Proper Additions to the Cat ELC (Extended Life Coolant)
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Use only Cat products or commercial products that have passed Cat EC-1 specification for pre-mixed or concentrated coolants. Use only Cat ELC Extender with Cat ELC. Do NOT use conventional SCA with Cat ELC. Mixing Cat ELC with conventional coolants and/or conventional SCA reduces the Cat ELC service life. Do NOT mix brands or types of coolant. Do NOT mix brands or types of SCA and/or brands or types of extenders. Different brands or types may use different additive packages to meet the cooling system requirements. Different brands or types may not be compatible. Failure to follow the recommendations can reduce cooling system component life unless appropriate corrective action is performed. |
Test the glycol concentration in the coolant and test the nitrite concentration in the coolant. Follow the maintenance information provided in this Special Publication, "Coolant and General Maintenance Recommendations" section.
During daily maintenance, use the premixed Cat ELC as a cooling system top-off. This top-off will bring the coolant up to the proper level. Use Cat ELC Concentrate to restore the proper glycol concentration in the coolant system. This addition should be done before the engine is exposed to freezing temperatures. Do not use a conventional coolant to top-off a cooling system that is filled with Cat ELC.
Do not use a conventional coolant to top-off a cooling system that is filled with Cat ELC.
Cat ELC Extender is added to the cooling system halfway through the Cat ELC or Cat ELI service life. Treat the cooling system with Cat ELC Extender at 6000 hours or one half of the coolant service life. Refer to your machine Operation and Maintenance Manual for exceptions. Refer to the “Part Number of Coolant” table in this Special Publication, "Coolant Recommendations" article for available quantities and part numbers.
Use the formula in Table 1 to determine the proper amount of Cat ELC Extender for your cooling system. Refer to Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Refill Capacities and Recommendations" in order to determine the capacity of the cooling system.
| Formula For Adding Cat ELC Extender To Cat ELC |
| V × 0.02 = X |
| V is the total capacity of the cooling system. |
| X is the amount of Cat ELC Extender that is required. |
Table 2 is an example for using the formula that is in Table 1. This example is based on the capacity of a D8R Track-Type Tractor with a cooling system capacity of
| Example Of The Equation For Adding Cat ELC Extender To Cat ELC | ||
| Total Volume of the Cooling System (V) | Multiplication
Factor |
Amount of Cat ELC Extender that is Required (X) |
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× 0.02 | |
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When using Cat ELC, do not use conventional SCAs, or, if equipped, SCA maintenance elements. In order to avoid SCA contamination of an ELC system, remove the SCA element base and plug off or bypass the coolant lines. |
Cat ELC Cooling System Cleaning
Note: If the cooling system is already using Cat ELC, cleaning agents are not required at the specified coolant change interval. Cleaning agents are only required if the system has been contaminated by the addition of some other type of coolant or by cooling system damage.
Clean water is the only cleaning agent that is required when Cat ELC is drained from a properly maintained cooling system.
After the cooling system is drained and then refilled, operate the engine while the cooling system filler cap is removed. Operate the engine until the coolant level reaches the normal operating temperature and until the coolant level stabilizes. As needed, add the coolant mixture in order to fill the system to the proper level.
Cat ELC can be recycled into conventional coolants. The drained coolant mixture can be distilled in order to remove the ethylene glycol and the water. The ethylene glycol and the water can be reused. The distilled material does not contain the additives that are required as either Cat ELC or Cat DEAC. Consult your Cat dealer for more information. Recycled coolants should meet the most current revision level of "ASTM D6210".
To change from heavy-duty coolant/antifreeze to the Cat ELC, perform the following steps:
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Care must be taken to ensure that fluids are contained during performance of inspection, maintenance, testing, adjusting and repair of the product. Be prepared to collect the fluid with suitable containers before opening any compartment or disassembling any component containing fluids. Refer to Special Publication, NENG2500, "Caterpillar Dealer Service Tool Catalog" and to Special Publication, PECJ0003, "Cat Shop Supplies and Tools" for tools and supplies suitable to collect and contain fluids on Cat products. Dispose of all fluids according to applicable regulations and mandates. |
- Drain the coolant into a suitable container.
- Dispose of the coolant according to local regulations.
