Is the new type extended life antifreeze the same thing as Dexcool? It looks the same, but is it?
New Chrysler Antifreeze
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Prestone Long Life which is essentially Dex-cool has printed on the container that it meets ford and chrysler specs and actually mentions Zerex G-05 by name as being compatible. Interesting that Prestone would a competitors product by name.
Zerex(Valvoline)also has their own Dex-cool equivalent as well as the G-05. It's not a good idea to mix different types as the anti corrosion components of the mix are not additive in effectiveness. This would lead to premature crudding up of the cooling system. Even though Chrysler (and Ford) coolant is not the same as dex-cool, there really is no reason you can't use Dex-cool equivalents in those vehicles. It may void the warranty ,however. When in doubt ,use Zerex g-05. I just don't believe that there is that much difference in cooling system design and material that dictates that only certain types of A/F can be used.
Chrysler factory fluid is orange and the Zerex G-05 that you buy at the auto store is practically clear. They are infact the same product, with the orange dye being the only difference. Valvoline feels that the clear product is more compatible with existing fluid no matter what it is. Orange mixed with green would be kind of an ugly brown!
Whatever product you use ,don't believe the 5 year 150,000 mile nonsense. Drain and refill with fresh solution every 2 years regardless
Ed
Zerex(Valvoline)also has their own Dex-cool equivalent as well as the G-05. It's not a good idea to mix different types as the anti corrosion components of the mix are not additive in effectiveness. This would lead to premature crudding up of the cooling system. Even though Chrysler (and Ford) coolant is not the same as dex-cool, there really is no reason you can't use Dex-cool equivalents in those vehicles. It may void the warranty ,however. When in doubt ,use Zerex g-05. I just don't believe that there is that much difference in cooling system design and material that dictates that only certain types of A/F can be used.
Chrysler factory fluid is orange and the Zerex G-05 that you buy at the auto store is practically clear. They are infact the same product, with the orange dye being the only difference. Valvoline feels that the clear product is more compatible with existing fluid no matter what it is. Orange mixed with green would be kind of an ugly brown!
Whatever product you use ,don't believe the 5 year 150,000 mile nonsense. Drain and refill with fresh solution every 2 years regardless
Ed
Wow, I didn't know that. I'd have put Dexcool in my '04 Jeep! Thanks for the info.
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Can someone give me a brief "skinny" on this not so new evolution in coolants? Is this a "we did it so that the lame consumer can go even further to sleep about their cars" type thing? I mean EG has done a fair job for over 40 years.
Now in all fairness..I don't change my coolant every 2 years. In fact ...I don't recall changing it at all on most of my vehicles. Now I've changed a leaking plastic tanked rad in my 92 Caravan ...but I believe I still have the original hoses (all of them) on the engine.
Why don't I suffer from all the ills that everyone else seem to??
Now in all fairness..I don't change my coolant every 2 years. In fact ...I don't recall changing it at all on most of my vehicles. Now I've changed a leaking plastic tanked rad in my 92 Caravan ...but I believe I still have the original hoses (all of them) on the engine.
Why don't I suffer from all the ills that everyone else seem to??
Now that you are keenly aware of the potential problems, you will be affected by them. You were previously protected by a veil of ignorance, but you have lost your innocence.quote:
Originally posted by Gary Allan:
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Why don't I suffer from all the ills that everyone else seem to??
You must now change your coolant with the correct type of coolant every two years. If you don't, your coolant will change into a rusty mass of elephant snot, your teeth will fall out and your taxes will be audited.
Your new motto shall be "Ignorance was bliss."
Except for the low toxicity stuff which is propylene glycol, all the antifreeze is still ethylene glycol. The differences are only in the anti corrosion additive package. Back in the olden days all cars had cast iron engines and brass cored radiators so it didn't make sense to have a great variation in the additive package. Now a days we have to put up with aluminum radiators with plastic tanks attached to engines that have aluminum heads and iron blocks or all aluminum or aluminum block with iron heads and water pumps made out of pot metal. Dissimilar metals and plastic have galvanic (electrical) and chemical properties that raise hell with certain antifreeze formulations so the guys who get paid to think about this stuff have come up with new products that address the aforementioned issues.
Most people who never change their coolant eventually end up with their vehicles overheating , boiling over, freezing up, leaking ETC. Those who haven't are just lucky.
Ed
Most people who never change their coolant eventually end up with their vehicles overheating , boiling over, freezing up, leaking ETC. Those who haven't are just lucky.
Ed
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Oddly enough ..I've seen some pretty crappy cooling systems in my life. Mine just has never been one of them. In all seriousness ...I've just haven't seen the decay that many others apparently see. Maybe it is our long mileage driving habits being that the heating/cooling cycles of the engine are somewhat limited. I would think, however, that coolant would decay more on a time basis then a mileage basis. Like I said ..my 92 has 158k on it. I changed the rad because of the seal on the plastic tank started leaking. It has the original hoses on it ..and I'm sure that I've only changed the coolant when the thermostat failed a few year ago.
Now I'm normally pretty anal about oil and fuel economy ..but somehow for me ..coolant change out has slipped through the cracks.
You're right ..now I'm jinxed
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