Cooling System Flush and Refill

[kurtden]

I am getting ready to service the cooling system on my 2002 Windsor with a Cummins ISC 350. Does anyone know how many gallons the system in this coach holds? I am planning on changing the coolant to Rotella ELC concentrate.

The Cummins manual has a warning about get an air lock during filling they say air must be purged form the engine cooling passages and open the petcock on the after cooler. Does anyone know where to find this?

Any input on this subject would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[wolfe10]

Monaco should be able (call with your VIN) to tell you complete cooling system capacity. They both designed and built the chassis and whole cooling system.

[hermanmullins]

Kurtden,

If you have the Monaco Coach number that would help. If you don't have it ask Monaco if they have it. With that number they will have all the build information and all specs. When you have that number give it when you contact Monaco.

Herman

[jleamont]

Kurtden, I called Monaco for ours as Brett recommended above, they were very helpful. Double check the specs for the Rotella ELC and compare to the Fleetgard Cummins OEM coolant. I just changed ours this year and I was unsuccessful locating aftermarket coolant that matched or exceeded the Cummins product, mostly PH and Alkalinity were off and did not meet the Cummins requirement, I do not recall if I looked at the Shell product.

I bought the Cummins product pre mixed I felt saving a few bucks was not worth the risk since the wrong coolant could cost an engine down the road and seemed like a good investment.

As far as getting the air out...if you have a friend that is a mechanic see if you can borrow his or her cooling system vacuum fill tool, or maybe rent one at a local auto parts store. It draws the cooling system into a vacuum and will draw coolant from the gallon jugs filling the entire system and when you are done there is no air in the system, also test your radiator cap, or just replace it, more cheap insurance, mine cost me $8.00. I cannot speak for the ISC but double check, it might have a coolant filter, if so be sure to change it also, since the coolant is new you should not one with the "pre charge" pellets in it, but while you are on the phone with Monaco ask.

The cooling system is large and I drained each section I.e. Radiator, heater core, engine and blew 8psi of shop air through the Aquahot and hoses since our cooling system is routed through that also, it was a dirty job but I can sleep better knowing the engine is protected properly.

Good luck, happy travels!

[kurtden]

Thank you for all the information I will call Monaco today. As far as the Rotella ELC it lists Cummins OEM Specification/Performance level Bulletin ABE No.90.47 can someone tell me what that means? Is itOK to use?

I can't find anything on that Bulletin.

[jleamont]

KURTDEN, all of the ones I looked at also listed Cummins OEM spec/perf but when I dug into it they really were not performing as well in a few areas, that threw up a few red flags and i walked away frustrated but happy i looked at them.

[kurtden]

Does any one know where the air bleed off petcock is on the aftercooler? Cummins manual makes it clear to bleed the air out at the aftercooler so there is no air lock in the cooling system. Has anyone heard of this when flushing and filling the system. Thank you in advance for any help.

[jleamont]

KURTDEN, are you sure you have an "aftercooler"? I have not seen one of those until recently in a 2011 Ford F550 6.7L Powerstroke before that it was mid 80's. Rule of thumb an aftercooler is not in line with the radiator, an innercooler is (usually sits in front of the radiator to allow air to pass through to cool the air charge to the engine) and will usually only have the duct piping to and from the turbocharger while an aftercooler uses the cooling system to cool the air charge being fed into the engine.

Your coach and mine should be very similar and I do not have an aftercooler.

[wolfe10]

We may be talking about two different things here:

After-cooler, aka Inter-cooler, aka Charge Air Cooler (all the same thing) is an air to air heat exchanger that takes intake air from the turbo (up to 300 degrees F) and cools it down to close to ambient temperature before sending it the engine intake manifold. Yes, in marine applications, it can be water cooled. Never seen a water cooled one in an RV application.

Many HD diesels have a built in OIL cooler that is cooled by circulating coolant. Wonder if that is what they are talking about??

[kurtden]

Thank you educating me on the difference and for all the help I sure you are both right.

I was letting the Cummins Manual scare me. I should have though to check and see if there was any coolant
lines running to the cooler.

Thanks again I think I have got it now.

[wolfe10]

Kurtden,

I would talk with a Cummins tech or Cummins Corp to VERIFY that there is no special bleed procedure when changing coolant.

Many engine DO have to have the thermostat housing bled when changing coolant. In fact many engines are set up with a line from thermostat housing to overflow reservoir for just this reason.

[kurtden]

Cummins manual has it spelled out very well I was confused on the difference between an intercooler and

aftercooler