[BryanSR]

Is there a Ford spec on what green coolant should test? Are you only testing Ph?

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[NoRalPh]

A subject that's Way more complicated than it seems

I think the recognized authority, on the net at least, is a guy who posts under the name "Gooch".

A quick Google brought me this on his flush procedure -> https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/.../960812-goochs-radiator-engine-backflush-procedure-and-coolant-information.html

AND this on his opinion on additives & strips -> https://www.thedieselstop.com/forums/f24/coolant-additive-test-strips-215014/

A lot to read but, you'll know a LOT more than most about the subject

 

[BryanSR]

I had emailed Shell Technical Support about using Rotella ELC in my truck. A first they said absolutely no ELC should be used, but I just got this revision to their initial statement a few minutes ago:

The product we would recommended for a 2002 Ford F-250 (7.3L) is Shell Rotella ELC Nitrite Free. We would NOT recommend Rotella ELC (with nitrite). When changing to Shell Rotella ELC NF - although it is miscible and compatible with other engine coolants – dilution/mixing with non-equivalent coolants will reduce or eliminate the extended life properties. Therefore, do not dilute the product by more than 20% with conventional coolants.

 

[DaveP.]

No love lost between Gooch and Smokey Wren, is there? Thanks for the link. Interesting reading.

Here's a Copy/Paste from Gooch. I've never seen this definitive difference for "early" and "late" regarding the cup sealant concern. It appears that OAT type coolants are the concern.

International, who made your engine, did the compatibility testing. They approved the use of OAT-containing coolants in July of 2000...but only for engines built 2/2/99-up (SN 940614). Those engines were revised for compatibility with things like new injector cup matierial, gaskets, O-rings, sensors, front cover, and probably some other things. Pre-2/2/99 (SN940614) engines were not revised, and not recommended for OAT-containing coolants. The Ford G-05 Gold is an OAT-containing coolant.

 

[Bri_Man57]

man, doing so much research of coolant for my 7.3 its making my head spin. My 02 came with green from the PO, not sure what it came with from factory, manual has provisions for both. Thinking I need to at least add some SCA, or maybe flush, but if I flush I might as well go to ELC. Research which ELC, Rotella seems to be more expensive, Zertex from napa may have silicates, not sure what to do!

Based on some of the comments about finding green coolant in a pinch, makes me feel like more people are running green in their 7.3s than i thought.

 

[BryanSR]

I've thought the AF in my truck was green, but not entirely sure after draining it tonight. What you see here has been diluted, I had replaced the water pump earlier this year and put only 4 to 5gal of distilled water back in until I figured out what to put in it. The pump went out when I was driving, so I never had the chance to see it in a drain pan. Does this look like it would be green or yellow/gold?

And about my previous comment about a dealer telling me my truck should have green, I learned today that the guy I talked to was wrong and it would have been yellow/gold.

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[BryanSR]

Does it look like I have gold in the truck, or is what I drained last night just old diluted, discolored green? I'd guess it's gold, and if so I'm going with the same thing.

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[NoRalPh]

That's definitely the Gold coolant (as all '02's from KY came with). I had a hard time too determining that my '02 wasn't Green, it looked pretty green to me (but not after draining).

I want to say again, that Fords Gold Coolant doesn't meet IH's minimum standards....

 

[BryanSR]

That's definitely the Gold coolant (as all '02's from KY came with). I had a hard time too determining that my '02 wasn't Green, it looked pretty green to me (but not after draining).

I want to say again, that Fords Gold Coolant doesn't meet IH's minimum standards....

Yeah, mine sure appeared green in the degas bottle.

So, Ford says my truck takes yellow/gold and I just drained Y/G out of it, so why should I be concerned that it doesn't meet IH's minimum standards?

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[JustinOOO9]

Yeah, mine sure appeared green in the degas bottle.

So, Ford says my truck takes yellow/gold and I just drained Y/G out of it, so why should I be concerned that it doesn't meet IH's minimum standards?

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Ford created/bought the ford gold stuff to replace green and right out of the bottle testing showed it needed more SCAs. The ford gold premium is more expensive compared to ELC locally for me at least and ELC was about $20 cheaper then buying green plus the additive and just as available.

If you have an early 1999 or can get green and additive super cheap run it. If you have a late 1999-03 Id run ELC it doesn't require any additive, doesn't need to be checked every yr.

Ford was using green and the additive until somewhere in 2000s then switched to gold premium but again it was showing too low on SCAs right out of the bottle.

 

[BryanSR]

Ford created/bought the ford gold stuff to replace green and right out of the bottle testing showed it needed more SCAs. The ford gold premium is more expensive compared to ELC locally for me at least and ELC was about $20 cheaper then buying green plus the additive and just as available.

If you have an early 1999 or can get green and additive super cheap run it. If you have a late 1999-03 Id run ELC it doesn't require any additive, doesn't need to be checked every yr.

Ford was using green and the additive until somewhere in 2000s then switched to gold premium but again it was showing too low on SCAs right out of the bottle.

Cost isn't as important as doing what's right for my truck. Ford says use Gold, some say that's junk and to use Shell Rotella ELC. Shell Tech Support told me not the standard Rotella, but use Rotella ELC Nitrite Free. And I found this bulletin that appears to be from Ford saying we need nitrites (4th bullet point).
https://blueprint.cdn.cloud.searcho...b1634fc6e1b/custom-pages/FordPositionStatementonUniversalAntifreezeCoolants.pdf
It's just one big vicious circle....

