Dump the Dex-Cool?

[NCGuy68]

I own a 01 limited production Camaro (Show Car) that has only 300 miles on it. It sits in a climate controlled enviroment which is basicly storage. The coolant, radiator, expansion tank, etc. look brand new. Is there any reason to change the Dex-Cool simply because its five years old?

Thanks for knowledgeable replys Gents.

 

[onion]

Not a popular opinion around here... but I'd say yes. You should dump the dexcool, flush, and refill with pretty much anything else (preferably green, IMO). That dexcool turns to peanut butter when it gets old- seen it WAY too many times. Green antifreeze doesn't turn to peanut butter. Pretty simple, really.

I took a chance on Prestone allmakes/models stuff recently. I hope it's not too similar to dexcool.

 

[Big Jim]

It is time for a coolant change. If Dexcool has served you well, use it again.

Much of the current production "green stuff" is actually a "Dexclone" and you would get the same thing with just a different color.

 

[Thatwouldbegreat]

Stick with Dex Cool, use distilled water, and get a new GM radiator cap, and make sure the engine is properly bled and has no air in the coolant.

Dex Cool's weakness is contamination and air.

I think there are better coolants, but there is a lot to be said for sticking with the same coolant.

 

[obbop]

ibid

 

[Thermo1223]

Onion is wrong, completely.

Either stick with it or switch to Zerex's Dexcool clone.

I drain and refill with fresh Dexcool and leave it be.

 

[onion]

Don't just say I'm wrong- I've heard that plenty of times. Tell my WHY I'm wrong.

It's a fact that Texaco paid the Cummins dealership that I worked for to change head gaskets on DOZENS of N14 engines back in the late 90's.

It's also a FACT that Dexcool routinely turns to peanut butter for reasons that are often disputed... but generally ascribed to air, contanimation, or just leaving it in too long.

A third fact: In my 12 years as a mechanic, I've NEVER seen green antifreeze turn to peanut butter... and I've never heard of it doing that.

Let's hear your FACTS.

 

[Big Jim]

But the old fashoned green coolant aka "green snot of death" that was high in silicate would have the silicate drop out of suspension when it aged, turning the coolant into an acid mess that did lots of damage. It plugged small passages and it promoted leaks. Granted, there was no trouble if it was changed at proper intervals.

I kind of like how clean my cooling system stays with Dexcool.

If you are using Prestone "all makes all models" green, you are using something identical to Dexcool except for the dye color.

 

[onion]

Quote:

---

If you are using Prestone "all makes all models" green, you are using something identical to Dexcool except for the dye color.

---

Yeah, I've recently read as much, and I'm not happy about it. The good ole' green stuff is getting hard to come by these days- I bought that Presone, naively assuming that it at least wasn't dexcool. The only place I'm aware of that I can buy genuine green antifreeze (albeit, low silicate stuff for diesels) is my local John Deere dealer. I've considered it, but $14 a gallon is expensive.

So I'm reading up on this dexcrud and trying to convince myself that the world has moved on- and so should I. You've read my two big gripes against Dexcool. The gasket thing has apparently been taken care of- at least with Cummins engines. I've heard rumors about other engines, but that's the only one that I've seen firsthand that leaked BECAUSE it had dexcool in it (and like I said, that was apparently taken care of some years back). And I have to admit that the coolant systems I've taken apart containing Dexcool HAVE generally looked quite clean (cleaner than with green stuff... especially high-silicate)... but I have run across the occasional case of dex-sludge (including my wife's car). Assuming that the dex-sludge isn't going to happen with proper maintanence... then I suppose the stuff will work alright. I'm not ABOUT to run it for 5 years/100k miles, though.

 

[Thermo1223]

I'll admit onion, you have first claims.

In the beginning it may have been a gamble with the isssues but now, today the issues have been solved.

I tend to wonder why VW never had the issues GM did, maybe foresight?

They basically use roughly the same coolant.

It is poor maintenance and obviously faulty parts the reason it turns to peanut butter. Leave green in long enough and it would most likely do the same.

