Heavy Duty/Industrial Waterless Coolant Installation Instructions

To get the benefits of Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant and avoid corrosion and other problems, follow the installation procedure below. CAUTION: TO AVOID THE POSSIBILITY OF ENGINE DAMAGE, USE EVANS HEAVY DUTY/INDUSTRIAL COOLANT IN ITS UNDILUTED FORM ONLY AND AVOID ADDITIONS OF WATER. WATER IS A CONTAMINANT AND HARMFUL TO THE SYSTEM. 

Safety Precautions

  • When converting to Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Waterless Coolant, never work on a conventional hot, pressurized water/antifreeze cooling system. Conventional water and antifreeze coolant spraying on a hot engine may generate coolant vapor, which may ignite if it is above 240°F and comes in contact with an open flame (leaking ignition spark, failed exhaust header, etc.). Always observe fire precaution warnings in your vehicle owner's manual.
  • Always use jack stands or ramps to work on a vehicle, never use a jack only.
  • Always wear eye protection.
  • Use caution near thermostatically controlled electric cooling fans, as they may activate even when the ignition is off.
  • Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant carries ethylene glycol warnings on its packaging because of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission requirement that all products containing over 10% ethylene glycol carry such warnings.
  • Ethylene glycol is poisonous. Do not leave it in an open container. Always use a drain pan to capture all fluid in compliance with local, state and federal laws. If drained fluid contains ethylene glycol, it must be disposed of as HAZARDOUS WASTE.
  • NEVER work on a conventional hot pressurized water/antifreeze cooling system—allow to cool completely before starting coolant conversion. The existing water-based coolant will be completely drained from the system. Some residual coolant may remain but the overall water content after the Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant is installed may not exceed 3% as measured with a refractometer. DO NOT FLUSH THE EMPTY SYSTEM WITH WATER. (It is better to leave a small residual amount of liquid behind that is 50% water than an equal amount that is 100% water.)
  • IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO COOLING SYSTEM LEAKS.

Special Equipment Needed for Conversion

  • Brix scale refractometer is essential (Evans Cooling Systems Part No. E2190).
  • A one-gallon garden sprayer (such as offered by Agway) can be handy.
  • Shop air or a hand held blower (e.g. Makita UB1101).

Installation Procedure

  1. Drain the radiator. Removal of the bottom radiator hose usually yields additional fluid.
  2. Drain the block. Search carefully for drain locations that may be at the bottom of the oil cooler, or on the lower region of the EGR cooler. Look for drain locations at the thermostat housing.
  3. Drain the heater circuit. Disconnect the lines to the heater and gently blow compressed air in both directions. NOTE: When blowing out the heater, set the temperature control to "max". Also, some HD vehicles require the ignition key to be "on" in order to have flow through the heater. It is helpful to insert new Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant into the heater and then blow it out to chase out old coolant that may be present. NEVER FLUSH WITH WATER.
  4. Make sure the expansion tank is empty.
  5. If there is an overflow bottle, empty it completely.
  6. Drain any ancillary cooling circuits (e.g., fuel heater and brake air compressor circuits) and gently blow them out with compressed air.
  7. Use a gallon of Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant to flush parts of the cooling system suspected to harbor residual coolant. The garden sprayer is particularly handy for introducing coolant into such areas. (The nozzle can be unscrewed and a ¼" ID hose slipped onto the wand.)
  8. If the engine is equipped with a coolant filter, remove the filter and replace it with one that does not introduce coolant additives.
  9. Reconnect all circuits and close any drains.
  10. Fill the system completely with Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Waterless Coolant.
  11. Replace the radiator cap.
  12. Apply DO NOT ADD WATER OR WATER BASED COOLANT warnings.
  13. Run the engine until it is warm and the thermostat(s) open. After the coolant has circulated completely, prepare to test the coolant water content.
  14. Calibrate the refractometer. Using new Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant, place a drop on the refractometer glass and check the reading. If it does not read 57.0, use the screwdriver provided to set it to 57.0.
  15. After there has been thorough circulation of the coolant through all parts of the cooling system, including the radiator and the heater core, obtain a coolant sample for the refractometer from a "well-mixed" location. The reading should not exceed 55.7 Brix, which corresponds to 3% water.
  16. If the water exceeds 3%, some coolant may have to be drained and replaced with new Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant. Also, you can try this: Operating with the pressure cap removed will cause evaporation of water from the coolant when the coolant is hot. This method may be attempted as a means to lower the water content. The pressure cap should be returned to close the system once the water content is acceptable.

Post installation: CHECK COOLANT LEVEL DAILY UNTIL COOLANT LEVEL STABILIZES; ADD EVANS HEAVY DUTY/INDUSTRIAL COOLANT AS NEEDED. The level of coolant for a cold engine should be at the "cold" line. Always keep some spare coolant in the vehicle for emergencies.

Other Important Information

Unexpected loss of coolant: In the event of a highway emergency resulting in a coolant loss, NEVER ADD WATER EXCEPT AS A LAST RESORT. Evans  High Performance and Powersports waterless coolants are compatible with Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant and may be used to replace modest percentages of Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant. If water is the only fluid available, use it to get home with and as soon as possible (preferably within 2 weeks) re-install Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant. Water left in the system will cause cylinder liner cavitation and other problems.

Coolant darkening: All Evans waterless coolants, including Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant, gradually change to a darker color during use due to organic aging from heat cycles in the engine. This change is normal and has no effect on the performance of the coolant or its non-corrosive attributes.

Storage: Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant is hygroscopic and, in an open container, will naturally absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Always store Evans Heavy Duty Coolant, whether it is new or being retained for re-use, in a tightly capped container.

Cooling system leaks: Bars Leaks Liquid Radiator Stop Leak has been found effective for stopping small leaks of Evans Heavy Duty/Industrial Coolant.