Antifreeze questions for 711s and 673s

[Wobblin-Goblin]

I have on my list of things to do this winter replacing the old antifreeze in my 711. Here are my questions:

1. What's the best way to drain as much of the old stuff out? Or is there no trick, you just drain until nothing comes out and that's it...?

2. I bought universal antifreeze at Wal-Mart, both pre-diluted and full-strength. Are they OK to use? Is pre-diluted fine? Or, should I use full-strength and mix it with distilled water (pure H2O with no minerals)?

3. Is there an additive that is needed? If so, what?

[MHfred]

I recently changed the anti-freeze and hoses on my 1989 MH and found out that the Mack dealer would have used the old green antifreeze. From the reading I did I found out that anything prior to 1989 should have the green coolant and that is what I used. The man at NAPA thought I should use the red but I did not. There are many different opinions about it.

[41chevy]

I try to use what the manual says to use, mostly Green or Yellow like the old Xerex. I also add a exra can of Rust Inhibitor / Water Pump lube only because of the periods of sitting.

[felicello122]

I would not put the red in any older motor, the gaskets can't handle the red stuff, I was going to use it in my 3406 425 cat in my 96 Pete and the cat man, and engine rebuilds told me the same, not sure on what years are safe, and don't get green mixed with red it will ruin it, but the red has no effect on the green. Napa sells some heavy duty stuff that is purple and can mix with the green stuff.

[mrgumby]

if you run green http://www.filterfinder.com/PDF%20Files/Cummins%20Filtration/Cooling/Coolant%20Products%20Brochure.pdf

dont know if you run a treated coolant filer or not but you should test it to see if you need to add some sca

Edited November 15, 2015 by mrgumby

[Outbehindthebarn]

I ran into the same issue on a Waukesha wet-sleeve diesel I bought from Kalifornia. It had the red in it, which surprised the hell out of me seeing as how the engine was an '84 (at the newest).... I run green in everything here.... So I saved the red and reused it.

I assumed the red was due to some Kalifornia environmental B.S.

I was told you don't mix water with the red, is that right???

[RedBullDog]

I was told you don't mix water with the red, is that right???

The red coolant is sold in both full strength and 50/50 premix. The Cat in my International ran that red "OAT" ELC coolant from the factory and I just stuck with it. That is one thing I don't miss is finding red coolant when I was off in the sticks or sometimes even in town. I got to where I carried about 4 or five gallons mixed up with me for that reason.

My Mack had green until The new radiator a month or two back, now its pink. Napa penray coolant, same formula as green with the sca's already in it.

The pink penray can mix with green but that would make an ugly color in there.

I never understood the extended life coolant anyway, what super lucky guy runs 4 or 5 hundred thousand miles without a breakdown that either causes or requires coolant drained out.

[farmer52]

My 92 MH E7 has red and no issues (knock on wood).

[Freightrain]

I keep green in mine. I've put new in mine a couple times over the years. Just drained radiator and topped it back off. I've only drained the block down once when I replaced the block heater unit. It sits inside so not concerned with actual strength(and freeze rating). There are drains in the block on each side if you want to drain it to get all the old crap out. If you don't have any history, I'd drain it and then run water through to get all the rust/crap out of the block. I bet the drains will likely get stopped up at first.

[Wobblin-Goblin]

So is the consensus that I shouldn't use the Wal-Mart universal antifreeze?