TAMPA, Fla. — Chevron has introduced a new extended life coolant that can last eight years or 750,000 miles without extenders, the company says.

The new standard for extended life coolants was introduced at the Technology and Maintenance Council meetings in Tampa this week. The new formula Delo Extended Life Coolant and Texaco Extended Life Coolant will provide protection for the entire life of an average heavy-duty engine cooling system, the company insists.

Chevron officials said the new formula will protect cooling systems for eight years or 750,000 miles for on-highway tractors. Off-road vehicles will be protected for 15,000 hours, the company says. Not chemical additives or extenders are required during this time, company officials claimed.

However, if a Chevron chemical extender is added at 500,000 miles (or 10,000 hours), the cooling system will be protected for one million miles (or 20,000 hours).

Current extended life coolant products typicall have a life expectancy of 400,000 miles without extender and 600,000 miles if an extender is used at 300,000 miles or 12,000 hours. Chevron officials say fleets and owner/ops will benefit from reduced maintenance costs as a result of the new formulation.

“Based on fleet testing data, we have confirmed that the Chevron and Texaco formula ELC can reach the newly released extended life intervals,” said Carmen Ulabarro, coolant marketing specialist, Chevron. “You need to service current generation ELC products at 300,000 miles in an attempt to reach the 600,000 mile mark. With our new technology, you can go 150 per cent beyond the 300,000 mile service interval, to 750,000 miles, without the need to service the product, except for top-offs. The fleet tested and confirmed service, hardware and cost reduction improvements of Delo and Texaco Extended Life Coolant provides our customers a clear advantage.”

Chevron reps also said the new formular will provide even better protection against the higher operating temperatures expected to be the norm with the new 2007 engines. The new extended life coolant will continue to be the factory fill formula for many North American OEMs, the company says. Chevron will roll the new formula out through its Chevron and Texaco marketers by March.