EvilCamaroSS

iTrader: (8)

OK so here I was driving along and i start to smell anti-freeze, i don't see any smoke I assume it's a car infront of me and i Keep driving, then i notice my temp gauge going up, so I quickly Pull over, SOmehow my Coolant Temp gauge popped out of my radiator and I lost alot of coolant about gallon and a half. SO I went to the nearest gas station and I got some of there antifreeze. It says:

Premium Permanent Antifreeze, Summer Coolant
Universal formulation for Aluminum and all other Metal Engines

(on the back)

Meets Requirements for: ASTM, D 1384, D 2809, D 4340, D 3306, D 4985, GM 1825, GM 1899, GM 6038 and GM 6043

I looked at the Ingredients and both this stuff and dex cool have: Ethylene Glycol, Water, Diethylene Glycol Corrosion Inhibitors and Proprietaries.

The Dex-cool has this extra stuff: Sodium 2-Ethyl Hexonate, and Sodium Neodecanoate

Is this green stuff ok? Is it ok enough to just drain the radiator and refill with dexcool? any help?

mikenews

iTrader: (9)

Dont Panic! Just flush the radiator completely and put the red deathcool back in! I like good old green better myself but you cant mix the two. And if you decide to convert to green there is no going back....and you will have to put a waterpump in real soon!

EvilCamaroSS

iTrader: (8)

How do u flush the radiator with a hose? is that green stuff compatible witgh my dex cool? and ur saying if i switch to green i'll need a water pump?

Domesticated Euro

iTrader: (1)

I don't know about having to put a water pump in it, because I have been running the green stuff in my car for 2 years now with no problems. Just make sure you flush it out first, because the 2 don't mix. I would tell you to go ahead and use a hose, but I don't know if that would be safe since you are only supposed to use distilled water in it.
Good Luck

bluehawk2

iTrader: (74)

Couldn't you pull the top hose off of the radiator and crank the engine long enough to empty the system?

I flushed the radiator about 5 times before I could get all of the antifreeze out. I just bought about 8 gallons of distilled water and drained and filled the radiator untill only pure water came out. I would drive it a short distance down the road in between drains (with the heater on) to circulate the mixture. I am running only distilled water for the summer....when or if it gets cold I will drain the radiator and fill it with pure antifreeze. I figure there is half in the motor and half in the radiator.

EvilCamaroSS

iTrader: (8)

a hose shouldn't effect it. if it's going to be filled with coolant and distilled right after

EvilCamaroSS

iTrader: (8)

I guess if you really wanted to be safe, you'd flush with the hose and then do one last flush with distilled just to make sure.

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

I don't know about seals but I have seen 50 year old water pump housings. They look as they maybe 40% of the material was gone. I don't plan on keeping my car that long.

mikenews

iTrader: (9)

Green coolant penetrates seals and surfaces which will greatly kill the life of waterpump. Ever hear of waterpumps going before 1996 for 150k. Nope now with red coolant it's not uncommon. ( 1 only advantage IMO) Did u ever see so many on mutiples gm engines have sludge, intake leaks and rotted impellers? Sure since 1996...lol, The list goes on. Get a prestone flush kit from az or wallymart and put it on. Then go back to coolant of choice. If your bored type in DEATHCOOL in google. You will be surprised what you'll find. Oh by the way classactionlawsuit.com also has a suit against texaco/ havoline makers of dexcool for all of the above problems!

2002_Z28_Six_Speed

iTrader: (19)

I just spend 3 hours fixing a 2003 Impala with a Dex-Fool problem. The overflow bottle was caked and the rad puked out brown fluid for an eternity.

I found the problem in 30 seconds just by looking at the overflow tank and observing huge chunks of coolant floating around.

Before the car would overheat under most conditions. Now it is operating normally once again. I couldn't get all the junk out, though.

bww3588

iTrader: (49)

if you leave pure dex-cool in the system, you wont have problems. the problems start when you mix the two.

EvilCamaroSS

iTrader: (8)

my waterpump has the updated metal seals i should be ok!

After the flush though i popped the radiator cap and it kinda looked green but the shop used dexcool i stuck a rag in there and it came out ORange dex cool color i wonder why it looks green prolly a film in there still

Mr Incredible

You only have two issues if you used modern coolant...

1) The extended lifespan of pure DexCool & water will be compromised and become the same as regular coolant.

2) Those two coolants may not play well together. But, they may. Likely, they will.

Nothing's going to blow up, but I'd fall back on the 2yr-24k mile standard coolant exchange.

If you just can't stand knowing your cooling system is (AAAAAAH!!!) Dirty... Get a flush and refill and move on.

ChocoTaco369

Not true. I ran Dexcool and it destroyed my waterpump within 30,000 miles. There was no gunk in my radiator, the Dexcool was within its change interval...that didn't stop it from eating the seals inside the pump and screwing up the bearing.

I bought a new water pump and switched over to green. It's one of the best decisions you can make. Nearly all mechanics hate Dexcool. GM only uses it because they spent a lot of money in the development and they need the money from the sales. That's the ONLY reason why GM forces you to use it. It is NOT better for your engines. Where's the proof:

GM and Toyota designed the engine for the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix. GM forces you to use Dexcool. Toyota, even though it's the same car and engine, WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY if you put Dexcool in the SAME ENGINE.

Having to use Dexcool is a SCAM, and GM only makes you use it because they lost millions in R&D due to the junk.

Flush your system and convert to green. As long as it's not too cold out, what you want to do is drain all the Dexcool, switch the system over to PURE DISTILLED WATER - NO COOLANT - and run the car for, say, 100 miles. While doing it, turn on the heat and blast it to get all the Dexcool out of the heater core. Then drain it and refill with green coolant. Don't worry if there's a little bit of Dexcool left over. If it's 99.8% green and 0.2% Dexcool, it won't hurt.

That's what I'd recommend. Whether or not you take my advice, that's your call, but I'd recommend anyone with a GM car that isn't under warranty anymore to get that junk out of your car.

transam5.7lt1

iTrader: (18)

Universal formulation does mix with dexcool, it is compatible.

dragonrage

This is what I have read, also.

Starion

iTrader: (5)

Don't worry man, you'll be fine. Don't listen to the people that tell you dexcool is the worst thing ever created. Mixing the 2 won't cause problems in the short run at least. Whenever it's convenient, flush it out and put some 50/50 distilled water/dexcool back in.

Choco: Car manufacturers will use any excuse they can to void your warranty. I won't take my Tundra in for warranty service without a certified toyota oil filter on the thing. That argument doesn't mean jack.

ChocoTaco369

It does mean a lot when Japanese car companies will void your warranty for EVER putting Dexcool in your car. Dexcool is absolute junk, and nearly EVERY mechanic will agree with me.

Education is key to understanding why Dexcool has so many problems. I strongly suggest reading this article, as it teaches you why Dexcool is frowned upon so much by good mechanics.






Dexcool is trash. My poor water pump that didn't even last 30,000 miles is proof of that.

dragonrage

Not that I am particularly for dex-cool, but that's not much of a sample size there. I can tell you with much certainty that that can happen with green coolant or just water or anything, really.

ChocoTaco369

They happen uncharacteristically high on f-bodys, though. The water pump rates as one of the more common failures, along with the power window motors and the rear end.