Coolant

[Supreme Cutlass]

Can putting GM dexcool inside my 3.1L (vin T) engine/cooling system harm it? If so I'd really like to know SPECIFICALLY how so..

[19Cutlass94]

I just use prestone antifreeze (coolant) with a 50/50 mix. I dont see why puttin that in would hurt it. We have that kinda stuff up at work and people will put it in anything.

[Supreme Cutlass]

The whole "five year lifespan" sounds good to me

[19Cutlass94]

yeah if I remember correctly, I flush the coolant every it was either every 5 yrs or 50,xxx, lol I cant remember which one

[THe_DeTAiL3R]

Older vehicle is gonna have at least some green sludge in it that you're not gonna be able to flush out. Not saying you can't put Dexcool in it, but I doubt it would last 5yrs before getting a little gross. I would just stick to Prestone, use de-ionized water (they sell it next to the coolant at Canadian Tire) and change every 2 years. Flush the hell out of it and you should be fine for a long time.

[Supreme Cutlass]

I'm gonna put in a flushing tee... that should help

[1990lumina]

You have to do a complete system flush, because if you mix dex-cool and regular green style together, I believe it is the dex-cool loss it's anti-corrosion properties, and don't last very long at all.

 

So do a complete flush first if you want to use that stuff.

 

There was also something about the gaskets shrinking...but I don't remember which style of anti-freeze shrinks them...

[Robby1870]

why would anyone want dexcool? Ive seen nothing buy corrosion and goo come from that crap. Green shit all the way.

[19Cutlass94]

you have to mix coolant with distilled water to avoid most of the green sludge shit that everyone hates.

[Robby1870]

Like Im gonna buy distilled water to throw in a cooling system. I swear by the green stuff, never had any problems with it, ever, no cloggin, gooing up, etc.

[19Cutlass94]

You buy distilled water for only reason of it will prevent mineral build up in the block and radiator because distilled water has no minerals ie calcium in it.

[Brian P]

yeah 5 years bullshit. My sister's '02 GP is 3 yrs old and about 50k and there was a shit load of sludge at the filler neck. Dexcool no more, that's for sure. I have her running on "all makes all models" coolant until I get the time to flush it and convert it to green coolant.

 

BTW try not letting all that coolant dump onto the ground.

[Supreme Cutlass]

Yeah, I'm reading some dexcool-woes...I guess it's going back to wallymart...doesn't look worth the lie...

[3pt1lumina]

I was told that Dex-cool eats gaskets? I'm not sure if that is true but I took all the Dexcool out of my dad's 97 Lumina and my 01 Malibu (both 3100's).

 

 

Yay for green antifreeze.

[mihela816]

I have a 5 gallon bucket of brown sludge from my rommmates car to prove that dex-cool can't be mixed with regular antifreeze. I've also heard that Dex-cool accelerates corrosion in bimetal engines.

[GnatGoSplat]

The Dex-cool in my truck is clean as it can be.

I also did a complete flush and filled the 88 and 89 Cutlasses with Dex-cool about 6yrs ago and they're still clean as can be. No discoloration, no sludge, still looks brand new. I haven't changed/flushed them out yet, time sort of got away from me. :shock:

 

Anyway, I've had no probs with Dex-cool whatsoever. I've always filled with distilled water. It's like what, 40-cents per gallon? It didn't break the bank to fill with distilled even when I was unemployed. :read:

I don't know what I've done right or what the rest of the world has done wrong, but Dex-cool is good stuff in my book.

 

This is what Prestone green and tap water did for me:

Bigger pic

[LukeZ34]

Jess's car had Dexcool in it when we bought it. I promptly flushed that shit out of there.

No way in hell am I risking sludging up a 3 core radiator.

[Canada]

Use what is supposed to be in the car....its that simple.

[Heza]

I'm with GnatGoSplat, i use DEXCOOL with distilled water ($0.80/gallon) and have no problems whatsoever. no sludge, still bright orange.