Shell has introduced an on-site contamination test kit for its extended-life coolants, the Shell Rotella Extended Life Coolant Contamination Test Tool.


There are basically two types of coolants in the heavy-duty market: A fully formulated, silicate-based conventional type, and extended-life coolants using organic additives.

As Stede Granger, OEM technical services manager, explains, "We do not recommend mixing, because your corrosion protection could significantly suffer. The additives in the silicate product protect against corrosion in a much different manner. When you mix the two, you end up without enough of either type of additive to protect against corrosion."

Most antifreeze/coolant suppliers do not recommend admixture of ELC coolants by more than 15-20% of conventional fully formulated coolants

The new Shell kit comes with two vials. You take a small sample and put it in one vial and shake it, then let it sit for a minute. Then you pull some of the liquid from that vial and put it into the second vial and shake it. The liquid in the second vial will turn a bright yellow color if it's good to go. Bright blue is a sign you need to do something to get it corrected, because it's no longer got the right levels of extended-life coolant to properly protect the engine. A green color is on the borderline and indicates you need to do something with the coolant to get it back to the yellow color.

The test tool is disposable and can be used to test OAT (organic additive technology) levels in both the Shell Rotella Ultra ELC and the Shell Rotella ELC antifreeze/coolants. The test tool kit consists of a: 1ml sampling syringe, an "extraction vial" containing two clear liquid layers, and an "indicator vial" containing a blue indicator solution.

You should use a new syringe, extraction vial and indicator vial each time a coolant sample is tested.