If you want to keep your 6.0 Powerstroke engine in good working order, you’ll need a decent coolant. When your engine remains cool, the formation of heat that might destroy the whole engine block is prevented.
Your oil may keep your pistons slick enough to avoid friction, but your coolant does the rest of the work by keeping everything at a proper operational temperature. This is especially essential when hauling large amounts of stuff, since accelerating with heavy loads takes a lot of torque!
Click here to skip to our recommended pick!
- It keeps your car cool, protects it from boiling and corrosion during the year.
- It can maintain a temperature of -34°F and boil at temperatures up to 265°F.
- It's got ethylene glycol in it, making it ideal for gasoline and diesel engines.
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
- It is mainly designed for 6.0 Powerstroke Diesel.
- It boils at 375°F at atmospheric pressure.
- It contains no water, so it eliminates corrosion and minimizes electrolysis issues.
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- It is a 50/50 combination of water and deionized water.
- It works against corrosion and rust as well.
- Coolant is thought to last until -34 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- The rear windshield defroster is a heat-exchanger that transfers heat from the cabin to the engine.
- It also lubricates the water pump seals.
- It protects the engine from erosion and electrolysis.
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- For gasoline and diesel engines, yellow-colored ethylene glycol-based coolant.
- Provides year-round antifreeze; anti-boil and corrosion protection.
- Ready-to-use; no need to add water.
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
- In CCS, ASRA, and other road-racing sanctions, road racing is permitted.
- All types of liquid-cooled engines can benefit from this additive.
- Antifreeze product with freeze protection down to -26 Degree F.
- Value for money: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
One of the most notable distinctions between our list and those that have come before it is quantity. If you only need to top off your engine with a safe and reliable coolant, go with Royal Purple. It’ll give you an outstanding product that will keep your Powerstroke running smoothly. Will one bottle be enough to adequately cool your engine? Without a doubt not. However, it’s sufficient to keep you moving without spending a lot of money in one area.
What about mixed coolants? We have two anti-freeze/coolant mixtures on our list that will work for you just fine if you don’t want to deal with separate formulations. This can help you save money on the cost of specialist coolant and antifreeze, making engine maintenance easier for any Powerstroke owner.
Powerstroke owners can always go big with the unique and specific coolant mix that will keep their engine running strong at all times. The EVANS formula (see full specs) is a fantastic chance to get rid of any pre-ignition or internal combustion kicks or bucks you may experience. This coolant also has one of the highest boiling points available, and its waterless formulation ensures it won’t harm your engine block over time. Overall, this is the finest 6.0 Powerstroke cooling solution available for those looking only for quality.
Finally, if you want to protect your Powerstroke’s coolant for the long term and ensure that it is kind to your engine, Genuine Ford Fluid VC-7-B is the way to go (see complete specs). This stuff is the real deal when it comes to Ford diesel engines, and it’s the best option for keeping your Powerstroke on the road.
Here are our top recommendations for the best 6.0 Powerstroke coolants on the market.
Our Overall #1 Best for Ford
Ford Fluid VC-7-B Red Concentrated Coolant
The Genuine Ford is the greatest Antifreeze Coolant for your Ford F250, and it’s yellow-colored ethylene glycol-based antifreeze coolant that may be used in both gasoline and diesel engines. It’s designed to endure longer and resist corrosion. It’s a 50/50 combination of coolant and distilled water with freeze protection down to -34°F and boiling protection up to 265°F. Motorcraft’s yellow-colored coolant is one of the most widely used today. It satisfies all of a Ford power stroke’s needs while also doing an excellent job keeping the engine cool.
The easiest and safest method to maintain your Powerstroke running smoothly is with Genuine Ford Fluid VC-7-B gold coolant. The antifreeze and antiboil protection provided by this coolant is designed for Ford engines, both gasoline and diesel. It provides year-round antifreeze and antiboil protection while also providing extra engine corrosion resistance. The protection against -34 degrees Fahrenheit and 265 degrees Fahrenheit for antifreeze and antiboil, respectively, is reduced when this coolant is diluted with water (50/50 mix).
