I have a 2000 camaro ss stock short block ls1 it currently has dexcool in it. Not a big fan of it at all. Is it worth me flushing everything out and putting a replacement in or is it not worth it?? Need some help with this one any ideas?

 

whats wrong with dex cool? any reason for not caring for it?

 

I have inspected many blocks running Dexcool and they are much cleaner than green. Never seen issues except mid 90's that was primarily due to low coolant issues.

 

op thats what i use, why are you not a fan of it

 

there is nothing wrong with modern Dexcool. it keeps a radiator system cleaner in my opinion then the green stuff. just my experience.

if you do prefere the green stuff then you have to flush all the dexcool out cause they are not ment to mix. make sure you flush the heater core as well.

 

i agree with the posters above dexcool keeps the cooling system very clean and alot of people blamed the lower intake gasket leaks in the 90's on dex but in reality its due to low torque and plastic gaskets that would eventually break. dex cool seems to protect better than the green stuff as well

 

if it aint broke, dont fix it..

plus thats what it came with from the factory, so seems like it should stay?!!

 

nothing wrong with dexcool. the problems with dexcool is it doesnt take well to any other coolants or water except pure distilled water.

once it is mixed with green or tap water, its starts to break down and corrode everything.

after having dexcool in ALL of my GM vehicles and not having any problems with them whatsoever, I am convinced all the people that have problems with it have either mixed it with tap water or green coolant themselves, or someone else has. period.

Hell, I even took all the factory green coolant out of my 89 K5 blazer and replaced it with dexcool, 80k miles on it and it was still as clean as the day I put it in. upon tear down of the 240k mile 350, the coolant passages and radiator itself were clean as can be.

 

Dexcool in all my stuff and NEVER had an issue....

 

Dexcool itself is a good product, but there are a couple of known issues;

1) This is directly from a GM field engineer, when he was explaining to me, I had that blank stare, tilted head look going on, then he dumbed it down for me LOL. Dexcool is a haven for electrolysis in an environment with dis-similar metals. Now on the majority of our LS performance engines, this isn't an issue, but think of the regular GM vehicles out there with iron block and aluminum heads. For whatever reason that I don't have the degree to understand, when Dex is used in this type of application, it creates an electrolysis. Ever look in the coolant tank or radiator of a car with dexcool with more then 50k miles and see white crap floating in it? That's the exact same white crap that forms on a top post battery, (battery corrosion). GM engineers say, and you have probably heard, the quickest way to test if Dex needs to be replaced is with a multi-meter. If there is a current, needs to be replaced. Now here's the part that stumped me until he explained....this electrolysis in Dexcool was found to be a leading cause in frying transmissions. Again, talking about the run of the mil GM cars, not our performance cars. The way Paul (gm engineer) explained to me, it made sense. All that white floating crap settles to the bottom of the radiator when vehicle not running. Over time, it builds up and basically blocks flower to the lower portion of the radiator. Trans cooler line go to the bottom or the radiator, not enough flow, overheats the trans.

2)IMHO, GM hyped the hell out of Dex and how long it will last. Dexcool came out when GM was actively trying to take shares of the fleet market away from Ford, and used Dex and their Maint 1 & 2 service intervals (I won't start on that, you'll be readin all day) to show lower annual maintenance costs per vehicle in service. I am relatively certain that GM has 1 source for Dexcool, but, as a parts guy, if I purchase it under the GM part number, the back of the bottle says replace 150k miles. BUT, if I buy it from GM under the ACDelco part number, the label on the back says to replace every 30k miles.

With all that said, it's cooling properties and lubricity are second to none, especially for an OE product. But, I don't believe it is the wonder coolant that the general wants everyone to think.

 

I don't believe it's a wonder product either, however even in my 02 cavalier with a cast iron block and aluminum head, there is no corrosion or anything funky going on. The coolant in it is rocking on 150 k miles as of now.

 

I always run dex and i like it alot better than the green stuff. i just wish they would make a coolant that dogs wont want to drink... sux that i have to keep my dobermans out of the garage when coolant is around. anyone who come up with a coolant that dogs wont drink will make millions and i will be their #1 supporter (love dogs).

i also notice that alot of the motors i tear apart have the green stuff in them which leads me to believe that alot of people mix the two coolants, any side effect for those customer that mix the two? wish they would just make one universal, horrible tasting coolant

 

Once it's mixed with green or tap water, it's junk. Actually, all coolant, regardless of color, if it's mixed with a coolant of different color or tap water, it needs changed. Green is just more forgiving to that mistake.

 

I'm surprised the "I hate dexcrap" bandwagoners haven't flooded this thread with their nonsense yet.

 

Im in italy and i cant get dexcool here or at the BX. So i had to flush my system and refill with the green "universal" coolant. I have to actually do it again cus i am installing a new Waterpump so i dont have to grind mine for my Fast102. I am neither for or against dexcool/green coolant i just use what is available to me

 

Engineers decided block material and coolant so im going with it...

Note: Do not mix dexcool and green...it will be a sludgefest...i saw a guy do it...I told him not mix and he said "Ive been building cars since the 60s its all coolant and its all the same ****!"....not so much

 

I like dexcool, but for someone swapping an entire engine I say swap it, if for nothing else compatibility reasons.

 

Modern green coolants are, in almost all cases, compatible with all metals and other coolants. It should be noted in the remarks prominently.

The problem with Dexcool (DC) is that it gums up when air gets into the system and the brown goo piles up. If your system is tight it shouldn't cause problems. DC is compatible with other coolants, but you lose the extended use. I don't go for that extended use jazz anyway.

I changed over to green when I changed my waterpump. 24 months coverage. Not a problem for me. I have the tools and inclination to change it when it's needed. No goo, no gum, no worries.

Do what you wish, just change as required. It's not rocket science, it's just coolant.

 

I have never seen so many dexcool supporters in one thread at one time 0__0

Haha I have decided to keep going with dexcool, after my PS cooler broke, you just gotta change it often enough!

But basically like everyone above me has stated, just switch out the Dexcool frequently!

 

Me either. Usually, there is at least 2 people in here telling us how dumb we are and that we all got factory freaks since we don't have problems with it and it always always always eats the engine from the inside out...in every car....except ours. Therefore, it's junk.