Baldwin Filters

ENGINEERING BULLETIN

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October 11, 1994

Testing Supplemental Coolant Additives Using Litmus Tests (CTK5026 & CTK5027)


Successful operation of heavy duty diesel engine cooling systems is dependent upon several factors, two of the most important include:
  • Starting right by using a high quality supplemental coolant additive (SCA).
  • Staying right with regular maintenance and testing (monitoring) of SCA levels.
Baldwin Filters addresses the first requirement by offering two tested and proven products which will provide the protection required by cooling system components such as cylinder liners, radiator and heater cores, and water pumps. If used properly, Baldwin's BTE and BTA PLUS Supplemental Coolant Additives will easily meet the service requirements of today's modern, high performance diesel engines.

The effective use of a SCA requires that the cooling system contain the correct amount of SCA. Correct amounts of SCA are determined by matching the capacity of the cooling system to the required amount of SCA as specified by the SCA manufacturer. After the coolant system mixture has been prepared (water, antifreeze, and SCA), it is advisable to test the level of SCA to assure that it is correct. The most useful tool available for this determination is a test kit.

Baldwin CTK5026 & CTK5027 test kits offer a simple test method for determining the concentration of SCA chemicals. These tests use the popular litmus technique to measure the level of nitrite (BTE), or nitrite and molybdate (BTA PLUS). The litmus test requires that test strip(s) be dipped into a sample of the coolant and then the color of the test strip is compared to the chart provided with the kit. This chart is easy to use; green, yellow, and red zones on the chart signal the level of chemical in the system.
  • Green indicates that the level of chemical is correct.
  • Yellow indicates that the level of chemical is in a cautionary state and should be adjusted to achieve optimum levels of system protection.
 
  • Red indicates that the level of chemical is in a danger state and immediate action should be taken to correct the SCA level.
In both yellow and red zones of the chart, levels below optimum and above optimum are possible, and each should be treated with equal concern as either zone could lead to certain types of cooling system failure. Possible adjustments for these conditions may include the addition of SCA or dilution of the coolant to reduce SCA levels.

The litmus test method does not require that the type of SCA be known. For example, if the person conducting the test is uncertain as to the type of SCA being used, both strips may be used and compared to the chart. If the system is using BTE, only one test strip (nitrite) will reflect a chemical presence. The other test strip (molybdate) will show no level of chemical when compared against the chart -- and therefore the test has revealed the system uses BTE. If the system is using BTA PLUS both strips will reveal chemical presence.

A word of caution. Baldwin engineers have found that systems which have used both nitrite and nitrite/molybdate chemical products without full and complete draining and flushing of the system between chemicals may result in erratic test results, regardless of the manufacturer of the SCA. This situation may persist until such a time as the system becomes stabilized on one chemical product. Beyond this there are no known negative effects which result from mixing chemical types. We advise equipment maintenance technicians to choose a single chemical and stay with it to avoid this possible confusion with test results.

Owners of equipment that operate away from home maintenance facilities would do well to label the cooling systems for the type of chemical being used to avoid inadvertent mixing of SCA types. Testing is an important component of a successful cooling system maintenance program and taking steps to maintain the accuracy of test results should be equally important.


If you have any further questions, please
call our Service Engineering Team at
(308) 237-9729


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