As a final word of advice, we should emphasize the risks of mixing various hues or types of coolant in your engine. There’s no telling how they’ll mix. You’re safeguarding your Ford Powerstroke engine from the intense wear and tear that affects so many diesel engines by using this coolant in it. Aside from the coolant, there is also distilled water in the solution. A constant amount will provide excellent protection right now. Your system will not feel any symptoms until the regular temperature has been reached. The intended range is -34°F to 265°F or -37°C to 129°C. It may be a little more expensive than other coolants, but the sense of security (and a working automobile) are well worth it! This is unquestionably one of the top 6.0 Powerstroke coolants on the market today.
Specs and Feature
- It keeps your car cool, protects it from boiling and corrosion during the year.
- It can maintain a temperature of -34°F and boil at temperatures up to 265°F.
- It’s got ethylene glycol in it, making it ideal for gasoline and diesel engines.
- It’s 50% distilled water and 50% coolant.
6.0L Powerstroke Coolant Selection
It’s not difficult to clean your cooling system with no special equipment, but it will take most of a day because you’ll have to drain, flush, and drive the car many times. The oil cooler blockage on the 6.0L PowerStroke is worsened by coolant breakdown and the formation of silicate gels in the cooling system, so coolant replacement is required every 45,000 miles/3 years of maintenance. Ford recommends changing engine coolant every 45,000 miles/3 years after finishing the initial 100,000-mile/5-year service interval.
A 50/50 ratio of concentrated engine coolant to distilled water is most common. Some people argue that tap water is fine since it does not have any minerals, and there are no [theoretically] harmful particles or chemicals in the water. Tap water’s minerals may cause scale formation in a cooling system.
Although water has better heat transfer abilities than antifreeze, it has less resistance to freezing and corrosion. Water can lead to corrosion and scaling buildup, causing the freezing temperature to rise, while an anti-freeze concentration that is too concentrated thins the engine coolant and has a tendency to induce early water pump failures. It is preferable to operate a 50/50 solution since it capitalizes on the benefits of both water and antifreeze. In extremely cold weather, up to a 60/40 mix (60% antifreeze, 40% water) is acceptable in 6.0L Power Stroke diesel engines to bring the engine coolant freezing temperature down even further.
Motorcraft Gold Engine Coolant in 6.0L PowerStroke Diesels
The most popular types of coolant/antifreeze are ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and water. Coolant/anti-freeze of various chemical compositions and formulations is available. All 6.0L Power Strokes were originally filled with Motorcraft Gold engine coolant from the factory. Silicates are included in Motorcraft Gold, a type of liquid formula that combines silicon and oxygen atoms to form different compounds. Thermal breakdown occurs as a result of heat, causing the silicates contained in the mixture to be forced out of suspension and collect in the oil cooler clogging it up.
Water in the coolant is a typical problem with the 6.0L Power Stroke and Ford’s Motorcraft Gold engine coolant has been linked to (likely) water blockage. As a consequence, it’s not unusual for owners and/or dealers to move to a silicate-free or low-silicate ELC as a result of this. You should flush your system every 45,000 miles as directed by Ford if you want to use Motorcraft Gold engine coolant.
Extended Life Coolant (ELC)
Engine coolants with extended lives, known as ELCs, are designed to require less frequent attention by providing improved resistance to thermal breakdown. ELCs are prevalent in class 7 and 8 tractors and have service intervals of 300,000+ miles. We use Fleetguard Restore (good silicate removal) to completely clean the cooling system and then change it with a Fleetguard engine coolant that is free of silicates. A typical service life for our Fleetguard fluid is 300,000 miles, which is considerably longer than Ford’s 45,000-mile interval. Other notable ELCs on the market include Shell Rotella ELC, Shell Rotella Ultra ELC, and Fleetrite ELC (the service brand of International). Avoid popular “budget brands” and universal anti-freezes; your engine deserves better.
Engine coolant types are not cross-compatible; do not mix different engine coolant brands, colors, product lines, etc. If you are converting to a new engine coolant, a flushing or cleaning compound should be used to remove trace elements of the old coolant. Ideally, select a flushing compound (such as Fleetguard Restore) that is specifically designed to breakdown and remove silicate gels.
