Keeping your cooling system clean
The long life coolants won’t do any cleaning. No one talks about the importance of cleaning. The cooling systems of yesterday and today’s cars and trucks needed to be cleaned (and kept clean) and the systems of the cars and trucks of the near future are going to need to be cleaned on an ongoing basis. The best product, as well as the easiest to use in our estimation to accomplish this is RMI-25 Cooling System Treatment. It is needed more than ever with the hotter running engines, especially the ones with the low emissions technology.
Air is the biggest culprit
It’s pretty hard to keep air from entering a cooling system as time goes by. Often, things can loosen up and you can get a leak in a head gasket, which can let combustion gases into the coolant. This condition will quickly degrade any type of coolant, even Long Life Coolant. Overflow tanks are made to let air burp out of the system and not let it back in. It allows for expansion of the coolant. But if you let the coolant level get past the lowest level mark on the tank, air will be pulled into the radiator upon cooling and then you have opened up a foothold for corrosion to form in the system. With some truck manufacturers, there is no overflow tank. Systems with expansion tanks that leave an air void in the top of the radiator to catch expelled coolant can result in getting corrosion in the engine even with long life coolant! And people wonder how did that happen?
Low emissions = high heat
Brian Etchells, Research Manager in the commercial vehicle group at J.D. Powers said “that a decline in engine satisfaction could be attributed to the introduction of the NEW LOW EMISSIONS technology engines in both the heavy and medium–duty markets; we’ve seen a marked increase in engine problems and decline in engine satisfaction with engine performance. New, Low Emissions technology makes engines run hotter than they do without this technology, putting a big demand on a cooling system that’s barely adequate, to begin with.” All the more reason to use a product such as RMI-25 and make sure the systems stay clean and in optimum condition.
Cutting corners costs money
A spokesperson for Chevron was quoted saying “don’t cut corners if you do, the high temperatures are going to cost you DOWNTIME. Operators who continue to ignore, or treat the cooling system poorly will have problems that they could have gotten away with in the past.” About the only corner that the majority of the trucking and auto industries have been cutting is the CLEANING aspect of cooling system maintenance.
The best solution to cooling system care
RMI-25 Cooling System Treatment is such an easy product to use because you get the cleaning whether you need it or not and then it protects after it has cleaned the metal. Rust and corrosion cannot sneak up on you like it can with the typical sodium nitrate borate type inhibitors. Let’s face it, corrosion and mineral deposits can happen even with long life coolant according to the experts……..but not if you use RMI-25 Cooling System Treatment. It cleans, protects, lubricates, inhibits, prevents cavitation and electrolysis, it also has a “water-wetter” additive which makes water a better coolant, combine those and include an oxygen scavenger and even a black light leak detector for an efficient formula to “keep it cool” at a surprisingly low cost. RMI-25 Cooling System Treatment does no harm when added to anti-freeze, whether it is the old “green stuff” or the Long Life Coolants, as it does not contain Silicates, Nitrates, Borates or Molybdenites in the formula; those are the chemicals which the anti-freeze manufacturers do not want to see added to their products. No dangerous chemicals to use and in its original form, it is non-hazardous, non-toxic and bio-degradable. In certain applications where freezing is not a concern, using RMI-25 with distilled water is all you need, thus you can eliminate the high cost of anti-freeze. Simply add 8 ounces of RMI-25 for every 5 gallons of coolant capacity in the system and recharge it every 15,000 miles or 300 hours for optimum efficiency. The capacities for most cars and light pick-ups is 5 gallons, diesel pickups and medium-duty trucks can be 7-1/2 to 10 gallons, and the larger types of diesel are mostly 20 gallons, some, even more, refer to the owner’s manual to be certain. RMI-25 Cooling System Treatment is recommended for all types of water cooled engines, whether gas, diesel, stationary, marine or other applications. Need more information? Contact your RMI-25 distributor or check our website: www.dfsalesmarketing.com So….. how good are they? LLCs & ELCs can be beneficial providing you “treat them right!”
Read our favorite article on the confusion about cooling systems.
WATER PUMP
The water pump is a belt-driven pump that circulates coolant between the engine and radiator. The pump consists of an impeller mounted on a shaft inside a cast or stamped steel housing. Failure of the pump shaft seal or bearing can cause noise and coolant leaks. A defective water pump can be replaced with a new or remanufactured replacement pump.
