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Topic: OAT coolant shelf life (Read 667 times) previous topic - next topic

OAT coolant shelf life

I ordered some Fleetguard OAT coolant from FindIt Parts and the jugs that arrived were very dirty and looked like they had been sitting in the back of somebody's warehouse for a very long time.  I don't know anything about the chemical stability of this stuff but Cummins apparently says it has a 5 year shelf life.  This is the "good" coolant that is supposed to last the life of the engine or at least a very long time and I'm sure sitting on a shelf is not as harsh an environment as being in an engine, but if it doesn't matter why do they even talk about a shelf life?
This stuff is expensive and the whole idea of changing over to it is so I won't have to do it again for a long time, so if it makes a difference how long it has already been sitting on the shelf I would like to know that. 
I checked for a date code and there was none.
Anybody have any knowledge of this?
BJ Holden
'98 U320 36'
Motorcade #16754

Re: OAT coolant shelf life

Reply #1 –
Book reads approximate 8 years.. I would venture to guess none of us know how long ours was on the shelf before we bought it.
Dub McBride 1996 270

Re: OAT coolant shelf life

Reply #2 –
A thought, why not call the Cummins or whoever is the Mfg.??  "have this, cant find a exp. date," dont know when bought, new owner, never opened, ??any idea if it has a expiration date?  Or is it good if still sealed. 
The 1st person will be a bimbo,  #2 will have a definite maybe,  the 3rd will be worth talking it over.

I had a blown Cummins Eng. due to coolant failure, took some drill down..

"Ain't "to be taken lightly.


Bill, Tricia, Sassy  Mostly poodle. Maybe
It,s. 5 o clock somewhere,  ?
MoHo has 3 happy days,  Buy, everything works, sell.
  Hopefully the rest are pleasant days.

Pull 05 Jeep Liberty.

Re: OAT coolant shelf life

Reply #3 –
If I didn't feel good about it and you don't ,contact the people and tell them you want a fresher product. I've never dealt with Find it but worth a try to satisfy your mind and I've gone to long ends to accomplish that. If Find it won't help call Fleetguard..
Dub McBride 1996 270

Re: OAT coolant shelf life

Reply #4 –
Just asking but what do you call a"blown engine",what specifically happened and how was it the coolants fault and did the coolant
company pay damages.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.

Re: OAT coolant shelf life

Reply #5 –
Yes the first thing I did was call Cummins and they transferred me to Filtration, which I guess is their Fleetguard part.  And it was disappointing to say the least.  I explained the situation and then got a 3 or 4 minute speech about how after it leaves them and I buy it through some third party they have no control over what happens to it, and somebody could do anything to it and they cannot be held liable.  When I could get a word in, I explained that I know they did not have any control over it and did not expect them to be liable, I just wanted to ask the people that make it what they could tell me about the useful shelf life.  She just rolled back into the same speech over again about how they have no control and can't be liable.  When I said again that I just wanted their opinion on what the likely stability/shelf life was and if it was likely still ok, and she said that they cannot give opinions so they cannot be held liable. 
I was a flabbergasted.  I've called Cummins in the past, the engine people anyway, and usually get to talk to a knowlegeable person.  But this was like talking to a lawyer instead of technical support.  Somewhere in the conversation she did say that they publish a 5 year shelf life.  I have not verified that with any other source.
There were numbers on the bottom of the jug but no date code.  I think if it is originally sold by the case, the date would be on the case, but I don't know.
I should have pursued it by asking to talk to someone else, or call back later and hope to get someone else and a better response, but I didn't do that.  Yet.  I should probably send an email to Cummins to see if this is their policy or just an outlier.
BJ Holden
'98 U320 36'
Motorcade #16754

Re: OAT coolant shelf life

Reply #6 –
Of course they sell test strips to check OAT coolant.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country
 

Re: OAT coolant shelf life

Reply #7 –
I think if you use it,it will be fine.
96 U270 BUILD 4810
85 380SL
Drummonds TN.