What is best 6.0 Powerstroke coolants
One of the most notable distinctions between our list and those that have come before it is quantity. If you only need to top off your engine with a safe and reliable coolant, go with Royal Purple. It’ll give you an outstanding product that will keep your Powerstroke running smoothly. Will one bottle be enough to adequately cool your engine? Without a doubt not. However, it’s sufficient to keep you moving without spending a lot of money in one area.
What about mixed coolants? We have two anti-freeze/coolant mixtures on our list that will work for you just fine if you don’t want to deal with separate formulations. This can help you save money on the cost of specialist coolant and antifreeze, making engine maintenance easier for any Powerstroke owner.
Powerstroke owners can always go big with the unique and specific coolant mix that will keep their engine running strong at all times. The EVANS formula (see full specs) is a fantastic chance to get rid of any pre-ignition or internal combustion kicks or bucks you may experience. This coolant also has one of the highest boiling points available, and its waterless formulation ensures it won’t harm your engine block over time. Overall, this is the finest 6.0 Powerstroke cooling solution available for those looking only for quality.
Finally, if you want to protect your Powerstroke’s coolant for the long term and ensure that it is kind to your engine, Genuine Ford Fluid VC-7-B is the way to go (see complete specs). This stuff is the real deal when it comes to Ford diesel engines, and it’s the best option for keeping your Powerstroke on the road.
Here are our top recommendations for the best 6.0 Powerstroke coolants on the market.
Ford Fluid VC-7-B Red Concentrated Coolant
EVANS Cooling Systems Waterless Engine Coolant with Funnel
Zerex G05 Phosphate Free 50/50 Prediluted Ready-to-Use Coolant
Royal Purple 01600 Purple Ice Super-Coolant Radiator Additive
Genuine Ford Fluid VC-7DIL-B Gold Pre-Diluted Coolant
Engine Ice TYDS008-06 High Performance Coolant
How to Choose Coolant for Ford 6.0 Diesel
When you make a purchase, there are certain things to consider. Regardless of the product type, you must pay attention to the facts. Otherwise, you will end up purchasing useless and garbage.
There are a few things to consider about the coolant/antifreeze. All you have to do is maintain an equilibrium among the variables. That’s where you’ll find out which coolant is ideal for your 6.0 Powerstroke right away.
- Mix Proportion
You should be aware of the meanings of 50/50 and 100/0. It demonstrates the existence of antifreeze in the coolant. The phrase “50/50” implies an equal portion, whereas “100/0” indicates the absence of antifreeze.
- Temperature Limits
Another important factor to think about is the tolerance of temperature. You should aim for a boiling point of 264°F or 129°C for coolant. Antifreeze, on the other hand, must withstand temperatures as low as -34°F or 37°C.
- System Specs
There’s no way to use anything that isn’t appropriate for engine development. To discover the guidelines, check the vehicle handbook. Concentrate on the sections that discuss the usable system coolant specifications.
- Internal Compounds
Aside from the necessary components, every liquid contains various chemicals. There should be friction-reducing additives added to the mixture. And see what sweetening agent combination is used to increase the concentration of bitterness.
- Engine Protection
The immediate step is to keep the oil active, functional, and stable. However, additional lubrication with deposit control may improve the result. Engine life should be somewhat extended.
Coolant Color Meaning
The coolant color differs greatly from vehicle to automobile. However, there are several variations to keep in mind. To comprehend the true significance, you must know the type. You may examine the three categories based on your options.
Inorganic Acid Technology (IAT) – It has a bright green color to it. Silicone and phosphate inhibiting agents were combined. Older (before 1990) models are suitable for the coolant type.
Organic Acid Technology (OAT) – The color can be orange, red, blue, or even green. It includes corrosion inhibitors and no phosphate or silicate compounds. Before employing it, you should determine whether it is appropriate.
Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT) – It’s a blend of the IAT and OAT Tests. The color palette is yellow, gold, pink, purple, and turquoise. And the liquid is used on cutting-edge automobile designs.
Final Words
Although the possibility remains underutilized, you may make good use of it’s benefits. Because other mechanical components need to be replaced from time to time, your Powerstroke coolant will also require changing. Our best coolant for 6.0 Powerstroke should aid in the process.The top position is occupied by Genuine Ford VC-7-B, which has a good outcome. All of the essential features are flawlessly combined to achieve the goals. The required tag, on the other hand, begins a very inexpensive price-to-quality ratio.