Dex-Cool or not
Race Director
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 15,759
Likes: 3,277
From: Phoenix area, AZ
Why take any chance at all with your Corvette?
Remember, it's YOUR CORVETTE. Use what you're supposed to and you won't have anything coming back to bite you in the a$$ later on. The engine is designed to use Dex-Cool so why use anything else?
Remember, it's YOUR CORVETTE. Use what you're supposed to and you won't have anything coming back to bite you in the a$$ later on. The engine is designed to use Dex-Cool so why use anything else?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 14
From: Odessa TX
The main complaint I see with dex-cool is that a precipitate will form over time and you'll have this slime in your coolant. As long as you top off with more dexcool and/or distilled water, and service it at the recommended intervals, this shouldn't be an issue.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Dex-Coolant ?
Dex-cool is an excellent chemically constructed fluid for an automobiles coolant system. It does exactly what it is intended for, but it is vital that the cooling system doesn't leak, have any air in it and the other parts are operating OK. But it's life is absolutely five years and if you change it on the five year timetable you'll have excellent life out of it. I would not put in green "Ethylene Glycol" in your car. It isn't designed for any of the LS engines including the LS4,5,6 all of them take Dex-cool and if for no other reason, the EPA mandated it's used as it isn't so damaging to the environment. Your Corvette calls for Dex-cool and that's what you should use. It costs me about $65.00 to have my system empty and flushed, then refill with Dex-cool. I take my 2003 to a cooling system only shop and they power flush the system and then do the re-fill. Cheap insurance for a great running engine.
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I went with what the manufacturer recommended when I changed out my coolant - Dex Cool. So far it has done the job for me so I see no need to change.
Race Director
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 15,759
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From: Phoenix area, AZ
If someone were to switch for whatever reason, flushing and draining the ENTIRE system is an absolute must unless he or she wanted to turn the cooling system into an acid bath that would eat all of the gaskets and cooling parts it touches. I found this out the hard way after some bloody idiot put green coolant into my 2003 Monte Carlo. The entire cooling system including the radiator, thermostat, water pump, and hoses, as well as the intake manifold gasket, all had to be replaced. I was just lucky that the car was still under warranty and that it happened during a GM inspection. Why anyone working in a GM shop would do that I still don't know, but it was extremely expensive.
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,862
Likes: 594
From: Prescott, Arizona
I agree with the comments by others and would add:
Coolant can become acidic because small amounts of CO2 from combustion products seep past headgaskets, a molecule at a time. CO2 in water forms carbonic acid. The acid is neutralized by the chemistry of the Dexcool as noted above, but the ability of the coolant to neutralize the acid is limited, you still need to change coolant periodically for that reason.
In the LS 1 at least, a coolant change only removes about half the coolant if only the radiator is drained, perhaps 3/4 if the water pump is also removed. For these reasons, I use a three year change interval on my GM cars with Dexcool. I also periodically check the additive package condition in the coolant with coolant test strips from accustrip.com.
So far, I have 12 years on the Buick with Dexcool. The last time I changed coolant on that car, a look at the cylinder water jacket through the front block drain plug hole revealed what appears to be clean cast iron. Same on the Corvette (only 11 years), looking through the water pump passages in the heads, clean aluminum.
Coolant can become acidic because small amounts of CO2 from combustion products seep past headgaskets, a molecule at a time. CO2 in water forms carbonic acid. The acid is neutralized by the chemistry of the Dexcool as noted above, but the ability of the coolant to neutralize the acid is limited, you still need to change coolant periodically for that reason.
In the LS 1 at least, a coolant change only removes about half the coolant if only the radiator is drained, perhaps 3/4 if the water pump is also removed. For these reasons, I use a three year change interval on my GM cars with Dexcool. I also periodically check the additive package condition in the coolant with coolant test strips from accustrip.com.
