jpz28

I have a 98Z and a while back...I had my mechanic put in a new radiator because mine was cracked and kept leaking...Well according to the manual...it states for you to use the orange coolant which I beleieve its Dex cool from Prestone right?....okay...well I think he used the Hi/Lo Oreilly green coolant because I opened up to check the radiator and it had green antifreeze in it....I know he used that kind because i go to his shop sometimes and he has a whole lot of boxes with O reilly coolant...but will it harm anything or mess up anything....I've been running it like that and no problems whatsoever.....any downsides or would I be ok...I plan to change it before the summer but just wanted to know if its all that bad to be running that type of coolant???........sorry for the long post!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

Never heard of OReilly. GM doesn't like the
traditional silicate anticorrosion formulas
anymore, don't know for certain why. But I
think anticorrosion appropriate for an
aluminum block with steel sleeves is a
good idea. The dealership would flush and
refill with Dexcool, this would run you a
little money but if you go for warranty
work and they find green juice in there,
you'll be taking el shafto grande. Just my
prediction.

Even if I wasn't worried about that, I'd
be less than pleased about having my car
filled with Billy-Bob's Diskount No-Freez.

ArcticFormula

LOL! Jimmyblue,
But is Billy-Bob's Diskount No-Freez, similar to Scooter's green HI-C flavor engine quencher? I must remember to avoid those <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> .

robertbartsch

Since the orange cool-aid that belongs there is not expensive, get rid of the lime cool-aid and gargle with clean water before refilling.

Technically, you should not use tap water with the refill. Distilled water is best.

If you do this yourself, make sure you run the motor with the cap off for several miniutes to remove any air bubbles...

Don;t be a pig and flush the old stuff ...recycle it and enjoy our green planet...

99ZEOD

iTrader: (5)

From what I've heard the green stuff will eventually cause the water pump to fail. Something about the Dexcool lubes the water pump. (I said Lube) Does anyone else remember hearing something like this or have I had too many beers?

rnr27band1

yea the orange is better for the aluminum block and heads and it also lubercates the water pump, i have heard that running the green stuff will wear off the coating on the block and heads.

2000WhiteZ28

Dealer will charge 45-60 bucks for flush and fill, its done with a mighty big hose. Green wears the lining material away from the aluminum. Green then seeps into aluminum, sometimes mixing with the oil. Of course, this is over time. You want a 150K mile LS1, I suggest going back to the red Kool-aid, its cheaper these days and doesn't clump up like the stuff back in 98 did. You can even buy it at Target I hear.

DaddySS

It is important that you get the green stuff out of there right away. I can tell you from experience and GM has a bulletin on it, that a mix of orange and green equals sludge that will clog you heater core in very short order. There is a complete flush process that must be used to clean all the old junk out and then refill with orange.

I am not saying orange is better, just that it must be one or the other - all orange or all green.

JetBlack98Z

iTrader: (9)

Jp Jp JP Damn that suxs, Like everbody else sayed, The mixture of Green and some Orange Coolant will cause a major clog. The whole piont of the Orange coolant is to protect the Alumium heads & block <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

Laterz Steven

Orange Krush

Ditto what Daddy said! <img border="0" alt="[judgement]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_judge.gif" />

In 2001 I worked for a major trucking company whose fleet of 2000 3500 series duallys all were incapacitated by the practice of mixing green and orange after a routine winterize! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="gr_sad.gif" />

It turned to a jello like consistency after about 45 days and did major engine damage to all contaminated vehicles! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" />

Flush everything and re-fill with Dex-cool, or pay the price! <img border="0" alt="[cry]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cry.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

jpz28

Thanx guys gonna do that either today or tommorow depending on the weather......So I should go ahead and fill it up with Dex Cool only?.....I mean add no water?........so I would have to buy a couple a gallons of that orange stuff huh?....Will do.......

robertbartsch

NO - NO- NO!!!!!
The mix is 50% orange cool-aid and 50% distilled water....read the label!

Filling your system with 100% red cool-aid and no water will result in a less effective cooling system....besides being twice as costly...

jpz28

Dope!!...my bad...okay 50/50 right?.....riiiight?
I probably didn't understand what you all were talking about....but I got it now! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />

Orange Krush

Ditto what Robert said! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" />

Here is a link to help out! <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" />

http://www.theherd.com/articles/dex_cool.html

http://www.coolprofits.com/articles/...l-macs2001.htm

gwj

The orange stuff is available from Havoline, same specs,AFAIK,as GM -and is reccommended as a replacement- by GM. With the majority of the components the cooling system is composed of being aluminum, GM figures the orange stuff is better.
Mixing "standard" with the "long life" is discouraged, although I don't know the technical reasons why.
A 50/50 mix of antifreeze/water yields maximum overboil protection, from what I've read. Above that actually gives less protection for high heat conditions. What mixture gives the max protection from freezing, I don't know.
There are other products available to considerably raise the boiling temperature while running mostly water, but I can't speak for their metal protection capabilities,as I just don't know.
In any event, don't run plain old tap water unless you have very clean, demineralized water.

Chivalry101

Well, I know what I am doing tonight! Can anyone recomend anything to help flush out the radiator, or just use water?