dex-cool rusty colored sludge
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
dex-cool rusty colored sludge
I made it home last night with my coolant light on and the check gauges light on. I started and stopped and let it cool like 6times and made it home. I noticed that there was that rusty colored sludge in the recovery bottle. Please help. I am having it towed to a good GMAC dealer here in dallas and getting a flush, but has anyone had the same prob. and if so, is it a costly problem. And, Should I switch to normal 'regular' anti-freeze. any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,287
Likes: 7
From: n/a SC
Originally Posted by Timmy!
I had that problem and then did a good flush and it was fine. Then it came back - no idea what causes it.
my 95 has the green and was just curious.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 17,066
Likes: 3
From: Milpitas ca
Originally Posted by dallasredvette
my '96 did come with the orange(at least at some point) coolant. heard some bad things about this type.
I wouldn't mix the two types of coolant.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
There is a class action suite underfoot, http://www.girardgibbs.com/dexcool.html
GM and Chevron will likely be sued for the engine damage from Dexcool usage. Probably your GM dealer will do the flush and refuse to put anything other than Dexcool back in your cooling system. My recommendation is to have it flushed and put Prestone green stuff in your cooling system. There are many many customers with complaints even worse than yours about Dexcool sludging up and rusting their cooling systems.
GM and Chevron will likely be sued for the engine damage from Dexcool usage. Probably your GM dealer will do the flush and refuse to put anything other than Dexcool back in your cooling system. My recommendation is to have it flushed and put Prestone green stuff in your cooling system. There are many many customers with complaints even worse than yours about Dexcool sludging up and rusting their cooling systems.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Just make sure you do a VERY thorough flush, including pulling the block drain plugs. There is more danger in mixing the two types of antifreeze, than using the wrong one. Part of your current problem may have come from mixing. Either by a former owner, or by unaware service personnel, you hired. If you drain, flush, and renew the coolant every two years, everything it comes in contact will have a much longer life.RACE ON!!!
Last edited by CFI-EFI; Sep 5, 2004 at 05:59 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 6,595
Likes: 1
From: Thornton CO
Originally Posted by wildman378
Hey just wondering...did your 95 come from the factory with the orange dexcool or the green stuff?
my 95 has the green and was just curious.
my 95 has the green and was just curious.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,490
Likes: 68
From: Hewitt NJ
Originally Posted by Timmy!
My '95 came with the orange stuff - or at least that's what was in there when I bought it 5 years ago.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 3,418
Likes: 1
From: NW Chicago Suburbs
Originally Posted by Timmy!
I had that problem and then did a good flush and it was fine. Then it came back - no idea what causes it.
Eric
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 88,393
Likes: 2
From: eville in
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
Just make sure you do a VERY thorough flush, including pulling the block drain plugs. There is more danger in mixing the two types of antifreeze, than using the wrong one. Part of your current problem may have come from mixing. Either by a former owner, or by unaware service personnel, you hired. If you drain, flush, and renew the coolant every two years, everything it comes in contact will have a much longer life.RACE ON!!!
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 240
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis MO
Originally Posted by comp
He's got it dead on
I've seen it done many of times, and it turns into almost like mud. Brown gooey and very nasty. Just have a thorough flush performed and replace with Dex-Cool.
Somewhere I read that the Dex-Cool was supposed to be easier on aluminum parts than the regular anti-freeze. I've only seen bad results with DexCool and I'm thankful my baby doesn't have it. Best of luck with your car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,287
Likes: 7
From: n/a SC
Originally Posted by Timmy!
My '95 came with the orange stuff - or at least that's what was in there when I bought it 5 years ago.
just wanting to see about when they started using the dex.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,947
Likes: 0
From: North Aurora Il
I wouldn't have a dealer do the flush. There's no telling what they will put in it. I'll bet they don't use distilled water either.
It's a several hour job. Open radiator surge tank, radiator drain ****, and take out both knock sensors (they are on the bottom of the block in the middle). Flush with distilled water when everything is open. You can also blow some more coolant out by putting a shopvac blower to the surge tank. Close radiator and block, Fill up with distilled, warm engine up, run heater. Let cool, drain again and fill with 50/50 ditilled/dexcool.
It's a several hour job. Open radiator surge tank, radiator drain ****, and take out both knock sensors (they are on the bottom of the block in the middle). Flush with distilled water when everything is open. You can also blow some more coolant out by putting a shopvac blower to the surge tank. Close radiator and block, Fill up with distilled, warm engine up, run heater. Let cool, drain again and fill with 50/50 ditilled/dexcool.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
another thing
I forgot to mention that the recovery tank was leaking coolant just as fast as I put it in. So I figure, (I havent' checked, cuz I've been gone all day) that there is a hole or something under the tank. Also, could i go to a good qwick lube or one of those and get it flushed, and then replace the tank? where would I buy the dex-cool?
Racer
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 429
Likes: 0
From: Plains Ga.
DexCool?
After working on several GM vehicles that had DexCool in them, I would highly recomend changing to the "green" antifreeze. This has shown to be a problem with the Vortec engines dealing with the intake manifold gaskets (they are plastic & rubber). A good flush is a must!
Safety Car
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,010
Likes: 26
From: Somewhere nowhere
the key issue is MAINTENANCE. if you maintain your cars, they won't develope sludge.
the 5 year dex claim is extreme, but my 96 was never maintained when I brought it in 2001. It was fine, but I flushed it anyway.
the 5 year dex claim is extreme, but my 96 was never maintained when I brought it in 2001. It was fine, but I flushed it anyway.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 589
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
I flushed my system back in Feb while changing the water pump. There was green in it that I know was fresh from last Sept. I put green back in and I have rusty sludge in the overflow reservoir. Looks like I will be flushing it again soon.