ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Hey everyone. Well...Im getting to the point with my LS1 swap that I want to run it and am about to try driving it. So...I need to fill the fluids. Now...search isnt work or I would have sat here all day and searched. Im sure there are 1000 threads on what type of coolant to use. I figured Ide post in this part of the forum because its not really good tech...just a general "what should i use" question.

Ive heard the horror stories about Dex-Cool. Ive read enough of them that Im hesitant to use it.

Ive heard that the good old green stuff isnt the best for an all aluminum engine.

What about the Prestone yellow??? Does that have anything in it to hurt the LS1 or its components??? There isnt really a lot of info on this type.

Whats everyone's take on which coolant is the best. My coolant change interval will probably be somewhere in the every season range. Let me know if you have any input!

Thanks!

Justin

sleepinghawk

Yea there seems to be some ideas about the coolant. I am just going to be using the dex-cool oem stuff. How ever long it says that I can go in between changes I will not wait that long. I will be doing mine every year starting this winter, but that's just me. What little bit it cost to buy, I change fluids sooner than most, that's just insurance for me and if it is just throwing money away, oh well after 30 yrs of driving and getting alot of miles out of a car I have nothing else to spend my money on but my car, damn I forgot I have a wife Hawk comes first!

fenix99

iTrader: (1)

um it comes with dex cool Orange coolant from the factory, most gm cars do, at least all the LS1's ive seen do...What kind of "horror stories" have u heard from FACTORY reccommended coolant? im curious....it might have been the users fault tobegin with...but anyways yea the green stuff supposedly doesnt react as well on aluminum as the orange...and personally i use the GM approved "yellow" or orange Prestone 50/50 mix...its in a yellow jug...and it looks like orange juice tempting but dont drink it hope this helps & btw dont sweat coolant too much there are far more important things to worry about in this world

ghettocruiser

iTrader: (17)

Hey guys. Thanks for your responses. My reason for concern about the FACTORY recommended coolant is that they have a bunch of suits against them for the coolant causing issues. Mostly problems with it eating seals and gaskets.

I think the main thing is...when hot dexcool is introducted to air, it turns to acid... Im not a chemist so Im not 100% sure. Ive just heard a bunch of people having sludge problems and problems with it eating gaskets.

But you might be correct..it might be neglect from the owners. I was worried about the change interval...but I guess I can make it a point to change it once a year. Maybe I will just use the orange dexcool stuff...Ill just make sure I change it same time next year.

Any more input feel free to keep it coming.

Justin

YoMommasTA

iTrader: (1)

the yellow stuff you speak of is DEXCOOL! just aint tellin you....look at the labels.They are doing that now to trick everyone into using it! I went with the green stuff after the dexcool ate two radiator filler necks and caps.FK DEXCOOL!

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Dexcool is just fine. My '98 Camaro, my '96 Bonneville, and my '02 MC SS all have had dexcool since brand new and they all have original cooling systems without problems.

Just keep it changed regularly, and don't let the system run low on coolant (keep air out). I do a radiator drain and refill on the Camaro every spring (car barely gets driven so a full flush doesn't seem necessary), and a full system flush on the Bonneville and Monte every 2-3 years.

YoMommasTA

iTrader: (1)

the real problem with dexcool and our fbodys is the coolant overflow tank.Its not a pressurized tank,so the hot dexcool in the tank is mixed with air and it turns into a strong acid.If GM gave a flyin fk they would have given us what the caddy owners got...a presurized overflow system.I've replaced my rad cap twice and sanded the rad cap sealing area inside the radiator because of the dexcool in the overflow tank eatting these parts.The dexcool inside the radiator is ok because it doesn't get mixed with air.I'm considering swaping over to green so i don't have to replace the cap and sand the radiator every year or so.GM FK YOU!! peckerheads! see heres the kicker,GM tested all this stuff and knew dam well that any dexcool outside the radiator is gonna get FKD FAST! Like i said look at the caddy's...they got pressurized overflows...we got FKD!

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

My Camaro is 8 years old. My Bonneville is 10 years old. Neither have a pressurized tank, and neither have the issues you described.

Change the coolant annually and you'll have no issues.

YoMommasTA

iTrader: (1)

thats just it,why would i spend the money to change LONG LIFE DEXCOOL OUT EVERY YEAR..its makes NO sense at all????If you have a open system like our cars dexcool is worthless! its that simple.Gm's tech people have come up with a video for their techs to help them nurse cars along using dexcool in open system cars.Basicly they tell the techs to overfill the overflow bottle so the is very little air in it.THATS THEIR SOLUTION!!!Lets see use dexcool @ 9 bucks a gallon and change every year OR use the green stuff @7 a gallon and change every two years PLUS MY RADIATOR CAP doesn't get eatten!I'm not a BANANA! DEXCOOL STOP EATTING ME!

Vetal

iTrader: (3)

Newb question, but can I add 1 liter of green coolant to the system with orange in it? Radiator leaks so level is low now, but the car is going to be parked for winter in a few days, so have to add some coolant now.

Z28LS1camaroguy

iTrader: (3)

Never mix coolant, and use the red/orange Dexcool or you will have some problems. just read your owners manual it will tell you what to use. The green **** sucks believe me i know from all the people coming in who do it themselves and find out they fucked up.

tripblackls1

iTrader: (11)

if you want to keep my job secure go ahead and add green to red lol
adding green to red is very very bad and far as ive seen dexcool is crap but if you change it when needed you should not have problms (dont belive the bottle they have to be changed at least every three years)

JohnnyC

Dexcool is fine if you keep it changed regularly. The green stuff (make sure it is approved for aluminum engines) is fine if you keep it changed regularly. Don't mix the two. Most horror stories come from people leaving the Dexcool in to long and causing problems. I run the green stuff and keep it changed regularly. I sleep like a baby at night.

Vetal

iTrader: (3)

As always, some say green is OK, some say it's ****
OK will try to find a liter of orange coolant here in my city

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

This is one of only 2 reasons why dex would do harm. The other would be too much air in the system.

Green has plenty of horror stories too. Leave that stuff in too long and it'll do just as much damage as dex that's too old. But you don't hear these stories as often because people KNOW to change out the green, but too many beleive that you can actually leave dex in for 5 years/150k miles without issues. THAT is the real problem.

I don't see any reason to use green. The cost difference is about $1-2 per gallon, and the green is good for 2 years vs dex being good for 2-3 years. So it's 6 in one, or a half dozen in the other. Makes no real difference, so I stick with the factory coolant.

zuuhlsT/A

iTrader: (2)

Also remember there is a SPECIFIC way to add coolant to this ALUMINUM block motor. You don't ever wanna get air trapped in the system. It would be bad... very bad.

ae13291

iTrader: (8)

the first thing i did when i bought my car is do the coolent flush! and well dex-cool the 150,000 mile coolent, turned into chunks of brown **** at 77,000 miles!! the coolent looked horrible! and it had caused some rust in my cooling system and it was awful!! well i replaced with a 60/40 mix of prestone green coolent with a bottle of watter wetter and my temps even dropped and everything is better! i have been using this coolent 7,000 miles now and i have not got any problems or anything with the seals.

Vetal

iTrader: (3)

What is the SPECIFIC way to add coolant to aluminium LS1?

PowershifterNC

open the radiator cap and pour it in

98FreakZ

iTrader: (1)