[AlanJohnson]

I've read all the posts I can find on changing the engine coolant in my Series 60, and they have been very instructive. Based on those posts I am going to drain, fill with distilled water, bring up to temp, drain again, and then fill with Final Charge concentrate/distilled water 50/50 mix.  But I have a few novice questions:

1. Where are the drain points, besides radiator petcock?
2. Do I need to remove lower radiator hose as well for draining?  
3. I bought a pass-thru filter that I thought was correct... but I can't find any coolant filter on my coach. Where would this be, or is it possible I don't have one?
4. I'm planning to fill it up with distilled water, start it and bring it up to temp.  Then start again at #1 (after it cools).  Anything else?
5. Will I need to burp it anywhere? Or will air come out by itself?

Thanks as always!
Alan Johnson

[BusNit]

I can't add much besides a reminder to check the hoses and replace them if they are original for good measure. (Removal and replacement helps to drain more coolant from the lower depths of the radiator too.) I replace the hose clamps too. I also had issues with cars when I did not replace the T-stat once the new coolant went in. Might be a piece of mind thing to swap that out too.

[Richard]

Radiator petcock, I am guessing you have found it. It is a hidden rascal. If you look at the low radiator hose, it connects to a hard pipe then back to hose before connecting to the water pump. Some of those hard pipes have a drain at the low point.

When refilling, with either distilled water or coolant, keep adding to the top tank through the locking access door. Every time the thermostat opens the tank will drain into the radiator.

The filter is just to the rear of the oil filters.

I have never had to burp mine. But if you want to, look at the front driver side of the engine. You should be able to figure out the water manifold. At the top of that at the front is a plug that can be removed to burp the engine.

Gonna be about 15 to 17 gallons total.

[AlanJohnson]

Great. Thank you guys for input!

Alan

[pairodice]

Reviving to ask a question: 1) What do you guys use to drain the coolant into? 5-gallon buckets with a lid?
We have a place called ‘Household Hazardous Waste’ that can take the fluid…
B) do I need to completely fill the radiator to flush it with distilled water (~20 gallons)?

[Richard]

Yes on completely fill the radiator and run the engine.

Kids hard plastic pool will catch a lot of splashy coolant. 5 gallon pail will not fit under radiator drain, it’s too tall. And if you put a pail under there you will get a coolant shower each time you turn off the petcock to change pails.
Then xfer to buckets.

The easiest least mess way. Find the drain plug on the lower coolant hard pipe. Look at the hose coming out of the rad going to the water pump. Put a swimming pool under the drain. Open the radiator cap at the expansion tank. Unscrew the drain plug. Go have a soda. It will take a while.

Do yourself a favor and get some sort of powered transfer pump either one that works with your drill or a more robust 12 or 120v powered one. Your arms will soon tire of filling coolant into the fill port 7 ft up on the coach. If you try it by hand, you will need to figure out what to do for a funnel. There is a special cap/hose that will screw on the top of a coolant jug avail at any auto parts place.

[[email protected]]

Ditto on the kids pool, I have overflowed many a bucket draining radiators and most of the time you cannot get a 5 gal bucket where you need it. 

The pump to fill the system is money well spent as well. I can recommend a couple of different styles of pump, I have used cheap 12v coolant pumps or pond style pumps as well. The pond style pump I have actually came with a bucket top parts washer that i bought, I used a water based parts washing fluid in it, worked great. 

Here is the 12v coolant pump style:
https://a.co/d/01RB9lIW

Bucket top parts washer:
https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-bucket...psEALw_wcB

Water based degreaser:
https://a.co/d/01luNhsf

[pairodice]

Thanks for the advice guys! I will drain the system into a kiddie pool then transfer to 5-gallon buckets; flush the system with distilled water, drain into a kiddie pool and transfer to 5-gallons buckets; then fill with new antifreeze;
Thanks for the ideas about the kiddie pool and transfer pump! I found a pump at Harbor Freight that I hope has enough head on it to pump up 7’ or so to the tank fill…
https://www.harborfreight.com/110-gph-su...70487.html

[pairodice]

I finally found a hard-sided kiddie pool :-( … Now I’m back to the dilemma of red or green coolant - I don’t want to have to use SCA strips and check the coolant all the time… I would like to stay green but the Detroit stuff is $$$$$; I found some RED locally at the Freighliner place - they can get green but it has to come from Carolina and is only the 50/50 mix not concentrate so costs a bunch more… can someone give me exactly what I should buy? I’m an idiot and what AI says does not really line up with what you guys said… I definitely believe your opinions more…
I did drain out the fluid in a kiddie pool and only got about 15 gallons out into 5-gallon buckets…
I will loosen the lower hoses as Richard suggested and try to get more out of the engine circuit.
Here is what Grok says about the PowerGard (about $150 for 12 gallons concentrate):
The PowerGard antifreeze/coolant (concentrate, full strength, must add water) you have is a heavy duty extended life product, often in red/orange color based on similar formulations. It meets ASTM D-3306 (light duty) and ASTM D-6210 (heavy duty) specs, and is marketed as compatible with various heavy duty applications, including some listings for Detroit Diesel.
For a 1998 Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine (a wet-sleeve diesel), the key requirements from Detroit Diesel (now under DTNA) guidelines include:
•  Coolant must provide corrosion protection, cavitation erosion resistance (critical for wet liners), scale/sludge prevention, and freeze/boil protection.
•  Older Series 60 engines (pre-EPA07 era, like your 1998) typically used conventional fully formulated coolants with Supplemental Coolant Additives (SCAs) like nitrites for liner pitting protection, often green and requiring SCA monitoring/maintenance (e.g., via test strips or filters) every 25,000–50,000 miles or 1 year, with full changes every 2 years/150,000–300,000 miles depending on type.
•  Detroit Diesel approved coolants under spec DFS 93K217 (or similar legacy specs), with preferred options like their Power Cool (conventional SCA pre-charged) or later Power Cool Plus (OAT/ELC, nitrite-free extended life).
•  Extended life OAT (Organic Acid Technology) coolants like red/yellow nitrite-free ELC types became more common/recommended in later years for reduced maintenance (no SCA additions needed, longer intervals like 1,000,000 miles), but for a 1998 model, the original recommendation leaned toward SCA-based for proven liner protection.
Your PowerGard is an extended life formula (claims 300,000 miles/3 years for heavy duty, no SCA additions needed), likely OAT-based (phosphate-free, low-silicate, nitrite-free in similar products). It lists broad approvals including Detroit Diesel in some marketing, but it does not appear on official Detroit Fluids Specification 93K217 approved lists (which include Detroit’s own Power Cool series, Shell Rotella ELC, Chevron Delo, etc.).

[Richard]

Drain, fill with distilled water, drain. Get Final Charge at wally world. It is the oat coolant so no more addtives. Replace coolant filter with one that does not have sca. Read earler posts for filter number