So far, I have 12 years on the Buick with Dexcool. The last time I changed coolant on that car, a look at the cylinder water jacket through the front block drain plug hole revealed what appears to be clean cast iron. Same on the Corvette (only 11 years), looking through the water pump passages in the heads, clean aluminum.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 190
From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
When I changed out my rad, and surge tank I flushed the motor completely and went with a standard 50/50 mix of regular coolant. There was some sludge build up in my surge tank perhaps from the previous owner not properly servicing the cooling system. Like others have said, regular maintenance is the key. On another note there were problems with some of the 3.1 v6 engines having issues with Dexcool, and a class action law suit was filed by owners. This may have been contributed to head gasket issues though. Thought I would throw this in, in case you stumble across any articles online.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Coolant mishaps & lawsuits
When I changed out my rad, and surge tank I flushed the motor completely and went with a standard 50/50 mix of regular coolant. There was some sludge build up in my surge tank perhaps from the previous owner not properly servicing the cooling system. Like others have said, regular maintenance is the key. On another note there were problems with some of the 3.1 v6 engines having issues with Dexcool, and a class action law suit was filed by owners. This may have been contributed to head gasket issues though. Thought I would throw this in, in case you stumble across any articles online.
Your 100% right, but the 3.1 engines had Plastic & rubber head gaskets, Yeah I know ???? hope he or she isn't with the company anymore. And the problem with the 4.3 V6 had to due to another intake gasket condition, both of them are going through the courts. But DexCool wasn't at the center of the problem. There is only one problem with DexCool (and it's not really a problem rather than a built in reaction) and it is what the chemical was designed to do. Which is if the coolant is exposed to air, it starts to break down, and you wind up with sludge. in your overflow tank. It was designed that way so if in an accident, and the coolant is leaking out of the vehicles, the environment isn't harmed. I have the drain and flush done and the next morning I check to see it the pinkish coolant is at the COLD mark, and if it is OK, I never open the overflow tank so that the interaction of DexCool and Air don't get too close or at least is kept at a minimum.
And if your not all that happy with the five year swap out of Dexcool, there is www.evanscooling.com/products/coolants Now this is a company that make permanent coolant. I never used the stuff, but I assume it must work for the company is still in business.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
St. Jude Donor '13
I flushed everything completely then installed one of the two choices listed in my owners manual. Green Prestone.
Love the Cuda's too!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 194
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From: Norman Ok
I don't use dexcool in anything, but I have an auto repair shop, and I flush the system PROPERLY and refill with Peak Global (universal). Been doing it for over 15 years no, and never had an issue.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: DeBary Florida
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: CT
Race Director
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Water additives ?
I'm not too knowledgeable when it comes to coolants, other than what I read, there's the pink and the green. I only have two GM's vehicles and I do whatever the owners manual says it's something to do. But I never knew what the heck 'Water-Wetter' does. It'd be great if someone can explain it to me please ? Thank you !
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,197
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From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
^^^
Redline water wetter is basically an additive to help reduce temperatures. It doesn't really do to much when mixed with coolant actually, it's meant to work with water only. It was developed for racers. For example when I track my motorcycle we have to run water only, as coolant contains propylene glycol. Notice the texture when you touch coolant it feels slippery? That's the propylene glycol. So mixing water with water wetter allows the motor to run as if it had coolant, but if someone crashes the track doesn't get affected. Royal purple makes an additive that works with coolant to reduce temps by 10 - 15 degrees.
Redline water wetter is basically an additive to help reduce temperatures. It doesn't really do to much when mixed with coolant actually, it's meant to work with water only. It was developed for racers. For example when I track my motorcycle we have to run water only, as coolant contains propylene glycol. Notice the texture when you touch coolant it feels slippery? That's the propylene glycol. So mixing water with water wetter allows the motor to run as if it had coolant, but if someone crashes the track doesn't get affected. Royal purple makes an additive that works with coolant to reduce temps by 10 - 15 degrees.
Race Director
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From: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks , State Of Confusion
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
I use DexCool in all 4 of my cars, C5, WS6, Tahoe and 72 Camaro, One thing you don't want to do is mix antifreeze and always add distilled water, Not tap water or you will have a sluge mess.
I added RP water wetter and it didn't do a thing....
Mr.Bill
I added RP water wetter and it didn't do a thing....
Mr.Bill
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: ALL governments are legalized mobsters, so doesn't matter where I live :(
^^^
Good to know about the RP stuff, i guess the label should read "claimed". I know water wetter works as it should when used correctly.
Good to know about the RP stuff, i guess the label should read "claimed". I know water wetter works as it should when used correctly.
Last edited by STALION; Jun 5, 2012 at 10:34 PM.