Summer Cooling System Maintenance

[DF Sales&Marketing]

Summertime heat can take its toll on cooling systems already taxed with engine operating temperatures at around 225ºf. Today’s engines have a much tighter cooling margin than previous models. As a result, proper coolant and cooling system maintenance becomes increasingly important to maximizing system life and maintaining its efficiency.

Just how important is coolant formulation and system efficiency? A 50/50 mix—50 percent concentrate to 50 percent water—brings the coolant’s boil point to 225ºf at sea level. That’s the low end for an engine today that operates at 225ºf. But every added pound of pressure raises that boil point another 2.7ºf. So a 14 pound pressure cap raises the boil point of a 50/50 formulation to about 263ºf. If a pressure cap or relief valve is defective or glycol levels are inadequate, boil point is right back down to engine operating temperature.

About a 40º buffer provides adequate protection against boiling. When conventional coolants are allowed to boil, glycol decomposition can cause several problems. The chemical reaction results in oxalic acid. This “burnt” coolant has a very distinctive dark brown-gold color and an even more distinctive odor. It creates a “varnish” that covers internal system components, prevents the system from operating properly and is extremely difficult to correct. This varnish must be flushed, the system thoroughly cleaned and any hot spots corrected before new coolant can be introduced. Monitoring system condition and strip testing the coolant at every pm can keep the system running smoothly and without unexpected interruption.

Our favorite cooling system treatment is a product called rmi-25 cooling system treatment. It has been shown to be an effective deterrent used to help control electrolysis and is a complete cooling system treatment which protects against rust, corrosion, cavitation and low ph readings. Test for ph with a test strip and treat, or add 8 ounces per 5 gallons of coolant every 15,000 mi / 300 hrs for best results.

Rmi-25 is the only product on the market which can be used with standard, or long-life coolants and the only product we know of which contains an effective cleaner to keep the entire system operating cool & trouble free.
It is also highly recommended for vehicles which do not use anti-freeze such as in racing and off-road applications as it gives full protection, except for freezing.
Rmi-25 is bio-degradable and non-toxic when used without anti-freeze, so it is also an excellent product to use when environmental conditions come into play.
It’s multi-function formula works as a cleaner, descaler, emulsifier, inhibitor, lubricator, conditioner, stabilizer, water wetter, oxygen scavenger, and a leak detector (black light) dye.
An 8-ounce bottle treats a 5 gallon system - available from IH only

 

[Craig]

I bought a bottle and since the IH sv engines hold about 4.5 gallons I just put the whole bottle in. It looks like glow in the dark milk I've only run it a few miles but the inside cap area of the radiator was the normally old penny color, but just after a few miles I can see the copper color coming back. I do know that clean heat exchanges work way better than old oxidied ones for sure.

 

[DF Sales&Marketing]

Hi Craig,

most automotive size cooling systems are less than 5 gallons and overtreating will not harm anything. I've put a whole 8-oz bottle in systems containing only 2.5 gallons which is double strength and that's fine.

Keep in mind that the rmi-25 is a specially formulated product which has 26 different additives in it (originally it was 25, hence the name rmi-25). Some of these do wear out over time, like using a bar of soap - so if you want to keep the product at the optimum strength, you should either add a bottle every 15,000 miles, or 300 hours, or test the ph level with a test strip.....if the ph falls below 7.5, add more to the system until it reads between 8 & 10. Ph strips can be purchased in automotive supply stores, or even in pool & spa supply places. (hint: don't use old test strips)

you are right with your comment about heat transfer working much better on clean surfaces - that is the number one reason for using the product.....to keep it clean and running cool. So if there is any build-up inside the engine, heater core or radiator, it will clean them out and lay down a protective coating so that more rust and oxidation does not form.

If you see soft globules floating around in the overflow tank don't be surprised because it reduces the nasty stuff into that form.....you can "suck" them out if you are concerned about it, but they will not cause any harm to the system. Cooling systems which have water filters trap those little boogers, but most smaller vehicles do not have cooling system filters.

Just remember, that rmi-25 is not an anti-freeze, it does not afford any freeze protection. That is also a reason why it can be listed as a non-hazardous, non-toxic product. However, it can be used with anti-freeze to further safeguard the system.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if a cooling system has been seriously neglected for regular anti-freeze changes and rust and oxidation has occurred to the point that the corrosion build up is the only thing holding the system together, the rmi-25 will "do it's job" and remove those contaminants and result in a leaking system (which was bound to let go sooner or later) your comment about the "glow in the dark" is more true than you might think as it will show up under a black light for detecting leaks.

 

[Craig]

Do you have any info on coolant system filters? Makes, models you might recommend.

My engine has been boiled out, but still has a lot crud inside.

 

[DF Sales&Marketing]

Craig,

was this picture taken before or after you put the rmi-25 in the system?

At any rate, after doing some research with others in the know, it seems that coolant system filters are pretty much frowned upon in automotive applications for the simple reason that if they get plugged up, the flow might be restricted so much that it could cause damage to the engine from overheating.

In the heavy duty trucking and construction industries, engines are equipped with water filters by the oems and are serviced on a regular basis, along with the oil filters and fuel filters. I'm not sure if one of those types would be something you would want. Keep in mind that those units are being serviced regularly and would not have the chance to get into the condition depicted in the picture you sent. After checking with a couple of others in the automotive supply business, they really feel that it would be dangerous to install a filter at this stage of the game, and recommended that you continue to use the rmi-25 and drain several times to see if the material coming out is reduced each successive time you do that. I know this sounds really tedious, but a lot of emphasis was given on the side of being cautious.

