Mix Green And Orange Coolant?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 13,565
Likes: 1,351
From: Home of the VOLS ! Knoxville, TN. Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '15, '16-'17-'18-'19
the auto parts stores now ( advance auto and NAPA ), at least my local ones , no longer sell the green or the orange coolant .
They sell a new , granted it is green in color , but OEM compatible to be mixed with either color you originally have .
Worked out pretty nicely when we had to replace a overflow tank and fill it .
They sell a new , granted it is green in color , but OEM compatible to be mixed with either color you originally have .
Worked out pretty nicely when we had to replace a overflow tank and fill it .
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,826
Likes: 39
From: Central NJ
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'08-'10
Dexcool (orange) is long life (5 yr) where green is more like 1-2 yr. They are compatible, but if you mix, you lower the life span of the Dexcool. I wouldn't run either one for five years, but that's what GM claims you can. 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,128
Likes: 5
From: Chicago IL
o and I’m about to change my coolant should I flush it to with the cleaning solution and garden hose .
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: Palmdale California
When you mix dexcool and coolant, the dexcool tends to turn into a gelatin like goop that can really cause you some trouble. Use one or the other. Mixing is bad news. That's on of the reasons that I no-longer use dexcool. Dexcool is great as long you don't mix it and you don't leave it in too long.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
This topic can turn into many different answers, this is what I have experienced first hand:
I have an 01 Pontiac and an 03 GMC both with Dex-Cool both formed sludge in the overflow containers with NO mixing of other kinds and the caps were not loose either, no overheating.
Flushed both coolant systems and added Prestone coolant, yellow in color. No problems with over 70K since the change.
Will do the same for the Vette.
Just google Dec-Cool and see what you get, again this is my interpretation of what I will be using. If I were to buy another GM vehicle the coolant will be flushed and replaced before the first tank of gas runs out.
I have an 01 Pontiac and an 03 GMC both with Dex-Cool both formed sludge in the overflow containers with NO mixing of other kinds and the caps were not loose either, no overheating.
Flushed both coolant systems and added Prestone coolant, yellow in color. No problems with over 70K since the change.
Will do the same for the Vette.
Just google Dec-Cool and see what you get, again this is my interpretation of what I will be using. If I were to buy another GM vehicle the coolant will be flushed and replaced before the first tank of gas runs out.
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Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 237
Likes: 0
From: Palmdale California
I have a couple of good friends that own 2 radiator shops and they always tell me to power flush out dexcool immediately if I bought a car that has it the cooling system. If the sludge gets bad it is almost impossible to get it out. Everybody always tells me that I'm full of $hit...I'm glad that for once somebody agrees. My advice comes from millions of miles of experience....if you use Dexcool flush often.
