Why Maintain Your Coolant

Using and maintaining a properly formulated coolant is one of the most important aspects of engine maintenance. 30% of engine breakdowns are a direct result of improper coolant maintenance. Don’t believe it? Check out this graphic representation and see if you have any of these problems. The intent of this Coolant Maintenance Coach is to provide the information required to help diesel engine operators avoid cooling system problems. Coolant is used to meet the following basic requirements:

• Provide an adequate heat transfer medium.
• Protect against cavitation damage.
• Produce a corrosion-resistant environment.
• Prevent formation of scale and deposits.

To achieve these requirements, coolants must be of good quality. Demineralized or deionized water mixed with fully formulated antifreeze is the best choice. Pencool 3000 may be used to provide corrosion protection in coolant, while Pencool 2000 recommended for water-only coolant. Penray recommends fully formulated phosphate-free extended service interval (ESI) coolants. Use antifreeze or coolant that meets ASTM D-6210 “Type A” phosphate-free requirements. The maintenance procedures described below for “antifreeze” or “coolant” apply equally to PG and EG. (Note: Coolant recycled by reverse osmosis or ion exchange, properly re-inhibited to meet RP-329 or 330 requirements has been demonstrated to provide service equivalent to virgin antifreeze. Recycled antifreeze or coolants of these types are preferred.)

For best overall performance, use a coolant consisting of 33% to 60% fully formulated antifreeze. Fully formulated antifreeze should be used without the addition of any additional coolant additive. If a pre-diluted fully formulated coolant is purchased, simply fill the clean cooling system. Always verify that the freezing point and nitrite concentrations are correct with a Penray test strip, to ensure engine protection. Many antiquated antifreeze formulations available in the market may not contain all the required additives. Penray recommends against using these types of antifreeze.

Pencool 4000 Cooling System Treatment protects against cavitation and wet sleeve liner pitting on (ELC,OAT,NOAT) coolants. Use as a booster to extend ELC coolants in heavy-duty commercial vehicles when needed.

Pencool 4000 is ideal for marine and non-glycol applications requiring ELC technology. Some Marine engine manufacturers require an ELC non-nitrated booster for coolant protection. Pencool 4000 meets the requirements of the D4340 test for aluminum protection in these applications.

After billions of miles, Penray knows what works in cooling systems. For more information about Penray cooling system products, or for technical data, check out our catalog and technical bulletins. In the meantime, go through the Coolant Maintenance Coach to check your coolant.