Antifreeze in Fleetwood Pusher

Would it not be much simpler to get it done by a Cat authorized shop? You would then not have the issue of disposing of the removed anti-freeze mixture. The cooling system is sensitive and needs to be maintained properly. Another reason to trust the job to a pro!

JimM68 wrote:

Blaster Man wrote:
I never fill the radiator with what I think is 50% of the capacity with coolant. If you think it is 9 gallons, get 9 gallon milk jugs and fill each with a 50/50 mixture. Then start filling the radiator with them. If the actual capacity is 7...you still have a 50/50 mixture in the radiator. If the actual capacity is 11, keep making gallons of 50/50 until it is full. What ever you have left, which isn't much, carry as extra in case you need it, and the radiator has exacty a 50/50 mixture.

I gotta say....

I've never read on the internet anything that makes that much sense.

Makes sense to me to, IF (read that very big IF) you are sure you have drained the system 100%. Ain't going to happen with a DP without a lot of extra work. 50' or so of heater hose from engine to dash heater plus heater core will not drain just because you opened the radiator drain.

Blaster Man wrote:
I never fill the radiator with what I think is 50% of the capacity with coolant. If you think it is 9 gallons, get 9 gallon milk jugs and fill each with a 50/50 mixture. Then start filling the radiator with them. If the actual capacity is 7...you still have a 50/50 mixture in the radiator. If the actual capacity is 11, keep making gallons of 50/50 until it is full. What ever you have left, which isn't much, carry as extra in case you need it, and the radiator has exacty a 50/50 mixture.

I gotta say....

I've never read on the internet anything that makes that much sense.

I never fill the radiator with what I think is 50% of the capacity with coolant. If you think it is 9 gallons, get 9 gallon milk jugs and fill each with a 50/50 mixture. Then start filling the radiator with them. If the actual capacity is 7...you still have a 50/50 mixture in the radiator. If the actual capacity is 11, keep making gallons of 50/50 until it is full. What ever you have left, which isn't much, carry as extra in case you need it, and the radiator has exacty a 50/50 mixture.

Without knowing the system capacity, the only way to accurately get a 50/50 mixture is to remove 100% of the contents of the system and then add exactly half coolant and half distilled water.

That can be done, but is a PAIN in the back side--you would need to remove the heater hose and use compressed air to blow out the heater hoses and heater core and then hope that you can get the residual water out of the bottom of the block. Don't know if that is possible or not, having never worried about it.

The way I change coolant, knowing total system capacity is to do the final rinse with distilled water, then add 50% of the system capacity with coolant concentrate. Then top off with distilled water. Doesn't matter if you only add one gallon of distilled water (meaning large volume of water that was not drained) or a larger amount, you still have the proper 50/50 mixture.

The other thing you can do is guesstimate capacity and then test after a week or so (coolant has time to completely mix). Then if not 50/50, drain some out and top off with the required fluid-- distilled water or coolant concentrate.

Easier to verify coolant capacity. So, I would have a more detailed conversation with chassis AND coach maker to verify capacity.

Thats what I did ..fill it...run it on the road for 30 minutes...let it cool down some.....check and add if needed!

wolfe10 wrote:
Info from Freightliner should be most accurate, since they are the ones who speced and installed the cooling system.

Their statement about capacity without heater confuses me-- it is my understanding that they install the heater core when they assemble the chassis???

They usually state just the radiator capacity. Anyway, just buy 10 to 12 gallons and fill it. Run it for awhile and then top it off and take the extra back. They'll take any unopened bottle back. It does come premixed for these diesels and is about $12 a gallon. So its not cheap. Go to Freightliner to get it, they'll make sure you get the right stuff.

Info from Freightliner should be most accurate, since they are the ones who speced and installed the cooling system.

Their statement about capacity without heater confuses me-- it is my understanding that they install the heater core when they assemble the chassis???