jmgtp

Anyone else notice that the good old green isn't on the shelves anymore? I remember having this problem a few years ago when I last replaced the coolant but it seems worse now. All I find stocked locally is antifreeze marketed as universal, any make, any model, dump it in its liquidy! Autozone seems to stock a store branded green ethylene glycol based antifreeze, but I'm hesitant to use that not knowing the quality. What are you using? Where are you finding it?

confab

I'm using dexcool in my 85 and I wouldn't use anything else..

I've never seen an antifreeze with its corrosion protection properties.

dmaxx3500

go buy the 1/2 and 1/2,for full price

not

TorchTarga94

I use prestone prediluted 50/50 with the "coreguard" technology lol. Not sure what that is or if it does any good, but been working well for several years now in several cars/motorcycles.

c4cruiser

I would think that the "universal" coolants available today could work in a C4 cooling system that originally had the green coolant installed. A complete flush of any old antifreeze solution should be done. That means removing the knock sensors so that any coolant in the block would drain out. Then refill the cooling system with water, start the engine and let it run until the temp hits about 180 (thermostat opens). Drain that water and repeat.

Once the water coming out looks clear, you can refill with a 50-50 mix of your choice of universal coolant. Years ago, I had always used Prestone in my cars and never had a problem with engine cooling. They have a yellow "universal" coolant that should work. Get the concentrate and some distilled water and mix the two. Would be a good idea to keep some extra coolant that is pre-mixed so you can add small amounts if necessary.

1993C4LT1

It's always available at whatever auto part stores are near me.

belairbrian

All the parts stores here have it on the shelf. But it's only $11 at Walmart, and they have it on the shelf as well.

OP where are you?

jmgtp

CT. I checked the local Walmart online to see what was in stock, didn’t see it. May go in person tomorrow. If not I’ll either use the autozone stuff or the Prestone universal since that seems to be the direction it’s all going anyway.

FAUEE

Nope. My walmart has 50/50, and concentrate. All the parts stores do too.

jmgtp

Well despite what Walmart online claimed to have - I did find conventional antifreeze on the shelf. It was their house brand, Supertech, which is probably fine but I shied away. Grabbed the Prestone with CoreGuard - it claims compatibility and I’ll give it a go. Planning on a complete flush, KS drain included.

DGXR

I see Prestone, Peak and store brand conventional green coolant everywhere. Can't see this being a problem until pre-1990s cars start getting rare.

Paul Workman

Assuming the gasket material of the SBCs is similar to that of the LT5s, DEXCOOL is not compatible with the material - the gasket disintegrate in the presents of DEXCOOL.

An article by Marc Haibeck regarding DEX and gaskets of the era used on LT5s. IDK if it holds true for the standard SBCs of the day, but for sure the old GREEN stuff safe. AND, far as the "UNIVERSAL" coolant goes - advertised as "works with any color antifreeze" refers to chemical compatibility (with preexisting antifreeze rather than that of any particular gasket. IN SHORT: To be safe, use the GREEN silicon based stuff in those engines built before DEX was introduced as standard fill in the SBCs (mid-late 1990s).

confab

I overhauled mine because of a failed head gasket, so I don't know anything about that. New water pump, radiator, heater core, and all of it. Everything has been replaced.

Good advice though, if the engine is stock.

I do know I'm happy with it and I have never seen anything like it. Tom has some really interesting pictures of vehicles running Dexcool and I have witnessed this myself when I removed the water pump from a Silverado with almost 300K on it.

There was no rust. There was no scale. There was nothing in the coolant passages but grey iron, and I've never seen that before on any vehicle, ever, prior to my experience with Dexcool.

When I got the car the passages were so rusty it seized the knock sensor, and coolant wouldn't even drain out when it was removed. It was horrible. I flushed it out, but the scale was still there. Passages were rusty. The usual.

It continues to spit rusty stuff up into the overflow now, as it works.. It is cleaning my cooling system!

It is amazing. I'm very impressed with it.

d4d4u1

Does anyone have an option about Evens Coolant? I got one of my 85's with it and am still up in the air about it.

DGXR

I have never used Evans but have heard many good things: "super expensive but worth every penny" sort of thing. Higher boiling point, lower freezing point, better rust protection, lower operating system pressure, all of that. I would definitely use it in a race car or exotic but not in my $8000 C4. I just keep up with regular maintenance and everything is good. If you decide to try Evans, let us know your experience.

d4d4u1

@DGXR Well it seems to work well so far. like I said the car came with it when I got it. the previous owner told me all about it and all its added benefits. I have since learned of the expense of Evans.

*89x2*

Finding it, no problem. But it's gotten expensive, or at least more than before.

The 50/50 premix is funny, as it's paying for 1/2 water, at how much cost? Ha!

DGXR

89x2 Exactly, that is why I always get the concentrate for just a couple bucks more. Doesn't make any sense paying almost as much for 1/2 the volume. Distilled water is dirt cheap.

cv67

Im not paying for water..have to look around and see about green coolant, NLA?
Heard we cant get VR-1 in Ca either, our gov is saving us. nevermind smog from a couple million illegals.

There is no need for coolant raising boiling point, isnt 220 hot enough?

aklim

Wrong. You are paying for the convenience. Say you are at Autozone and bought the concentrate. What now? Pour a measured amount of coolant into the radiator and do the same for water? Run in and out of the building? Or buy one gallon and pour till it is done with no mixing? OTOH, doing a full flush, I'd get concentrate. Bottom line, you are paying for CONVENIENCE.