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Old 12-13-2017, 03:17 PM   #1
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Blue Coolant!?

So- I've checked my coolant a couple times on the shorty and it was at the add mark. Looks clean and nice, but its BLUE. It looks like washer fluid, and with all the stuff that seems almost "sabotaged" on my bus I was wondering if the bus guy in TX had put washer fluid in the coolant to be a jerk. But I found Fleetguard and some others make blue coolant, and every filter on the bus was Fleetguard when I got it, so I'm going to assume that's why my coolant is blue.

Upon googling it, the stuff seems to be 150,000 mile coolant that holds up real well and doesn't need additives or any of that stuff.

Anyone familiar with this magical BLUE coolant in my bus?

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Old 12-13-2017, 03:20 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
seems to be 150,000 mile coolant that holds up real well and doesn't need additives or any of that stuff.
And...it leaves your breath Minty Fresh!

Blue is new to me too (?)
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Old 12-13-2017, 03:33 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by EastCoastCB View Post
So- I've checked my coolant a couple times on the shorty and it was at the add mark. Looks clean and nice, but its BLUE. It looks like washer fluid, and with all the stuff that seems almost "sabotaged" on my bus I was wondering if the bus guy in TX had put washer fluid in the coolant to be a jerk. But I found Fleetguard and some others make blue coolant, and every filter on the bus was Fleetguard when I got it, so I'm going to assume that's why my coolant is blue.

Upon googling it, the stuff seems to be 150,000 mile coolant that holds up real well and doesn't need additives or any of that stuff.

Anyone familiar with this magical BLUE coolant in my bus?
Read up about additives, Charlie.

Most, and especially wet sleeve, do just fine with regular ethylene glycol, but they need additives and regular checks to ensure the additives are still effective.

It's worth doing the checks because life of the coolant can be extended to seven years or 150000 miles, and with up to 15 gallons of the stuff in some buses, it's worth taking care of it.

The best info on coolants will come from whoever made the bus. Cummins, btw, give out lots of great advice on coolants.
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Old 12-13-2017, 04:01 PM   #4
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that newer DT466 wouldve been shipped with an extended life coolant in it. many of those coolasnts dont need SCA's. if its just the simple "green stuff" in a blue color and not an ELC then you will need to still measure and use SCA additives..

its always tough when someone has changed something.. unfortunately coolant colors are not universal as they should be.. manufacturers seem to go off on their own tangents.. I would ask Navistar what coolant they recommend be put into it and go from there..
-Christopher
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Old 12-13-2017, 04:07 PM   #5
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Fleetguard does have a coolant that's blue that is called ES Compleat. It's a hybrid coolant that uses both, organic acids and conventional additives, and is a lifetime coolant. You use test strips to check for acidity, glycol %, and additive level. If the additives are low you have the ability to correct with DCA4 from fleetguard. It's Pretty good stuff and IMHO I'd check it, and if found to be good, leave it. This isn't as good as the full OAT coolants that most oem's use in new ones but it's still pretty good stuff.
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Old 12-13-2017, 04:25 PM   #6
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Fleetguard does have a coolant that's blue that is called ES Compleat. It's a hybrid coolant that uses both, organic acids and conventional additives, and is a lifetime coolant. You use test strips to check for acidity, glycol %, and additive level. If the additives are low you have the ability to correct with DCA4 from fleetguard. It's Pretty good stuff and IMHO I'd check it, and if found to be good, leave it. This isn't as good as the full OAT coolants that most oem's use in new ones but it's still pretty good stuff.
I'm pretty sure this is the stuff that's in it.
I'll find out soon from the maintenance manager at the bus yard it came from.

Sound like good stuff-

Quote:
Compatible with all other coolants
Lifetime coolant with service interval at 150,000 miles, 260,000 kilometers or 4000 hours
Provides freeze protection up to -34 °F (-37 °C) at 50/50 premix and -65 °F (-54 °C) at 60/40 premix
Fully formulated coolant – does not require SCA precharge
Maximum corrosion protection with conventional heavy duty chemical inhibitors and organic acids
Maximum liner pitting protection
Eliminate hard water scale deposits
Low TDS and silicate levels
https://www.ryderfleetproducts.com/f...n-p-v52-cc2825

Not even any more expensive than store brand autozone junk.

I'll get some test strips and go from there, but I'm planning to fully replace the coolant before summer.
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Old 12-13-2017, 04:28 PM   #7
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Read up about additives, Charlie.

Most, and especially wet sleeve, do just fine with regular ethylene glycol, but they need additives and regular checks to ensure the additives are still effective.

It's worth doing the checks because life of the coolant can be extended to seven years or 150000 miles, and with up to 15 gallons of the stuff in some buses, it's worth taking care of it.

The best info on coolants will come from whoever made the bus. Cummins, btw, give out lots of great advice on coolants.
Seems Cummins was or is running the blue stuff!

I'll look into additives, thanks!

Never seen blue coolant!
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Old 12-13-2017, 04:39 PM   #8
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ive never seen blue either...
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Old 12-13-2017, 04:42 PM   #9
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Possibly some kind of corrosion inhibitor additive? Just add some of that yellow stuff that will turn it back green again.

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Old 12-13-2017, 04:45 PM   #10
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I know nalcool was purple. It's a napa corrosion inhibitor. Most of your water filters have some sort of DCA now.

