Dex In A Ford

[V1]

Actually, it's in a Mazda; with the Ford 3.0L.

So yesterday, while poking around on some Mazda forums, I learn that G05 is the recommended coolant for my car!

I admittedly have not researched coolants that much up until yesterday. I did, however, trust a tech at my dealership that told me Dex was the appropriate application. For the last 30,000 miles, I've been running Dex. I drain and fill the radiator every other oil change. Now what?

I am bothered when I read terms like "DexKill" and "DeathCool." Should I flush and replace with G05?

Thanks

 

[Kestas]

Each antifreeze (traditional green, G-05, and Dex-Cool) has it's pros and cons. In my opinion you can use pretty much anything you want. That's because on the grand scale of things, the materials each manufacturer uses in their cooling systems (aluminum or brass radiators, cast aluminum heads, cast iron blocks, rubber hoses, etc.) does not vary much with respect to coolant requirements.

Manufacturer recommendations aside, I believe the choice in antifreeze is for some non-technical reason.

I also believe you are over-maintaining the cooling system. This will hurt the environment and your pocketbook. Since you don't flush and just drain the radiator, you should stick with a 15K/18mo service interval.

 

[Iain]

quote:

---

Actually, it's in a Mazda; with the Ford 3.0L.

So yesterday, while poking around on some Mazda forums, I learn that G05 is the recommended coolant for my car!

I admittedly have not researched coolants that much up until yesterday. I did, however, trust a tech at my dealership that told me Dex was the appropriate application. For the last 30,000 miles, I've been running Dex. I drain and fill the radiator every other oil change. Now what?

I am bothered when I read terms like "DexKill" and "DeathCool." Should I flush and replace with G05?

---

If G-05 is indeed recommended for your car then that is what you should be using.

Never, never listen to what dealer Service Writer or tech say. Most of them are clueless of technical aspects of their job.

I have the 3.0L DOHC V-6 in my 2001 Taurus. I plan to drain and completely flush my cooling system and refill with 50/50 mix of Motorcraft variant of G-05 and purified water this week. I'm enthusiastic about G-05 because of it's neutral PH rating of 8. Traditional green coolant have PH rating of 11; much more alkaline than G-05.

Additionally, I'm with Kestas in that I believe by just draining your radiator at every oil change, you're doing more damage and wasting resources. Don't forget that you are leaving half of existing fluids in your cooling system. A complete flush every 18 months is the correct method.

BTW, did I mention that you should never listen to dealer Service Writers?

[ April 17, 2006, 10:48 AM: Message edited by: Iain ]

 

[Big Jim]

Ford does show backfittng G05 to 99 with the exception of Cougars, Electric Rangers, and Villagers.

I suspect that they could have gone back further but just didn't do any studies to go back any more than they did.

 

[Ray H]

I've used licensed DEX-COOL or unlicensed dexclones exclusively in the following cars over the past ten years:

'89 Toyota pickup I4 - iron block, brass radiator
'96 Honda Accord I4 - aluminum, aluminum radiator
'00 Chevy Cavalier I4 - iron block, ???
'03 Hyundai Sonata V6 - aluminum, aluminum radiator

No cooling system problems from any of 'em while in my care. All, except possibly the Honda engine, are still on their original water pumps. (The Honda was totaled three and a half years ago - some-lucky-body got a lovingly maintained Honda 2.2L motor with only a little over 28,000 miles clocked...)

 

[Big Jim]

I have had Dexcool in my 98 Ford Contour SVT since the first annual coolant change. I bought the car in August of 97, and have had Dexcool in it since August of 98. The car now has 216,000 miles on it. I changed over long before Ford introduced their Gold (G05).

I should note that the Mercury Cougar factory fill was Dexcool for the entire life of production (99-02).

Both the Contour and the Cougar have the same engine, and it is closely related to your 3.0.

Dexcool is light years ahead of the green factory fill. At the time I made the switch, Texaco claimed on it's web site as well as on the bottle that it was appropriate for any car. I had also used Dexcool on my 91 Mercury Tracer LTS for a few years (nearly as soon as Dexcool became available) prior to buying the Contour SVT.

In my opinion, Dexcool is great for most cars. The complaints about Dexcool are associated with not keeping the cooling system properly filled. My experience is that it works great in Ford Duratec engines.

I also own an 03 Ford Escape. It came factory filled with Gold (G05). In my mind, the jury is still out on G05, but it looks very promising, especially since Mercedes has used it for many years. As long as it looks to perform properly in the Escape, I will continue to use it there.

Since Dexcool has proven itself to me for the Contour, it is not likely that I will change away from Dexcool on it.

So, in my opinion, leave the Dexcool in your Mazda. When it is due for a change, decide for yourself if you want to keep Dexcool or move to G05.

 

[jmacmaster]

Ford's used G-05 for a number of years, since at least 2002 or 2003. Check your owner's manual for type of antifreeze that's recommended. In my opinion, the G-05 is backward compatible for Ford vehicles that did not have it stock, so long as you flush out all of the current coolant before switching to G-05. In fact, I think G-05 is ok for any vehicle.

I also think you're wasting time and money on coolant changes. Even the old green-colored ethylene glycool is good for about 30,000 miles, and both Dexcool and G-05 are good for a lot longer than that.

 

[vizvo]

lain writes:

quote:

---

"Never, never listen to what dealer Service Writer or tech say. Most of them are clueless of technical aspects of their job."

---

I totally agree. Also most service writers are out and out crooks.