My take on it would be that after you are relatively sure that most of the rust and corrosion has been cleaned out and you still want to install a filtering system, to try to get the type of filter which can be cleaned, like a stainless steel mesh, which can be mounted somewhere under the hood on the heater hose line going into the heater from the block. It should be a readily accessible either cartridge or some similar type - but keep running the rmi-25 to continue the cleaning action. Rmi-25 will also lay down a protective coating to help prevent further rust and corrosion, but if that is all that is holding the system together, you are almost sure to develop a leak somewhere. Steel soft plugs, if they are old, will probably be one of the first things to go. Hopefully all the stuff coming out of the block will not plug up the radiator and heater core - which then opens up another whole set of problems. Another thing to remember is that the rmi-25 must be circulating to work - in other words, you can't just pour it into a system and not run the engine / water pump.

I think you have a "catch-22" situation there - this might not be the information you were looking for, but it's the best I can do.

Here are a couple of links which you might find interesting:
df sales & marketing
df sales & marketing
Good luck!

 

[Craig]

Thanks for the response. I bought an old engine and had it rebuilt. I first remove the freeze plugs and used a high pressure spray gun to blast out what I could from the block. A lot of stuff did come out. I even used a screwdriver to get all I could cleaned out. I did not remove and clean where the water tubes are connected to the heads as shown in the picture. I took that picture when I was putting on all the brackets, as I had to remove this water tube to get a bolt in. I did call the shop that boiled the block and they said they use two hot baths to clean up engines and one bath uses caustic soda. He did say for heads they don't leave them in there very long as it would eat away at the base metal. I talked with Jeff and he said they would have had to media blast them to clean then up

I will run the swpeco in there for a while and then drain/flush/fill add more swpeco. Hopefully the swpeco will keep breaking down the rusty scale. Napa sells a water heater filter kit. So if that gets plugged up, the engine would not over heat, I just would have no heat in the cab..

 

[Michael Mayben]

I surely agree with dick! A cooling system "filter" will only lead to continual replacement headaches...it's too late!

That mung that has grown in there is now "permanently" attached and May slowly be dissolved/broken loose by using the conditioning treatment over time. That means the particulate is settling somewhere, right now....the only logical location is inside the radiator tanks pop those tanks off and you will find 'em with garbonzo in 'em even after a short time of use! Even though your radiator was cleaned out in the past, it's now gonna be fulla schnizz agin.

That means a filter would have to be serviced continuously! Gonna use a filter??? Then use it onna fresh, clean assembly and service it onna tight maintenance schedule.

The only reliable way of reducing/eliminating those deposits is to have that block/heads mechanically "cleaned" using a tumbling process. Continuing to "boil out" using a caustic methodology May get some of it, but tha dam epa has made sure that the chemicals and processes used for that are no longer really effective and haven't been for many years!

But then, some of these poorly-maintained IH motors and heads are gonna simply be beyond redemption using any methodology. And if the mung is completely eliminated the water jackets/combustion chambers, cylinder walls May actually be perforated and the only thing keeping 'em from leaking/cracking is the mung!

If ya think them heads look like shit where ya can see inside, snake a bore scope down in there where ya can't see!

 

[DF Sales&Marketing]

Craig,

I see that michael has also responded to your problem with some detail which you probably did not care to hear.....at least you have more than one opinion to work with and that's one of the good things about communicating in a forum.

One correction, you kept referring to "swepco" in your post, but in all reality, it is "rmi-25 cooling system treatment" you meant in the cooling system - swepco is engine oil and other lubricants, not a cooling system treatment.

Please keep us all posted on what the results are, if any.

Keep smilin.....

 

[Craig]

Craig,

I see that michael has also responded to your problem with some detail which you probably did not care to hear.....at least you have more than one opinion to work with and that's one of the good things about communicating in a forum.

One correction, you kept referring to "swepco" in your post, but in all reality, it is "rmi-25 cooling system treatment" you meant in the cooling system - swepco is engine oil and other lubricants, not a cooling system treatment.

Please keep us all posted on what the results are, if any.

Keep smilin.....

That might explan why it's not on the swepco web site
I hear ya Mike. I will still go the route of rmi-25 as I saw it make a difference in just 1 hour of use.

 

[Craig]

Can I run 2 or 3 bottles to speed up the cleaning process? I don't see any floating blobs in the overflow yet.

 

[DF Sales&Marketing]

(if part of this comes out duplicated, it's because I started a reply and hit something I shouldn't have and seem to have lost it)

I checked with the factory and gave them the background of what your situation has been - they feel that you should run the product at the strength you have for at least 4-5 hours, after that, you could add another bottle, which would then be at double strength and perhaps would give you faster cleaning.

The cleaning action in rmi-25 is deliberately designed to be gentle, if you get into the caustic or abrasive chemicals, it would make the emulsion a "hazardous product" - it is, as you might recall, non-toxic and bio degradeable in nature.

From what your previous posts described, you had the block and heads cleaned out by a harsh chemical process. It could be that is the reason why you have not seen any floating globules in the recovery tank. That process might have removed a lot of the surface rust, but there might still be pockets of it left in the system somewhere. The circulating of the coolant with the rmi-25 should be able to find those areas, clean them out and work on some of the other major corrosion in the system. You have to have bare metal for the protective coating to lay itself down on.

One other thing.....as you know anti-freeze does not have any cleaning characteristics to it, so my suggestion would also be if you will be going through a series of drains and flushes containing the rmi-25, don't bother to add anti-freeze to the system until you feel you are done with it as far as you can go. Otherwise you will have to deal with a hazardous waste product when getting rid of your used antifreeze. As long as you don't get down into freezing, distilled water and rmi-25 should do a fine job together for you!


Hope this helps!