Dex-Cool Is A Good Coolant

[Buford T. Justice]

It works very well in cooling systems designed for it. I decided to change out the Dex-Cool in my Dad's 2003 Chevy S-10. After flushing out the cooling system one last time with distilled water, the inside of the radiator was nice and clean. No deposits of any kind. Just nice, clean, beautiful aluminum shining back at me.

I think those that have had cooling system issues with GM vehicles are blaming the wrong thing. Actually THINGS. For S-10s, it is recommended to replace the factory radiator cap with a Stant 10230 which has a superior design. The 3.1L and other engines that claim to have Dex-Cool problems actually have intake gasket problems. GM has issued a better intake gasket for the newest GM engines. I believe they are now a little thicker and are made of both metal and plastic. I usually use Fel-Pro gaskets and save money.

I hear things like Dex-Cool is very sensitive to low coolant levels and air. B-S! All coolant is.

I have worked on cooling systems that have used the old type green coolant. Many of those cooling systems have deposits all over the place.

I hate it when I come across old forum posts (not here) that say to get all that evil Death-Cool out of the cooling system and put in good ole reliable green stuff

. I would like to see before and after posts about that but never do.

 

[MarkC]

Been using it or the Prestone version for 9 years in my Jeep and never had any kind of problem.

 

[BlazerLT]

The only concern with Dexcool is the improper rad cap that GM was using for a while.

It caused the Dexcool failure by not sealing properly and allowing air into the cooling system.

When cooling, the rad was drawing in air around the cap instead of coolant from the overflow tank.

 

[Ray H]

Add to that the intake manifold gaskets used on certain GM "V" engines with aluminum cylinder heads and plastic intake manifolds. When (not "if") the gaskets failed, coolant made its way into the oil sump. Not a good thing.

 

[Tourist]

Hi. I recently removed my 5-yrs old Texaco Extended Life Coolant out of my radiator and it came out green in color but clear. What's going on?

AFAIK, I have always been pouring in the Orange-Red Texaco into the radiator. The only possiblities is someone one else is pouring in the traditional green stuff into my radiator behind my back but that's virtually impossible.

I am confused.

 

[BlazerLT]

If you mix the green and the orange, you are looking for a LOT of trouble.

 

[Dominic]

Ive had great success with dexcool. Every year I used to switch to 70/30 mix for the summer, 50/50 for the winter, but now that I live up north I leave it 50/50. It performs well, and I just do a simple drain and fill every 1-2yrs to keep it fresh. I'm sure it can go 150,000 miles, but like most things on a car you will have a failure by that time

Fresh is good with all coolants.

 

[Brett Miller]

Yeah, it's just great. Ask all the S-10 Blazer owner's with clogged heater cores.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Brett Miller:
Yeah, it's just great. Ask all the S-10 Blazer owner's with clogged heater cores.

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That's just a perceived problem.

 

[lght1]

Hi

Make of this what you will, but last weekend I did the LIM gaskets on a friend's LeSabre that he just got.

Here is what the LIMs looked like:

Here is a closer look:

Of course the system had been badly neglected, and appeared to have had green mixed with orange. This may not be an issue as there are OAT coolants out there dyed green. There was some evidence of gelling going on.

It was flushed many times using distilled water and then Mopar Long Life was added to a 50/50 mix.

A new Stant cap was used as was the new Alum GM LIM gaskets and Dorman UIM.

 

[JHZR2]

quote:

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Originally posted by Buford T. Justice:
It works very well in cooling systems designed for it. I decided to change out the Dex-Cool in my Dad's 2003 Chevy S-10. After flushing out the cooling system one last time with distilled water, the inside of the radiator was nice and clean. No deposits of any kind. Just nice, clean, beautiful aluminum shining back at me.

---

Thats what they dealership that I took my 98 S10 ZR2 to for intake manifold gasket replacement said...

Of course the 4.3L was NOT one of the engines that was designed for dex cool...

And its crooked radiator neck is the reason for needing to switch to the stant.

Great truck, i love it, runs great, and I run dex-cool in it...

But I did have very slight coolant in my oil (per UOA), and I watch the quality of the coolant very carefully.

My tiny leak is my only complaint or problem Ive had with the truck since new.

 

[lght1]

Hi

quote:

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But I did have very slight coolant in my oil (per UOA), and I watch the quality of the coolant very carefully.

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Plastic framed intake gaskets.

 

[JHZR2]

yep... all replaced now and no moore crossover...

 

[lght1]

hi


crossover ?

 

[JHZR2]

crossover from the coolant pipe into the intake/oil...

Coolant should stay in coolant passages and not crossover into other areas of the engine.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

quote:

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Originally posted by Brett Miller:
Yeah, it's just great. Ask all the S-10 Blazer owner's with clogged heater cores.

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Clogged with what? Certainly not coolant.

 

[JHZR2]

no, what is called dex-clog...

Usually from mixing green with dex at quickie places... and you get a brown gunk in everything.

Happens to some, doesnt occur at all to others.

Air may be a problem too...

 

[Buford T. Justice]

I know about the Dex-Cool mud. It is believed to be caused when faulty radiator caps let air into the radiator which causes corrosion. This in turn circulates in the cooling system and clogs things.

Is this Dex-Cool's fault or the radiator cap's fault? I blame the latter. After all, this can happen with any coolant can it not?

 

[BlazerLT]

quote:

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Originally posted by Brett Miller:
Yeah, it's just great. Ask all the S-10 Blazer owner's with clogged heater cores.

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Caused by the defective blazer rad cap letting air into your system.

I know, I own one.

 

[BlazerLT]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Buford T. Justice:
I know about the Dex-Cool mud. It is believed to be caused when faulty radiator caps let air into the radiator which causes corrosion. This in turn circulates in the cooling system and clogs things.

Is this Dex-Cool's fault or the radiator cap's fault? I blame the latter. After all, this can happen with any coolant can it not?

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Bad rad cap design with a bad fibrous rubber gasket on it.