Service writers usually work on a base salary plus commission basis. They are continually prepped in salesmanship techniques. There main objective is not to provide honest information which a customer can use. Their main objective is to sell as much extra baloney as possible.

Service writers are adept liars who will twist the facts about your automobile's condition to make even the most trivial anomaly sound like imminent doom unless you have some very expensive service procedure performed.

A service writer will never tell you the straight truth. They always lie or twist the facts to their advantage. They gleefully play off the customer's worst fears.

The best policy is to find a small honest independent shop where you deal with the tech or owner directly. The small independent shops depend on their good reputation for survival, and not a huge advertising budget. They can not afford to make enemies.

 

[toocrazy2yoo]

quote:

---

Service writers are adept liars who will twist the facts about your automobile's condition to make even the most trivial anomaly sound like imminent doom unless you have some very expensive service procedure performed. A service writer will never tell you the straight truth. They always lie or twist the facts to their advantage. They gleefully play off the customer's worst fears.

---

Jeez, Viz..I thought I was hard on the Stealerships..

But while I'm here, let me ask you.

Stop candy-coating it, about these service writers again, tell us what you REALLY think?

 

[V1]

Lately I've reached my own conclusion.

In this particular case, it turns out that the tech I initially spoke with was correct about using DexCool.

When I called up the parts kid at my dealer, the only knowledge he had to offer was that my car was spec-ed for Mazda coolant only - as you would expect him to say! I asked him to read the container for me, and on it were the words "orange-colored, ethylene glycol-based, long-life coolant."

Here is what Motorcraft offers:

http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubrican...lant&category=A/C and Engine Cooling Products

I'm 99% sure that this is the same as 'Mazda' coolant. So in my situation, the tech (not service writer) who first told me to use Dex was actually right as far as I can tell. I know better than to ask a service writer - vizvo said it best about them.

[ April 22, 2006, 07:44 PM: Message edited by: V1 ]

 

[beanoil]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Big Jim:


In my opinion, Dexcool is great for most cars.

---

I pulled this snippet as a quote for a reason. I have just returned from the local Pontiac dealer (great guys, good service, I've bought 12 cars from them) where they have confirmed that my '03 Montana needs intake gaskets at 53,000 miles. Saying Dex is great for most cars is, in it's basic form, questionable. For most GM V-6's , with their intake gasket composition, the factory fill of Dex pretty much sucks. GM knows there is a problem, and will be covering 50% of the bill (so I'm going to be out about 250.00) and have redesigned the gaskets 3 times (according to service). So is it the Dex being too aggressive, or is it poor intake gaskets? I'm leaning toward Dex aggression, based on my friend replacing intake gaskets on his Tahoe at 100k and 4 years. To say Dex lasts 150,000 miles, well, lets just say I've yet to see Dex stay in any system as it is advertised for 150k. Your mileage may vary, but I'm putting G05 in when I get the Monty back, and am currently running green Shellzone in both Fords I have.

 

[jmacmaster]

There's been a lot of complaints about DexCool in various vehicles for years. I've seen very few complaints about G-05, and both the Ford and Daimler-Chrysler motor companies have installed
G-05 in their vehicles at the factory for at least the last 3-5 years with, as far as I can see, excellent results, which says a lot to me. That's why I prefer G-05.

 

[brianl703]

I'm using the Peak dex-cool clone coolant in my 1988 Mustang GT.

It's been in there for about 2500 miles. No leaks, no coolant loss.

 

[wiswind]

I would guess that the lower intake manifold gaskets are to blame more than the coolant.
That is a VERY common problem on a number of vehicles....Just replaced on my '96 3.8L windstar.
Although, there are posts on here that state that Dexcool may not provide the "instant" protection that Green and G-05 provide with their silicates.
Not only can coolant leak out.....but air can leak in which can end up putting air bubbles into the coolant.
This would be a case for the "instant" protection....until the bubbles work their way out to the overflow bottle (in whatever form it may be in on your particular vehicle). Point being, air bubbles circulating through the system are the issue as far as the protective coatings.

 

[hominid7]

My Mazda (2.5 liter non-Ford KL engine) and the correct coolant for my car is Dex-Cool, which i change every other year.

If your car is supposed to use G-05 and you are using Dex-Cool, there will not be a problem as long as you change it at least every couple of years.

The only problems with Dex-Cool are with people who leave it in the advertised 5 years and or 150,000 miles or do a drain and refill without flushing and then think they are protected for 5 years.

Having said that, you really dont need to change your coolant but once a year at most. It wont hurt anything to change it more often, but its just over-kill. If you want to switch to G-05, or even old fashioned green for that matter, it wont hurt anything either, just be sure you do a full flush and continue to change it at least at 2 year intervals.

As to Motorcraft coolants available, there is the Premium Gold Engine Coolant (Part VC-7) and the Specialty Orange Coolant (VC-2) which is red/orange in color and is dex-cool.

Here is a link to motorcraft coolants:

http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubrican....asp?select=[A/C and Engine Cooling Products]

If you want to use a G-05 coolant, Peak makes a very decent G-05 world coolant. For Dex-Cool coolant i really like Havoline and it can be had at a decent price at Wal-Mart.

 

[Steelers]

I have used a wide variety of coolants in different engines in the past and never had an issue. Service the system regularly, every year or two, and it will be fine. Dex-Cool will work well in that engine, however, if you want to switch to something else you need to do a complete flush and remove all the Dex-Cool. Then go with a traditional green coolant or G-05. After that a simple drain and fill every so often will keep things running good.