Coolant Confusion

[quickgrits]

I've just finished removing the mid-ship heater and re-routing the the heater lines to underneath the floor. Now I have a bucket of pretty red coolant that I've filtered through a paint strainer. Here's what it looks like.




I'd like to avoid draining the whole thing to replace the coolant and ending up with 7 gallons of used coolant. I also don't want to flush the system onto the nice green ground where the bus is.

This coolant looks so nice and clean that I'd like to put it back in but I'll also need to buy some more to top up the system and and to carry in the bus. So I'd like to have some confidence in knowing what this red anti-freeze is. I haven't been able to enlighten myself much by researching anti - freeze colors and the engine manual I have only says "The cooling system will most likely be filled with ethylene glycol coolant." and the bus manual sends me to the engine manual.

Could I just pour in some red ethylene glycol and also test for SCA's and add conditioner if necessary? Oh, there is no coolant filter, just a block off cap or whatever you'd call it.

[cadillackid]

red is an ELC coolant.. you shouldnt need to check for SCA's.. something like Peak FinalCharge is what this is. (or other branded ELC coolant).

-Christopher

[quickgrits]

Very good. I'll get some of that. Thanks!

[superdave]

never mix the two kinds and if you change you have to flush all the old stuff out or the two mixing makes a big sludgey mess.

[Clayton]

I need to top the coolant up in my International diesel which has red coolant too. The guy at the store gave me some pre mixed coolant for diesels but when I opened it; it is yellow. Is this compatible? It does say ELC on the package.