[zzman]

Seems like these cars love to dirty up the coolant with rust and clog the heater cores.

I wonder if adding one of the many anti rust additives would solve this common issue?

 

[mediarocker]

Seems like these cars love to dirty up the coolant with rust and clog the heater cores.

I wonder if adding one of the many anti rust additives would solve this common issue?

I don't believe in additives. I believe in maintenance. If you change the coolant (which is often overlooked) and flush the system at its specified intervals, you should be good to go.

Often times the coolant system gets overlooked, many people just keep adding without realizing that their coolant is rotting away their water pump.

If I remember correctly the coolant retains metal through an effect called electrolysis, and this contributes to the rust.

Changing the coolant regularly and keeping it clean, and using a radiator plug magnet can increase the longevity of your cooling system. These "Stop Rust" things tend to clog up your cooling system. I have yet to see these things work.

You should also use a flush out every time you change your coolant. This removes any calcium build up which tends to clog the heater core. This is due to tap water calcifying due to it being boiled. If you use nothing but Distilled water and coolant typically the calcification doesn't occur as rapidly. However I've still seen it happen.

 

[wjc]

On a 96-99 Vulcan engine, flush and change the coolant yearly/every 15K miles. Ford gacked the flow design on that motor, which causes premature coolant breakdown and all the clogging & overheating/head gasket problems that are so common.

 

[loudsho92]

The coolant usually has enough ant-corrosion additives in it so you don't need more. Also you need to make sure you are at a 50/50 ratio to help out as well. Make sure you are using distilled water and not tap water.

 

[KhanTyranitar]

Just so long as you use good name brand coolant of the correct type, and that you do not mix tap water with it, its anticorrosion properties are more than enough. Any extra additives will only serve to make your coolant changes more expensive. You just need to change out the coolant at least every other year. I do it every year.

 

[sheila]

^+1. Although i have used some Caterpillar cooling system conditioner i have laying around from work from time to time.

 

[easywind]

^+1. Although i have used some Caterpillar cooling system conditioner i have laying around from work from time to time.

Are you running a PSD? If so I do also

 

[sheila]

Weve always used the Cat pink stuff in all the heavy equipment cooling systems at the quarry. After reading all the claims on the bottle label, i figured a reduced amount might be some added protection for the tauri.

 

[loudsho92]

Weve always used the Cat pink stuff in all the heavy equipment cooling systems at the quarry. After reading all the claims on the bottle label, i figured a reduced amount might be some added protection for the tauri.

Thats REALLY bad. Some coolants do not mix and when added together they turning to globs and ruin the system. Never mix coolants of different type.

 

[sheila]

Loudsho92, it wasnt coolant, but an ethylene glycol based coolant additive.

 

[sheila]

The coolant we used in the equipment was the green stuff we put in our tauri. The pink stuff was an additive recommended to be used in conjunction with the green coolant. It was an additive protection package.

 

[loudsho92]

The coolant we used in the equipment was the green stuff we put in our tauri. The pink stuff was an additive recommended to be used in conjunction with the green coolant. It was an additive protection package.

Okay because it wasn't clear.

 

[sheila]

Sorry, but yes it was compatible with the green slime.

 

[drjkel]

Some coolant rust inhibitors also contain a "water pump" lubricant which is nothing more than an emulsified oil. DO NOT use these as the oil is certain death for the o-rings holding the radiator side tanks on. As stated above, just change your coolant more often.

 

[JW657]

I don't believe in additives. I believe in maintenance. If you change the coolant (which is often overlooked) and flush the system at its specified intervals, you should be good to go.

Often times the coolant system gets overlooked, many people just keep adding without realizing that their coolant is rotting away their water pump.

Yup. It's pretty simple really, change the fluid often and never let it get brown. There's no need to protect it with stuff unless you let it go forever without a change, it's not like it rusts everything over night, it takes a long time for the coolant to look crappy and cause problems, just keep a tab on it and make sure it looks good. But, like you said, most people are incapable of this and that's why most Taurus's are getting cooled with rust instead of antifreeze. Auto maintenance is simple, people are lazy and cheap.