minimum nitrite concentration for cavitation/corrosion protection (...I don't have the document in front of me at work - yes I am goofing off at the moment - but I think it is 800ppm). Addition of the VC-8 Motorcraft recharge will boost nitrite concentration when low. My experience with nitrite based coolants (not those mixed with carboxylates or molybdates which held delay the conversion of nitrites) is "new in two" so a 2006 to present run is likely to have depleted the nitrites under the "acceptable" threshold.

If you want to wait until a flush, then I encourage a test of the coolant - and likely boost of the current coolant with VC-8. The VC-8 is blue so it will change the yellow coolant to a green color BUT THIS DOES NOT MAKE IT "UNIVERSAL" AUTOMOTIVE COOLANT.

Ok? Ok.

Jonathan

[duc796]

Originally Posted by Idahoser

I don't think you can get a meaningful answer to your question without a monitor to tell you the difference in temps between oil and coolant. That's the indicator that tells you whether it's too late.

You definitely dont want to wait for the numbers on your monitor to go out to flush your coolant that will just tell you its wayy over due and you need a new oil cooler. I think its about 50k between flushes for the Ford gold.

[wfd2]

Originally Posted by howell_jd

Only a test kit analysis of the nitrite level will say "how long" you have left on the coolant's properties. Fleetguard or Accustrip test strips will indicate freeze point (definitely a noteworthy reading although few have issues here), nitrite/carboxylate/molybdate concentration (this is one of the most critical measurements for coolant), pH, alkalinity, etc. You may also have a laboratory analysis of a sample provide chemical information. I have used these three labs:
Blackstone Labs
Oil Analyzers, Inc. - Oil Analysis, Oil Testing Services
Predictive Maintenance Services, Inc.
Motorcraft's Premium Gold comes out of the bottle with about the minimum nitrite concentration for cavitation/corrosion protection (...I don't have the document in front of me at work - yes I am goofing off at the moment - but I think it is 800ppm). Addition of the VC-8 Motorcraft recharge will boost nitrite concentration when low. My experience with nitrite based coolants (not those mixed with carboxylates or molybdates which held delay the conversion of nitrites) is "new in two" so a 2006 to present run is likely to have depleted the nitrites under the "acceptable" threshold.

If you want to wait until a flush, then I encourage a test of the coolant - and likely boost of the current coolant with VC-8. The VC-8 is blue so it will change the yellow coolant to a green color BUT THIS DOES NOT MAKE IT "UNIVERSAL" AUTOMOTIVE COOLANT.

Ok? Ok.

Jonathan

Jonathan,

I appreciate your input as well. I'm going to test the coolant but still replace it, probably in the spring. I'm getting a raft of crap from my father-in-law, (a retired Colonel US Army, 82nd), he's a Dodge guy. We got the Ford 6.0L in spite of all the "issues" because it looks like if you keep up on regular maintenance things aren't so bad. I'm just looking to run it stock... we're moving closer to her parents and needed a bigger truck to move the farm.

Bill

[Fox Hunt]

Best time would have been 26k ago, but like someone said getting some gauges on it will really let you know where you stand. I bought my truck with 39k on it and did the elc swap right away and as of now I have a 8* delta on the highway. Unless your delta is crazy high as of right now, I dont think waiting 2 months will hurt much.

[HeavyAssault]

Dump it NOW. That junk isn't fine wine getting better....