Even though it's a 2002, maybe I should just go with the plain green Prestone as is found everywhere and use the SCA additive and be done with it....
Either that or move to Florida and run 100% distilled.....

 

[NoRalPh]

So, Ford says my truck takes yellow/gold and I just drained Y/G out of it, so why should I be concerned that it doesn't meet IH's minimum standards?

Well you know it's really an IH engine in your truck

I mean they designed it, they set the standards they feel it should be run with, but if you're asking if the Ford Gold coolant is really deficient enough to do some harm, then I'd have to say No not really (just that there are better alternatives available)

 

[Bri_Man57]

Cost isn't as important as doing what's right for my truck. Ford says use Gold, some say that's junk and to use Shell Rotella ELC. Shell Tech Support told me not the standard Rotella, but use Rotella ELC Nitrite Free. And I found this bulletin that appears to be from Ford saying we need nitrites (4th bullet point).

https://blueprint.cdn.cloud.searcho...b1634fc6e1b/custom-pages/FordPositionStatementonUniversalAntifreezeCoolants.pdf

It's just one big vicious circle....



Even though it's a 2002, maybe I should just go with the plain green Prestone as is found everywhere and use the SCA additive and be done with it....

Either that or move to Florida and run 100% distilled.....

I feel the frustration, i have green in my 02, no idea what came in it from the factory, but dont want green, I THINK. Sure you could use green with sca, but i like the ifea of putting a good coolant in my truck. I start doing research and my head starts spinning on which elc, nitrites, sulphates, etc. Makes me want to keep green lol.

But from the info i gathered (way to much research), if you want an elc go with a red elc that meets cat's ec1 spec. Pick one with nitrites, ideally sulphate free. I think standard rotella elc (with nitrates) would be good, fleet change or fleet charge is a good one as well. Zertex (napa) supposedly is good but does have some sulhpates in it. Im liking fleet charge or whatever, but its 30 a gallon for concentrate.

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[JustinOOO9]

Cost isn't as important as doing what's right for my truck. Ford says use Gold, some say that's junk and to use Shell Rotella ELC. Shell Tech Support told me not the standard Rotella, but use Rotella ELC Nitrite Free. And I found this bulletin that appears to be from Ford saying we need nitrites (4th bullet point).
https://blueprint.cdn.cloud.searcho...b1634fc6e1b/custom-pages/FordPositionStatementonUniversalAntifreezeCoolants.pdf
It's just one big vicious circle....

Even though it's a 2002, maybe I should just go with the plain green Prestone as is found everywhere and use the SCA additive and be done with it....
Either that or move to Florida and run 100% distilled.....

Dude gotta be honest with you are really dragging this out... You can use any of the three for you 2002 and be totally fine... Run green with SCA, run ford gold with or without sca or run plain ELC coolant you're going to be fine. You can see many folks with 7.3ls with hundred of problem free miles using all three types. Folks have their preference and that's awesome. I have a late 1999 and the ELC was cheaper/just as easy to find. I can buy ford gold or green with SCA and flush it out and swap and be fine... The only real concern is when you have an early 1999 and you use Cat, Rotella, Zerex elc it can eat at the injector cup sealant. unless you happened to replace them etc. Use any of the three coolants whichever you like and your good to go.

Like noralph (sorry for spelling) mentioned Ford didn't have their own in house brand engine with the 7.3ls Fords first TRUE Ford engine was the 6.7l powerstroke. Internationals use almost always ELC with exception of some orange and blue brands for various specs.

 

[BryanSR]

Dude gotta be honest with you are really dragging this out... You can use any of the three for you 2002 and be totally fine...

Well "dude", maybe this is all just a bit confusing. It's frustrating that Ford says to use yellow, yet most everyone else says it's basically junk. And after finding out mine had yellow, there was no way I was going green/SCA. And I did clarify with Shell yesterday that the nitrite-free Rotella ELC is not necessary for my truck. NF is typically for newer vehicles with aluminum heads.

I did a distilled fill/flush earlier this week and two more today, and the last drain had no noticable yellow but did have a little bit of a light rusty tint to it. Guessing that's from where I loosened some sediment with my fingers through the lower rad hose fitting. I'll do one more fill/flush tomorrow and refill with AF.

So far I've gone though 18 gallons of distilled, and picked up 12 more tonight just in case. When draining it I back it up a bank by my driveway and get almost 6 gallons out each time.

Does anyone add a rust inhibitor to their final fill, or is what's in the coolant adequate?

 

[BryanSR]

Put 5 more gallons of distilled through it today and it still looks like this. Not sure what else to do, so I'm just gonna put the coolant in it and hope for the best. Assuming this is from rust, I hope running thru the summer on 25% coolant/75% water hasn't rusted the block to where it will give me problems down the road.

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[Bri_Man57]

It is confusing and lots of info out there. So what are you gonna put in now? Rotella elc?

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[BryanSR]

It is confusing and lots of info out there. So what are you gonna put in now? Rotella elc?

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Yep, that's the plan

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[Bri_Man57]

That's my plan to. Rotella elc, not the nf one. So regular elc i guess lol. I might try another round of flushes. But i haven't done mine yet. In the gootch procedure, i believe they typically have clear water before proceeding

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[BryanSR]

It still has a slight smell of antifreeze so I'm not too concerned if that's what the color is from. But if it's from block rust, I'm not sure what else to do other that use a flush/cleaning compound and reflush several times with distilled again.

Hopefully someone will chime in soon...

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