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Old 12-13-2017, 04:55 PM   #11
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Possibly some kind of corrosion inhibitor additive? Just add some of that yellow stuff that will turn it back green again.

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Not an additive. The coolant is bright blue. Like windex.
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Old 12-13-2017, 05:02 PM   #12
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What does the strength of the coolant test at? The only place for blue is in urinal flushing. Not many advantages I can see to buying blind as you have recently on both vehicles. Shaking my head here, everyday something else.

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Old 12-13-2017, 05:12 PM   #13
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What does the strength of the coolant test at? The only place for blue is in urinal flushing. Not many advantages I can see to buying blind as you have recently on both vehicles. Shaking my head here, everyday something else.

John
What are you going on about??
The bus came with blue coolant!!

I already said I have to get some test strips.

WWhy does it being blue mean anything bad? What was your reaction the first time you saw coolant that wasn't green?

Buying blind I've saves MANY thousands of dollars even if I paid to fix every single little issue. I feel like I got a 10 thousand dollar (or more) bus with a few workable flaws for less than five grand.
My $2000 dodge van, even having to fix a few things, is still a screaming deal compared to the crap they're churning out today- like my oil burning, transmission eating subaru.
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Old 12-13-2017, 05:39 PM   #14
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What does the strength of the coolant test at? The only place for blue is in urinal flushing. Not many advantages I can see to buying blind as you have recently on both vehicles. Shaking my head here, everyday something else.

John
Dealers are asking around $8000 to $10000 for buses with a similar spec to mine. I paid under $4000.
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Old 12-13-2017, 05:45 PM   #15
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Well pardon me. There is an antifreeze test tool that looks like a turkey baster. Tells you how good your solution is to what temperature it is protective too. That's what I meant, not test strips. Maybe you have windshield antifreeze in it instead of coolant mixture, like who knows?
I guess we differ on purchasing then. You could have saved thousands had you actually seen and driven said vehicles in the first place.
I would buy an engine for its torque not hp for one thing, that's its strength. Similar to buying a cheap tool vs a tool you keep forever.
Kind of adds to the price of groceries if you ask me as that's what you would be using it for primarily.
Auction houses could care less about details of service etc. They are in business to move stuff and haven't got a nickel involved so maybe that explains why you had to write them. Not there fault, you take your chances. They only want to see it gone off their property asap.
If anything, I hope this forum learns from your experiences, good or bad.

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Old 12-13-2017, 06:13 PM   #16
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That "turkey baster" tester will only tell you the specific gravity; it works just like its smaller cousin the battery acid tester.

CB, might it be worth $50-70 just for your peace of mind to take a turkey baster full of coolant and send it to Blackstone?
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Old 12-13-2017, 06:28 PM   #17
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Well pardon me. There is an antifreeze test tool that looks like a turkey baster. Tells you how good your solution is to what temperature it is protective too. That's what I meant, not test strips. Maybe you have windshield antifreeze in it instead of coolant mixture, like who knows?
I guess we differ on purchasing then. You could have saved thousands had you actually seen and driven said vehicles in the first place.
I would buy an engine for its torque not hp for one thing, that's its strength. Similar to buying a cheap tool vs a tool you keep forever.
Kind of adds to the price of groceries if you ask me as that's what you would be using it for primarily.
Auction houses could care less about details of service etc. They are in business to move stuff and haven't got a nickel involved so maybe that explains why you had to write them. Not there fault, you take your chances. They only want to see it gone off their property asap.
If anything, I hope this forum learns from your experiences, good or bad.

John

The HP rating of the engine will also determine its TORQUE rating, man.
I wouldn't have saved anything by looking at either vehicle in person, I love them both and would buy them again. Why the insistence that I'm remorseful???
And I didn't buy it from an "auction house" I bought it from the school. An online auction facilitated that, but that's WAY different than an auction yard.
I hope the forum does learn from my experiences, mainly in that you don't get any better a buy buying from a dealer, just a more expensive one.
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Old 12-13-2017, 06:30 PM   #18
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That "turkey baster" tester will only tell you the specific gravity; it works just like its smaller cousin the battery acid tester.

CB, might it be worth $50-70 just for your peace of mind to take a turkey baster full of coolant and send it to Blackstone?
Would it? nah, I can handle this.
Its as simple as getting ahold of the maintenance guy tomorrow to verify that its the Fleetguard stuff. Then I'll just keep it in good order from there.
As most of you know, I don't mind spending the money to put new fluids in my machines.
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Old 12-13-2017, 06:33 PM   #19
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http://www.recochem.com/media/upload...N_0316_WEB.pdf
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Old 12-14-2017, 10:05 AM   #20
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You got what I would do.

Talk to the bus barn and see what they use. Worst your out in that scenario is a phone call.

If it is fleetguard, use the test strips to check it, and maintain it from there. You shouldn't need to flush/swap/etc.

I've seen blue before. As listed by fleetguard, it's a combination between oat and conventional additives, Similar to what most universal coolants will be, as well as motorcraft gold(I wouldn't mix any coolants, regardless of what it says). Most of your newer asian cars use blue as well.

All the new busses I've seen have used red coolant, which is your full oat/hoat coolant without any silicates/borates/nitrates. Those -ates will plug up egr coolers and other small hot passages which will ruin things in a hurry.
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