- If equipped, remove the empty SCA maintenance element and remove the element base. Plug the coolant lines or bypass the coolant lines.
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NOTICE Do not leave an empty SCA maintenance element on a system that is filled with Cat ELC.
The element housing may corrode and leak causing an engine failure.
Remove the SCA element base and plug off or by-pass the coolant lines.
- Flush the system with clean water in order to remove any debris.
- Use Cat Quick Flush Cooling System Cleaner for cooling systems in order to clean the system. Cat Quick Flush Cooling System Cleaner is available in various sizes. Part numbers are 4C-4609 (
0.5 L (0.125 US gal) ) through 4C-4613 (208.2 L (55 US gal) ). Follow the instructions on the label using a 6-10% concentration of cleaner in water. - Drain the cleaner into a suitable container. Flush the cooling system with clean water.
Note: Deposits that remain in the system may be loosened and removed by the Cat ELC.
- In systems with heavy deposits, disconnecting the hoses may be necessary. Clean the deposits and debris from the hoses and the fittings. Install the hoses and tighten the hose fittings. Refer to Specifications, SENR3130, "Torque Specifications" for the proper torques. Pipe threads may also need to be cleaned and sealed. Seal the threads with 5P-3413 Pipe Sealant.
Note: Replace hoses that are cracked, soft, or that have other signs of damage. Tighten all hose clamps and fittings.
- Fill the cooling system with clean water and operate the engine until the engine is warmed to
49 °C to 66 °C (120 °F to 151 °F) .Show/hide tableNOTICE Improper or incomplete rinsing of the cooling system can result in damage to copper and other metal components.
To avoid damage to the cooling system, make sure to completely flush the cooling system with clear water. Continue to flush the system until all signs of the cleaning agent are gone.
- Drain the cooling system into a suitable container and flush the cooling system with clean water.
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NOTICE The cooling system cleaner must be thoroughly flushed from the cooling system. Cooling system cleaner that is left in the system will contaminate the coolant. The cleaner may also corrode the cooling system.
- Repeat Steps 8 and 9 until the system is clean.
- Fill the cooling system with the Cat ELC.
- Operate the engine until the engine is warmed. While the engine is running, inspect the engine for leaks. Tighten hose clamps and connections in order to stop any leaks.
- Attach the Special Publication, PMEP5027, "Label" to the cooling system filler for the engine in order to indicate the use of Cat ELC.
Note: Clean water is the only flushing agent that is required when Cat ELC is drained from a properly maintained cooling system.
Cat ELC Cooling System Contamination
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Mixing Cat ELC with other products reduces the effectiveness of the Cat ELC and shortens the Cat ELC service life. Use only Cat products or commercial products that have passed the Cat EC-1 specification for premixed or concentrate coolants. Use only Cat ELC Extender with Cat ELC. Do NOT mix brands or types of coolants. Failure to follow these recommendations can result in shortened cooling system component life. |
Cat ELC cooling systems can withstand contamination to a maximum of 10 percent of conventional heavy-duty coolant/antifreeze and/or SCA. The advantages of Cat ELC are reduced. If the contamination exceeds 10 percent of the total system capacity, perform ONE of the following procedures:
- If the cooling system contamination is caused by cooling system damage, follow the procedures under the “Changing to Cat ELC” heading. Also follow the procedures if the engine has been operated since being contaminated with more than 10 percent conventional heavy-duty coolant/antifreeze and/or SCA. Certain types of cooling system contamination may require disassembly of the cooling system and manual cleaning of system components.
- If the cooling system is contaminated with more than 10 percent conventional heavy-duty coolant/antifreeze and/or SCA, but the engine has not been operated, drain the cooling system into a suitable container. Dispose of the coolant according to local regulations. Thoroughly flush the system with clean water. Fill the system with the Cat ELC.
- Maintain the system as a conventional DEAC (Diesel Engine Antifreeze/Coolant) or other conventional coolant. Submit a coolant sample for Level 2 S·O·S Coolant Analysis to determine the coolant condition. Maintain a 3 to 6 percent SCA concentration in the coolant. Change the coolant at the interval that is recommended for Cat DEAC or at the interval that is recommended for the conventional commercial coolants.