RADIATOR
The radiator is a large heat exchanger mounted in front of the engine. Airflow through the radiator provides cooling for the coolant that circulated through it. Most newer radiators are a “crossflow” design where the coolant flows from one end to the other. Older vehicles usually have “downflow” radiators where the coolant flows from the top to the bottom. Most newer radiators are aluminum, while many older radiators are copper/brass. Most radiators also contain a loop of pipe in the bottom tank or end tank for cooling automatic transmission fluid. A replacement radiator should have the same hose configuration (location and size) as the original and provide equivalent (or better) cooling. For towing applications and high-performance engines, a larger, thicker and/or more efficient radiator can be installed to improve cooling.
RADIATOR CAP
The radiator cap is a spring-loaded pressurized cap on the radiator that prevents coolant loss and increases the temperature at which the coolant boils. Pressure ratings vary from five to 15 psi. Caps should be replaced if they cannot hold their rated pressure. Replacement caps must have the correct pressure rating for the application to prevent overheating.
COOLING FAN
There are two basic types of cooling fan: belt-driven and electric (though a few vehicles have hydraulic fans that are driven by power steering fluid.) The fan increases airflow through the radiator for improved low-speed cooling. Belt-driven fans are mounted on the water pump pulley and may have a viscous clutch that allows the fan to slip at higher speeds when extra cooling isn’t needed. Electric fans may be mounted in front or behind the radiator and are powered through a relay. Some vehicles have a temperature switch to turn the fan on and off, while others use commands from the engine computer and coolant sensor to control the fan. Some vehicles have two electric fans, one of which may be used for the A/C condenser. A fan or fan clutch failure may cause the engine to overheat at low speed.
COOLANT SENSOR
An engine-mounted coolant sensor monitors the temperature of the coolant. The sensor’s resistance changes as the temperature goes up. The sensor’s output voltage may be used to operate a temperature gauge or warning light, the cooling fan and various emission functions. It is also used by the engine computer to determine when the engine can go into “closed loop” operation (when the computer uses input from the oxygen sensor to regulate the fuel mixture.) A defective sensor can prevent the engine from going into closed loop, cause poor fuel economy and cause higher emissions.
RADIATOR AND HEATER HOSES
The radiator and heater hoses are flexible rubber hoses that carry coolant between the engine, radiator and heater core. Most applications have an upper radiator hose, a lower radiator hose, and at least two heater hoses. There may be an additional bypass hose or other connecting hoses. Some newer vehicles have “branched hoses” where one hose connects directly to another. Most original equipment hose is “molded” to shape, while some aftermarket replacement hose is “flex” hose that bends and can be used in a wider variety of applications. Hoses deteriorate with age and may leak, allowing a loss of coolant and allowing engine overheating. Replacement hoses must be the same diameter and length as the original. Always recommend new clamps.
BELTS
There are two basic types of belts: V-belts and flat (serpentine) belts. Belts are used to drive the water pump and other engine accessories. Belts deteriorate with age and should be replaced if frayed, cracked, glazed or oil-soaked. Replacement belt length and width must be the same as the original. On vehicles with serpentine belts, the automatic tensioner may also need to be replaced if it is sticking, making noise or cannot maintain proper belt tension. Belt idler pulleys should also be replaced if noisy, worn or sticking.
Cooling System Facts
- A national survey found 7 out of 10 vehicles contain rust and scale
- Over 60% of water pump failure can be attributed to seal failure.
- Over 50% of engine failures can be attributed to cooling system failure.
- Just 1/16th of an inch of deposits on 1 inch of cast iron is equivalent to 3-1/2 inches of cast iron, reducing heat dissipation by 40%.
- If you are overdue for cooling system maintenance, the deposits have begun to build up. If you had a radiator rotted out because of deposits, the engine block and head(s) are in the same condition. Hot spots in the block and head(s) cause engine detonation (ping) and can shorten lubricant life. DO YOU THINK A 30-MINUTE FAST FLUSH WILL REMOVE WHAT IT TOOK YEARS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES TO BUILD UP? NO WAY! PLUS, MOST FAST FLUSHES CONTAIN ACIDS, WHICH DO CAUSE DAMAGE TO COPPER, ALUMINUM, BRASS, AND ZINC ALLOYS.
- REFER TO THE RMI-25 INFORMATION PAGE FOR A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO MAINTAIN-ING A CLEAN SYSTEM. Water transfers heat better than antifreeze/coolant. The word coolant is used as a sales tool to sell more antifreeze in the summer. Antifreeze does increase the boiling temperature only slightly. It is better to use 40% antifreeze and 60% mineral free water, this will give you better heat transfer.
- Exceeding 60% antifreeze in the cooling system can cause overheating.