Latest scoop on Anti-freeze???

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Rockrz

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I'm needing to flush and refill my GM 4.3L V6system (after I replace hoses and install a new fail safe t-state)... so, I know to stay away from Dexicool which my vehicle same with but I removed 4 or 5 years back and replaced with Prestone green.

So, what is the best anti-freeze to use these days on an older vehicle (mine is an '03)?

And, I have another GM vehicle that cam with Dexicool (it is an '09 with about 14k miles) that I need to switch away from Dexicool, so what's the best replacement?
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Stay away from that fail safe stat too.JUNK!


Too late, I've already experienced times when the stat failed in the open position which allowed the engine to NOT overheat so it served it's purpose perfectly.

If I have to choose between a traditional stat that fails in the closed position versus a fail safe stat that is designed to fail in the open position, I have nothing to lose if it ended up failing in the closed position... since this is what all other stats do anyway.

So, I'll continue using fail safe stats because so far for me they have done exactly what they were designed to do.
 
5 years ago there was no Prestone green. The green colored Prestone coolant is exactly the same as Dexcool with a different colored dye.

There's nothing wrong with dex cool.
 
Sounds like those fail safe stats should be named "fail often". I have been driving since 1962 and my last thermostat failure was in my 1964 AH Sprite.
 
Originally Posted By: Rockrz
I'm needing to flush and refill my GM 4.3L V6system (after I replace hoses and install a new fail safe t-state)... so, I know to stay away from Dexicool which my vehicle same with but I removed 4 or 5 years back and replaced with Prestone green.

So, what is the best anti-freeze to use these days on an older vehicle (mine is an '03)?

And, I have another GM vehicle that cam with Dexicool (it is an '09 with about 14k miles) that I need to switch away from Dexicool, so what's the best replacement?


Just wondering, how do you know to stay away from Dex-Cool?
 
Originally Posted By: Rockrz
Chris142 said:
Too late, I've already experienced times when the stat failed in the open position which allowed the engine to NOT overheat so it served it's purpose perfectly.

If I have to choose between a traditional stat that fails in the closed position versus a fail safe stat that is designed to fail in the open position, I have nothing to lose if it ended up failing in the closed position... since this is what all other stats do anyway.

So, I'll continue using fail safe stats because so far for me they have done exactly what they were designed to do.


Interesting, I didn't even know there were "fail-safe" thermostats. The two I have had fail (one a Toyota OEM the other a Honda) both failed in the open position. The only reason I even noticed was because it was in winter and the heat was weak.
Click to expand...
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
There's nothing wrong with dex cool.


Except for the thousands of people who have experienced various failures related to this product. So many people that they were at one point about to achieve class action status against GM.

There have been court cases where GM paid up and it was due to dexicool being corrosive and this was on newer vehicles where this product came installed from the factory causing blown head gaskets and other cooling system failures that resulted in people's engine either being damaged or they had to pay for repairs.

I'd like to stay clear of this product.




Originally Posted By: ammolab
Sounds like those fail safe stats should be named "fail often". I have been driving since 1962 and my last thermostat failure was in my 1964 AH Sprite.


Yes, and if you ever experience a tstat failure with a traditional tstats... you will damage your engine most likely from overheating.

My experience was when I was tinkering with wiring up an electric fan setup where fuses would blow and I had no fans, so it got hot enough to cause the tstat to fail in the open position and the vehicle would not overheat as long as I kept it moving which enabled me to get back to the shop.

Now I use PWM controllers (Solid State) so I do not have to rely on relays. Much more reliable.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn

Interesting, I didn't even know there were "fail-safe" thermostats. The two I have had fail (one a Toyota OEM the other a Honda) both failed in the open position. The only reason I even noticed was because it was in winter and the heat was weak.


Then you were using "fail-safe" thermostats if they failed in the open position which may have saved your engine,

Maybe Toyota and Honda are smarter than other manufacturers and use this as their OEM product
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
The green colored Prestone coolant is exactly the same as Dexcool with a different colored dye.


So, GM does not have their own proprietary coolant?

And now, all coolant is the same chemical makeup?
 
Originally Posted By: Rockrz

And now, all coolant is the same chemical makeup?


no. nooooooooo.

The Prestone green dexclone is supposed to be slightly better, as in missing the worst ingredient, compared to dexcool.

But as they have zillions of colors, so, also, additive formulations. The base ethylene glycol is mostly in common, except Sierra and Evans.
 
Dexcool should be fine with 09. Some where around 2003/04 GM quit using the plastic gaksets, so just as long as you don't have plastic gaskets in your GM vehicle Dexcool and the clones will be ok to use.

Peak Cool and long life both have 2eha, so avoid them with plastic gaskets. Peak Global goes out of the way to say it does not have 2eha.

Old Prestone all makes all models had 2eha. The new Prestone with cor-guard probably does have 2eha. A member on the forums emailed Prestone, and they said it still has 2eha. I can't find MSDS on the new, so until then, as far as I am concerned, it still has 2eha.
 
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Originally Posted By: ammolab
Sounds like those fail safe stats should be named "fail often". I have been driving since 1962 and my last thermostat failure was in my 1964 AH Sprite.

Agreed! I conservatively estimate I driven over a million miles and I have never had a thermostat fail.
 
Originally Posted By: Rockrz
Originally Posted By: jrmason
Peak Global Lifetime after a thorough flush to get that Prestone out of your system.


http://www.peakauto.com/products/antifreeze-coolants/automotive/global-lifetime-50-50-/


The Peak website says "Features a patented non 2-EH formula that is phosphate-free and silicate-free"

So, their mixture is not the same as dexcool?


Yes you are correct. Peak doesn't use 2EH, neither does Zerex in the G05 formulation which is another good choice.

Just so you know the 2EH used in things like Prestone all makes are trace amounts these days and currently no automaker uses anything incompatible with it.

I converted my Buick to G05 because it doesn't have a pressurized overflow tank and one of the things Dexcool doesn't like is air in the system, sometimes these non pressurized systems allow air into the system
 
No its not.

As stated above, 2EH is a plasticizer which softens some synthetic rubbers and plastics, particularly silicone gaskets and the Nylon 6-6 used for gaskets and overflow tanks. GM didn't do enough research when they began using the Dexcool in the early days and as a result ate the cooling system from the inside out. Any vehicle from that era I'd personally have concerns about using it, but it is by no means a problem with current engines (or coolants for that matter).
 
OK, sounds like Peak would be a good antifreeze to go with.

The sell it at the local Tractor Supply store, so when I go in hopefully they won't ask me if this purchase is for my tractor.

But, I'll chew on a Tootsie Roll and spit a couple of times so they'll think I'm a redneck!
 
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Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Dexcool was never the problem, it was the cooling system that it was used in.

If there was a problem with it Ford wouldn't have switched to it.


Never mind. 2eha was pointed out already as being a plasticizer.
 
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