Do I need to flush coolant? '02 40kmiles

[phenomic]

I have an 02 trans am with 40k miles. It has the stock coolant in it (dexcool).

I hate buying coolant because it is expensive and i always end up doing something after on my cars that requires me to dump a bunch out and buy more.

My car is gonna be stored the entire winter in my garage. I am going to be away at school so it will be stored for a good 8 months or so. I changed all my fluids so far in the past few months except clutch and the coolant, am a bit worried about the coolant.

Thing is I am possibly thinking about camming the car over the winter so changing the coolant would be a waste as i would have to dump it for the cam but it is possible that i wont do the cam.

What do you suggest I do and any recommendations on which product i use? I will do a complete flush (for some reason i dislike dexcool)

 

[Big Jim]

I would leave it alone until you know what you are doing with the cam as long as the coolant is still in good condition. You are still well under the factory recommended limits.

On the other hand, coolant really isn't all that expensive so the loss isn't enough to worry about.

 

[phenomic]

Some people recommended that i should change it and i hear dex cool is screwy. If i dont do the cam change i would most likely flush it anways first thing next summer. Does it matter having this original fluid sit that long?

 

[The Critic]

Nope, DexCool provides near lifetime protection against corrosion, etc anyways.

Just pick-up a gallon of Prestone DexCool and Distilled Water and premix the two in a clean bucket. Drain the block and radiator, add a pack of GM sealer pellets to a radiator hose, and refill. Then you're good to go for another 4-5 years.

The sealer pellets are cheap insurance in hopes of sealing possible points of coolant intrustion considering the GM 3.1/3.4's tendency to leak from the intake gasket, if you have a 3.1/3.4 that is.

 

[m2200b]

I would change it with a drain. Then even if you dump it again in the winter you will have changed about 60% 2x and still only have 83% coolant. I would change it 2x even if I waited for next summer. You're in the range of 5 years /50k where I change auto trannie fluild and coolant on GMs