PEAK Antifreeze + Coolant Equivalent to OEM Original

[DiehardTory]

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Excellent use of the Swimming / hot tub Pool Water testing Strips.. Good tip for all (buy on line or at the Pool store)

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[Maximus Gladius]

From what I've been told, a traditional (and cheap) antifreeze tester, that uses specific gravity to determine (freezing point and) coolant mix, will give a false reading for OAT-formulated coolant. To properly test the mix of OAT-formulated coolant, a refractometer is required

Thanks for this tip! Mine arrived today and I’ve already calibrated it and going to test it on my coolant in the morning!

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Thanks for this tip! Mine arrived today and I’ve already calibrated it and going to test it on my coolant in the morning!

All it will give you is specific gravity, - the concentration. It won't tell you the health of the coolant, if it needs to be replaced and so on.

Also note - some refractometers mention “Not For Use with OAT Coolant”

So make sure what you get is going to work for OAT coolant.

 

[g2020]

Summary of Advice on Antifreeze / Coolant for Jeep Gladiator

Type of coolant: Formulated with OAT (Organic Acid Technology)

Compliance: Material standard MS.90032 (concentrate) or MS-12106 (50/50 prediluted) should be documented on the label or on the manufacturer's website

Concentration/mix of coolant in radiator: Use a refractometer made for use with OAT-formulated coolant; a cheap antifreeze tester will give a false reading
- Recommended mix = 50/50
- If premixing concentrate with water, use deionized & distilled water (best choice) or distilled water (much better than tap water)

- The chemical (CAS) registry number for deionized and/or distilled water is 7732-18-5​

pH/quality of coolant: Use a pH test to ensure that the coolant has not become acidic (pH has not dropped below 7.0, or neutral)
Suggested pH = 8.5 +/- 1.0 (low-to-mild alkaline/basic)

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I tested my coolant potency with the refractometer and the ethylene glycol column showed coolant @ 35% mix. Without having this tool, I was guessing and aiming for 35/65 coolant/water, not 50/50.

Having just done a flush a month or so ago, I also decided to try lowering engine coolant temps by using Red Line Water Wetter in the mix.

Flush procedure I did was to disconnect the bottom hose and dump its load. Put the hose back on and fill with distilled water only and run engine up to temp to open thermostat a few minutes to cycle solution, then disconnect bottom hose and dump. Did this 3 times.

My process then to do the final fill was to pour in one concentrate jug of Fleatguard Cummins coolant, one bottle Red Line Water Wetter and topped up with distilled water.

Having no knowledge of a refractometer, I used a coolant tester to check freeze/boil point and had it showed -12c(+10F) 124c(155F) solution. It did not give me potency %. (What was the result?)

I did see a drop of 15F in coolant temps and never did see the 222F which is when my thermostat opened before.

I was good to run the rest of the summer like that until having read a different post from @ShadowsPapa that if mix isn’t at 50/50, cavitation was immanent so I begrudgingly sucked out the coolant reservoir and filled it to max line with concentrate. It is after this point @g2020 mentioned the importance of checking OAT coolant with a refractometer which showed me I am now running at 35% coolant. Freeze point now of -22c(-7F) - 127c(260F). Sometime in November, will suck out the bottle and top up with concentrate again which should protect me through our -30’s c winter.

All that to say I learned of a new tool for the box and was a great experiment.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I was guessing and aiming for 35/65 coolant/water, not 50/50.

Why??
That's reduced protection against freeze and boiling, not to mention less additives to protect things. You lose the chemistry of the coolant itself, the protection against oxidation, protection for water pump seals, helps prevent galvanic reaction between the dissimilar metals in the cooling system, and so on.

and never did see the 222F which is when my thermostat opened before.

That's not when the thermostat opens.
These, and all others, have a range, typically they begin to open in the 190s and don't fully open until into the 220s, depending. Between those numbers, they are partially open/partially closed.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

Why??

Cuz the summit racing report said coolant temps would drop so I ran a test and it proved right. Not that I needed to run cooler but I was trying an experiment for our diesel brothers and sisters navigate their derating problem and threw myself out there to help them.

As far as the thermostat and 190 - 222f, the reason I mentioned 222f for an open thermostat is that’s when I’d see the temp drop fast and speculated the thermostat was either open or closed. Thanks for the explanation of the thermostat gradual operation from 190 +.

Since the experiment, I’ve not seen temps that would indicate my thermostat needed to be fully open. Now that I’m building the concentration back up, I’m speculating, again, I’ll see higher temps.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Cuz the summit racing report said coolant temps would drop so I ran a test and it proved right. Not that I needed to run cooler but I was trying an experiment for our diesel brothers and sisters navigate their derating problem and threw myself out there to help them.

The last thing they need to do is reduce the coolant ratio................ it might be a fast, cheap fix in the short term, but not for the longer term.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

The last thing they need to do is reduce the coolant ratio................ it might be a fast, cheap fix in the short term, but not for the longer term.

Good thing I did it short term,… now I’m back to higher temps!

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