Switching from Dex-Cool

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone

Unfortunately that is not the way GM advertises Dex-cool.


Starting in 2003 or so, the Saab 93 is filled with Dex-cool. (Saab is owned by GM). According to the owner's manual, the coolant never needs to be changed.

But I have never heard of any cooling system problems with the Saab 93 other than a couple of waterpumps that started to leak.

I will probably change the Dex-cool in my Saab for Peak Global Lifetime sometime in the next couple of years. I've been using Peak Global Lifetime in my 1988 Mustang for 3 years now.

 

[Jim Spahr]

I agree with bdcardinal and others. Get the Dex Cool out as soon as possible. I had first hand knowledge of the Dex Cool long life coolant. I bought my '94 Impala SS new. It came with the green stuff but I was convinced that the new Dex Cool was great, so I changed over. Big misstake. My cooling system sludged throughtout. I had to flush it many times to get as much of the brown sludge out. /One of the big problems is the resevoir tank has many compartments that trap the sludge. Remove it and wash with soap and water and rinse. be sure to flush the heater core and the engine block. There should be some block drains at the bottom of the block. On my LT1 engine, there were the engine knock sensors which were removed to drain the block.

 

[INDYMAC]

Add me to the list of possible DexCool casualties. On 10/21/05 my 2000 Tundra with 106K miles was serviced with bulk DexCool by my local shop (only used Toyota Red before). At 139K the water pump was replaced due to a small leak during a timing belt change (I planned to change the pump anyway though). Immediately following the timing belt change, the radiator developed a leak and had to be replaced. At 143K, the thermostat housing developed a small leak through the seal. I replaced the entire manifold before the housing and the thermostat too. Coincidence? Maybe, but I took the truck to Toyota and had them hook up their flush machine and replaced the DexCool with Toyota Long Life Red on Friday. I'm hoping that I caught it before any more components start leaking. If I have a headgasket or intake manifold gasket start to fail now, I'm going to get very depressed.

Thank you BITOG'ers for alerting me to this DexCool incompatabilty issue!

BTW, the Red looks like it needs to be mixed with water. What kind of water is best to use? I have very hard tap water, BRITA filtered water pitcher (for drinking), and distilled water on hand.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted By: INDYMAC
BTW, the Red looks like it needs to be mixed with water. What kind of water is best to use? I have very hard tap water, BRITA filtered water pitcher (for drinking), and distilled water on hand.


If you need to add water then use distilled. A Brita filter won't change the hardness of the water.

 

[INDYMAC]

Thanks, that's what I was leaning towards.