Tested Your Antifreeze lately?

[mjcountrybumpkin]

Its 4 degrees F here right now and was just thinking how glad I was that I had done this about a month ago. All 3 tractors tested good to -40 F. That is much colder than we will ever experience in Southwest Virginia , but it sure makes you sleep good not having to worry about a busted block, cracked head or such.

How often do Y'all check your antifreeze , if ever ?( I check yearly)

 

[Industrial Toys]

Not nearly often enough. I would if something had been done to the machine. Curious, if old antifreeze really requires some additives or is this just another waste of money?

 

[MossRoad]

Yes. It was tasty. :licking:

Just kidding. My tractor is air cooled. Car had a new radiator this summer, so it got an anti-freeze changes. Truck had hose blow, so same deal. I usually check it once a year. Its one of those things folks forget about because newer cars are so much more dependable than older ones.

 

[ericb2400]

Yes. But I don't trust the floating ball tester too much. Each time I check it I get a different reading. :-(

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[murphy1244]

Here's a good way to check it Antifreeze is the lifeblood of your car's cooling system

 

[AGRIMAN]

I check all my equipment every fall and for the most part it's aways good for our area. I keep extra antifreeze in the shop year round in case it's needed, but during the summer months when we are all running in different directions, it would be easy for one of the guys to just add water to something. Rather than worry about it, I just check everything.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

Speaking of old Antifreeze, it becomes caustic Over time. I found this out the hard way when it ate the oil cooler out of a Dodge Cummins. Only $200 dollars in parts but very annoying getting all the oil out of radiator.
Not that that incident has made me run out and change coolant in anything yet , just makes me worry about it occasionally.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Speaking of old Antifreeze, it becomes caustic Over time. I found this out the hard way when it ate the oil cooler out of a Dodge Cummins. Only $200 dollars in parts but very annoying getting all the oil out of radiator.
Not that that incident has made me run out and change coolant in anything yet , just makes me worry about it occasionally.

What he said. You have to keep the pH balanced or the antifreeze will eat the guts out of your engine and radiator.

That said, this is the wrong time of year to service the cooling system. My schedule is to service the cooling system on the first of June every year. Your cooling system needs to be in top shape when it's hot out, not when it's cold. I also change air filters when the rains start in the fall and the dust settles. The air filter will run clean all winter, before it starts to load up in the dust of the next summer.