Usage:
3176 Truck Engines
Reference: Operation and Maintenance Manual for 3176 Truck Engine, Form SEBU6163.
Reference: Truck Engine News, April 1989, Page 5, "Requirements For Cooling System Conditioner In 3176 Truck Engines."
New spin-on coolant conditioner elements are available. These elements are specially formulated to protect cooling systems in engines that have high aluminum content. These new elements are the only spin-on elements supplied by Caterpillar that are approved for use on 3176 Truck Engines.
The new part numbers are: 7E6013 Spin-on Precharge Element Assembly and 7E6014 Spin-on Maintenance Element Assembly.
Cooling system conditioner is necessary to prevent pitting and/or corrosion of engine parts. Most antifreeze solutions DO NOT contain sufficient coolant conditioner. Therefore, always add inhibitor at the recommended concentrations and maintenance intervals. If Caterpillar Antifreeze is being used, no supplemental coolant conditioner is needed on initial fill, but conditioner is necessary on a maintenance basis. Antifreeze (low silicate antifreeze meeting GM6038M specification) other than Caterpillar Antifreeze requires a precharge of cooling system conditioner on initial fill.
Caterpillar recommends testing and adding conditioner to maintain a 3% to 6% concentration of conditioner in your cooling system. Caterpillar engines with ATAAC (air-to-air aftercooling) require a 30% (minimum) antifreeze solution for protection against water pump cavitation.
In general, the cooling system in 3176 Truck Engines should be maintained as shown in the chart.
Chemicals from cooling system inhibitor added at normal maintenance intervals, along with chemicals in the water, will accumulate in a dissolved state in the cooling system. This accumulation will continue until the water cannot continue to keep all chemicals in solution. When that point is reached, chemicals will begin to drop out of solution, causing water pump seal leakage and can cause blockage of radiators and heat exchangers.
Drain, flush and fill the cooling system as recommended, every 3330 service hours or 267 000 km (166,000 mi), whichever occurs first, to minimize water pump seal leakage.