 

[rapidrob]

Let's do away with the Dexcool clones stereotypes. Dexcool uses EHA2 organic acid and no other extended life antifreeze use that particular component. That is probably the reason that it has problems turning muddy. Most generic extended-life antifreeze is similar to G05 formulation which is a Hybrid OAT and Dexcool is just OAT. The hybrid OATs contain a small amount of phosphorus and silicates like old green (North American) antifreeze. So unless the antifreeze says Dexcool formulation on the bottle, it is NOT Dexcool, it is probably a GO5 clone

 

[Pbert25]

^^That incorrect as they do have 2EHA in them. I'm sure of it when it comes to Dex-cool clones that they have it. G05 clones don't need 2EHA in them, so natually there going to be Dex-Cool clones.

 

[wiswind]

As Ray has pointed out....and what I have read supports.

There are 3 main types of Ethylene Glycol coolants.

DEXCOOL is a Organic Acid Technology (OAT) type of coolant.
A LOT of coolants out there state "No Silicates, no Phosphates", which make them also a OAT type of coolant.
Some people lump all OAT coolants that do not state "Dexcool" on the label as "Dexcool Clones".
These are LONG LIFE.

G-05, G-12 and other coolants that use Silicates or Phosphates are called Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT) type coolants.
These are still LONG LIFE, but have a small amount of the traditional Silicate or Phosphate to provide "instant protection" until the other additives can build up the protective layer.

Then there is the "Traditional Green", which, as I have read, contains less silicates than it did years ago, but is still NOT LONG LIFE, and should be changed on the shorter interval.

In all 3 types, Ethylene Glycol is the major component, the difference between the 3 major types is the additive package.
You should still use all 3 in the recommended 50/50 mix.
Within each type, it stands to reason, as mentioned here, there will be differences in this additive package.

 

[rapidrob]

+1 on what wiswind said - just because it says "extended life" doesn't make it Dexcool or dexcool clone. And I disagree with Pbert25 about other coolants containing EHA-2. It is the trademarked ingredient in Dexcool. Unless licensed by Texaco/Havoline they can't use it.

 

[NCGuy68]

Gentleman.....!.....! Back to my original question please.

Is there any VALID reason to change the Dex-Cool SIMPLY BECAUSE ITS 5 YEARS OLD? THE CAR SITS IN STORAGE WITH ONLY 300 MILES ON THE CLOCK.

 

[onion]

Back to the original question. Yes, in my experience, you don't want to leave dexcool in a system too long, or it'll turn to peanut butter. Whether you flush and replace with the green as I advised originally (and am now unsure of), or you drain and refill with more Dexcool, you SHOULD replace it. Isn't 5 years the maximum drain interval anyway?

For folks who are posting information that goes above and beyond the rumors, guesses, and embellishments that I've heard before- thankyou.

 

[Thermo1223]

Quote:

---

Gentleman.....!.....! Back to my original question please.

Is there any VALID reason to change the Dex-Cool SIMPLY BECAUSE ITS 5 YEARS OLD? THE CAR SITS IN STORAGE WITH ONLY 300 MILES ON THE CLOCK.

---

Yes it is 5 years old so you should.

Whether you say with Dex-Cool is your choice, I see no reason to change to non Dex-Cool though. It would require far more work and since you no problems now just stick with what works.

 

[greaseball]

Hey Camaro guy, I have a similar situation. I have a '94 Trans Am, 17K, that is sitting around in my garage. It just stays there and is not driven, because of limited production. The last time I changed the coolant was in '97 TO Dex-Cool. Originally green stuff. this year I will probably change it again. The oil was also last changed to Castrol syn at the same time. Last year I started it up and not much of a problem, except for fuel-TBI had to be manually primed.

 

[onion]

10-year-old dexcool? Ugh... That'll make a mess.

 

[BlazerLT]

Leave the exist coolant in there, no need to change it.

why are people saying he needs to change it at 5 years for , IT HAS ONLY 300 #@$%! MILES!!!!

My #@$%! people are getting neurotic here. the coolant is technically new.