Should I dump the Dex-cool for the green stuff
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 112
Likes: 1
From: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Should I dump the Dex-cool for the green stuff My 01 Hawk has 68K miles,when I flush the coolant system, should I replace it with the green anti-freeze instead of the Dex cool again.
I have used Dex Cool in my car for the past 4 years and have not had a problem. I have drained it twice. From what I read Dex cool has a useful life of about 5 years so must drain it every 5 years.
no, not at 68k miles or unless the price of dexcool increases 500%.
keep using dexcool. Fill the system, make sure it's full with no air, your radiator cap works and your coolant overflow bottle is filled and you'll never have a problem.
you won't gain anything by going green, problems dexcool has had can be contributed mostly to iron blocks and gasket materials that contained nylon, none of which you have. Millions of cars have been running on dexcool for the last 10 years with no problems, if there truly was a problem with dexcool it would be widespread. The problems are unique and specific.
http://www.gates.com/downloads/downl...older=brochure
http://www.imcool.com/articles/antif...ant/index.html
keep using dexcool. Fill the system, make sure it's full with no air, your radiator cap works and your coolant overflow bottle is filled and you'll never have a problem.
you won't gain anything by going green, problems dexcool has had can be contributed mostly to iron blocks and gasket materials that contained nylon, none of which you have. Millions of cars have been running on dexcool for the last 10 years with no problems, if there truly was a problem with dexcool it would be widespread. The problems are unique and specific.
http://www.gates.com/downloads/downl...older=brochure
http://www.imcool.com/articles/antif...ant/index.html
Trending Topics
Yep flushed mine out with dexcool about a year ago. No problems yet even after crossing New Mexico, Arizona, and SoCal to San Diego in the middle of July with the AC blowin at 85 the whole way there. 
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
If you have an low milage or air tight system use dexcool. Other, use green stuff. I opted for green stuff after sludge kept gathering on the coolant level sensor. I use the all color green stuff which is compatible with everything. On the back of the bottle it even says aluminum safe. Just my 2 cents. No sludge and Im not really worried about the aluminum block corrosion since the block will probably last longer than I will.
since I live in San Diego I was thinking about running pure water and so I wouldnt have calcium deposits I was thinking of using filtered water, Would I run into any problems with this kind of setup?
Originally Posted by Z28LS1camaroguy
No just use Dex cool, coolant is made for different makes at least thats what it says on the bottle.
I'd stay with the Dex Cool . I wouldn't want to flush and flush and flush just to change to the green stuff.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,135
Likes: 1
From: The 'Burgh, PA
This has been covered many times, and it always leads to a heated debate.
Common sense goes a long way here - keep your coolant system flushed and change your coolant often. Many of the problems assoc. with Dexcool were the result of GM over-estimating the actual life of the stuff. A lot of people left it in their cars for way too long and it turned to sludge. Most people who keep Dexcool changed at normal intervals will not have problems, provided they don't get leaks and allow air or contamination into the system.
Personally, I don't think it is worth the risk. The green stuff has been around forever and has been perfected. Just make sure you get the green stuff that is compatible with aluminum engines! Every mechanic that I know recommends changing out the Dexcool based on problems that they have seen. You have to change the green stuff every two years or so, but that really isn't a big deal. Dexcool is O.K. as long as the system remains airtight. If air or contaminants get in, you can have some problems. I say, why take the chance? Run the good 'ol green stuff and sleep well at night.
Last edited by JohnnyC; Sep 18, 2007 at 02:38 PM.
Originally Posted by Gun5
dex cool is the worst **** ever made the only reason they use it is because the government gives them tax breaks... it eats your cooling system from the inside out
TECH Fanatic
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,135
Likes: 1
From: The 'Burgh, PA
Originally Posted by Medic/Z28
Green stuff always overheated my past rides. Hoo-ray for Dex-Cool!!!
Your past rides did not overheat because of the green stuff. There just happened to be the green stuff in there when you had fan trouble, water pump trouble, timing trouble, pully trouble, or whatever. The heat transfer coefficient of the green stuff is not something that is drastically different and would cause the car to run hotter.
Keep the green stuff changed and you will not have problems. Last edited by JohnnyC; Sep 18, 2007 at 02:50 PM.
Originally Posted by Arad
Dexcool is junk. I have seen it gunk up cooling systems so I use the green stuff.
This has been covered many times. Stick with Dex cool and change it reasonably regularly.
The source of 99% of the bad rap is that aluminum systems (like ours) don't show corrosion like red rust in green coolant, and accidentally adding standard green coolant also causes problems. Something happens (usually someone adds contaminated water, green coolant, or gets a leak) that causes corrosion, and then the Dex cool gunks up.
If your system has been compromised then you are generally better moving to a cross-compatible solution, particularly if the system has had green coolant added by accident. But if it is intact, stick with Dex.
Either use dex cool or an aluminum safe replacement. Don't use regular old standard green coolant.
The source of 99% of the bad rap is that aluminum systems (like ours) don't show corrosion like red rust in green coolant, and accidentally adding standard green coolant also causes problems. Something happens (usually someone adds contaminated water, green coolant, or gets a leak) that causes corrosion, and then the Dex cool gunks up.
If your system has been compromised then you are generally better moving to a cross-compatible solution, particularly if the system has had green coolant added by accident. But if it is intact, stick with Dex.
Either use dex cool or an aluminum safe replacement. Don't use regular old standard green coolant.