How do you know when it's time to replace engine antifreeze? When I service engine I always replace antifreeze filter with a conditioner in it Don't really know what that is, shake it sounds like bee bees in it, Antifreeze is checked by strength & PH is that correct?
It depends on type of antifreeze. If you are putting a conditioner in it you should have it tested. Most truck stops have the strips There is a lot of posts on changing antifreeze on the forum. My personal opinion would be to do a flush and change to the newer OAT based coolant, it lasts longer but is more expensive and has benefits the SCA based coolants don't have.
Since you are describing using a coolant filter WITH SCA, you have the "low silicate coolant for diesel with added SCA". Usually green in color (but color alone is not a good determinate since there is no agreement among coolant manufacturers in color/chemistry.
Here are the test strips that I use when doing a mechanical inspection to test this type of coolant-- it tests for SCA concentration, freeze point and pH:
http://www.wixfilters.com/Lookup/PartDetails.aspx?Part=22873
Note, they are sold by the box (12 packs of 4 strips) AND they have a short shelf life. I usually get them just before leaving for the Diesel RV Club Rally and FMCA Convention where that kind of quantity (I actually get 4 boxes for the two events) makes sense.
If you're unsure about the age or condition of your antifreeze then I recommend doing what I did.
I flushed the cooling system several times with tap water and one final time with distilled water. I changed the coolant filter to a "blank" filter. I put in new antifreeze using Peak Final Charge Global OAT PEAK Commercial & Industrial | PEAKhd.com (http://www.peakhd.com/product-lines/final-charge/about/) . I used the full-strength antifreeze and put in one-half of the total cooling system capacity and then finished with distilled water.
I tend to over think things sometimes when I'm in areas I'm not sure of (Coolant)! I serviced trans had Front end checked now I am going to change antifreeze & Hoses, After beating the heck out off this I finally decided on a coolant to use 1st it was a Fleetguard product ES Complete # CC36077 50/50 add it in and forget about it does not require maintaining or SCA filter , But 2 things , Hard to get and $ , So The local diesel service showed me a Chevron product Delo ELC complete fill it up put a blank filter on it and go 8 years or 750,000 miles that should work. Now Hoses, I have 4 lower hoses- 2 upper hoses, 2 small hose I believe 1 inch ,1 from radiator to T-stat housing and 1 from Tank to water pump housing. Is there any other hoses that I should change and do I get them at Foretravel or any Cummings dealer? Where does the hoses come from on engine to heater on dash and Aqua Hot?
Art,
I like: Green Stripe® 4-Ply Heavy-Duty Coolant Hose | Gates Corporation (http://www.gates.com/products/automotive/fleet-and-heavy-duty/hd-cooling-system/hd-coolant-hose/green-stripe-4-ply-coolant-hose)
Just measure and buy by length unless they are not straight hoses. If not straight, check with Foretravel.
Heater hoses are just standard hoses (again Gates green stripe recommended). I would not replace the basement section unless you find them degraded. They are in a pretty protected environment. If you want to replace the engine room section of the heater/water heater hoses, just use a barb to barb fitting and hose clamps forward of the engine to splice into the existing lines.
And, because of the volume of water (distilled water in final rinse) in the hoses to water heater, hoses to dash heater core and volume in dash heater core, buy CONCENTRATE, not predilute. Determine whole system volume, and after final rinse with distilled water, just add 50% coolant concentrate. Top off with distilled water and you will have correct concentration.
Be sure that any future coolant filter changes are ONLY with filter blanks. Filter blanks have same filtration, but zero units SCA.
Art has a 1996 U320. Cummins ISM11 was the engine they used. What Cat says is not relevant.