Wal*Mart SuperTech "DEXCOOL"

[Ray H]

Yep, their own brand (pricing at the shelf wasn't displayed, yet, and there's not much in the way of help at Wal*Mart - even less at 4:00 A.M.). While not officially designated as a GM-licensed DEXCOOL, the ingredients read exactly the same as Prestone's own licensed, GM approved DEXCOOL. (ethylene glycol, sodium ethyl-hexanoate, and sodium neo-deconoate - no phosphates nor silicates) Like the Prestone DEXCOOL, the ST version also listed that it's an extended life 5yr./150,000 mile coolant/antifreeze and fully compatible with all other extended life products regardless of dye color. (Prestone says essentially the same thing on their web site, and mentions Ford's, DaimlerChyrsler's, and Mercedes' by name. Prestone Extended Life DEXCOOL jugs mention G-05 by name, too.) Pure speculation, but my guess is the Wal*Mart extended life coolant/antifreeze is probably made for the retailer by Prestone. Doesn't look likely that GM's abandoning DEXCOOL technology anytime soon if the nation's largest retailer has just introduced their own unlicensed house brand of it...

[ July 31, 2004, 08:30 AM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

 

[Jelly]

, but I currently use the SuperTech 50/50 premix (black bottle), and couldn't be more impressed!

 

[pbm]

Ray H: I believe it's $5.68 a gallon and it's full strength (not 50/50). Is this product phosphate,borate and silicate free?

 

[Ray H]

To repeat:

1> at no place on the ST extended-life coolant/antifreeze jug does the word, "DEXCOOL" appear, but the ingredients ARE listed as ethylene glycol, sodium ethyl-hexanoate, and sodium neo-deconoate*. Notable by their absence are any references to, "silicates", "phosphates", and "borates" - the latter two being pH buffers commonly used in formulating traditional coolant/antifreeze products.

2> those are the exact, same ingredients listed on Prestone's own "GM Approved" DEXCOOL extended life ("5 year/150,000 miles") coolant/antifreeze.

3> the GM "DEXCOOL" specification license calls for a silicate-free and phosphate-free formula. (I have no idea where borates figure into or out of the "DEXCOOL" specification, so I specifically avoided commenting on that item.**)

Conclusion? It certainly sounds to me like ST Extended Life coolant/antifreeze concentrate is a real, honest-to-goodness, Prestone "DEXCOOL" clone in all but name only to avoid GM's licensing fees. ("If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck.")

*If I screwed up the "hexas", "decos", "neos", and "ethyls", I plead stupidity for not planning ahead and bringing a notepad and pencil to write the chemistry down, instead, relying on short-term memory to convey the information from the point of discovery through the half hour trip home plus a five minute wait for my ancient computer to boot up, and my advanced age of 58 years. It was 4:00 A.M., too, fer cryin' out loud! (Now, where was I?...

)

**A brief search about borates as they relate to coolant/antifreeze concentrates basically ellicited the idea that borates (and other inorganic salts) are not included in the "DEXCOOL" licensed OAT products, but I'm still unclear whether this is an actual licensing feature or just a general practice in formulating extended life coolant/antifreeze products. (at least insofar as passenger car and light truck use are indicated) Valvoline's "Zerex G-05" specifically lists that borates are not used in that HOAT product, either.

[ July 31, 2004, 07:24 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ray H:
To repeat:


Conclusion? It certainly sounds to me like ST Extended Life coolant/antifreeze concentrate is a real, honest-to-goodness, Prestone "DEXCOOL" clone in all but name only to avoid GM's licensing fees. ("If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck.")

---

The Prestone isn't a Dexcool clone. It is Dexcool compatible but one of the OATs is different.

 

[Ray H]

Thank you for posting, XS650 - it gives me an opportunity to clear up your and a few others' confusion about what is and what is not "DEXCOOL". I researched before posting and Prestone's website explicitly states that the company's Extended Life Coolant/Antifreeze is GM approved and licensed to the GM DEXCOOL specification. Hint: "DEXCOOL" is a legal GM trademark, not a specific GM product nor that of any other particular company (Texaco-Havoline comes to mind...), and no one uses that trademark on their products at retail without GM's explicit permission (a "license"). The same arrangement is in force with "DEXRON" for various petroleum companies' GM spec. ATF. You're right on one point though - Prestone's extended life coolant/antifreeze is not a "DEXCOOL" clone. It's the real McCoy.

[ July 31, 2004, 11:06 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

 

[Matt89]

quote:

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Doesn't look likely that GM's abandoning DEXCOOL technology anytime soon

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Ray, I think what we are seeing (and it's a good thing) is a general migration to a set of better 'DEXCOOL compatible' technologies that are supplanting the original Texaco product. My money is on Texaco putting out a 'new & improved' coolant that is less finicky, along the lines of the Prestone & Peak 'universal' coolants.

FWIW, whatever they put in my new Honda is good for 10 years or 120K supposedly. The 5 year recommendation for these 5yr/150K products is probably very conservative time-wise.

 

[weatherdude]

Also of note, the ST stuff is a light, radioactive green color (Lighter than normal Prestone). Not the usual orange/red etc associated to DEXCOOL coolants.

Of course that has nothing to do with it's ablility as a coolant or anything, but it may throw a few people off when they hear the "same as Prestone's dexcool compatible mixture" but see the color similar to normal Prestone.

Also of note, at both of the local Walmarts here, the old ST antifreeze has been phased out, and they only have the new "DEXCOOL" type coolant under the SuperTech brand. Several of us here locally thought that would happen with the "Compatible with all makes/models" wording on the label. (They still sell Prestone (regular - full strength and pre-mix), Prestone Dexcool(full strength and pre-mix), Texaco Dexcool, MaxLife Antifreeze (low silicate greenstuff), and the new SuperTech.

 

[Ray H]

Thanks for the update. I wondered what color dye was in this stuff, but, cheap (expletive deleted - moderator) that I am, I wasn't about to buy a gallon just to break the seal to find out. I wonder whether the break in dye scheme was to avoid potential legal troubles with GM over the lack of a DEXCOOL license thing. Gone forever are the days when car owners could tell immediately what type of antifreeze/coolant had been installed just by the dye color.

[ August 06, 2004, 09:52 AM: Message edited by: Ray H ]