The American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC)—whose stated goal is to improve transport equipment, its maintenance and maintenance management—is a valuable resource for operators of heavy-duty trucks and vehicles. For 30 years, TMC has produced its Recommended Practices (RP) Manual, which contains more than 250 Recommended Practices (RPs), including RP 313C, which is dedicated to Cooling System Maintenance.
Short of reading RP 313C, there are three basic things to remember when thinking about cooling system maintenance in heavy-duty vehicles:
• Use an antifreeze/coolant that satisfies industry standards and performance requirements
• Maintain proper additive levels and regularly top off coolants at regular service intervals
• Test the coolant regularly for proper additive levels and freeze protection
More specifically, certain chemical, physical and performance properties of an engine coolant must be checked periodically to ensure that it meets the specific requirements of the cooling system. A variety of laboratory and field tests have been developed to help ensure that the coolant is both preventing the corrosion of metal components and does no harm to other cooling system materials.
Most modern-day coolants have been formulated to meet the performance requirements for the life of the engine. But in heavy- or severe-duty applications, like those that feature extreme weather (hot or cold) or load (heavy pull or steep grade) conditions that push the vehicle to its capability limits, taking the proper care to maintain the cooling system and its fluids will help keep the heavy-duty vehicle running at its efficient and reliable best throughout its serviceable life. This includes choosing a coolant that is fully formulated to be used in heavy-duty vehicles that are powered by diesel engines.
For additional information on properly maintaining your heavy-duty vehicle’s cooling system, ASTM International and SAE International are two other organizations that have made a commitment to developing standards, recommendations and guidelines to protect your heavy-duty vehicle.
Editor’s note: Material provided by Dr. Peter Woyciesjes, Worldwide RD&E manager, Coolants for
Prestone Products Corp. www.prestonecommand.com
