Dex Cool / Prestone
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton md
Dex Cool / Prestone
I was reading some threads on normal running entine temperature and noticed my engine was running hot. So I decided to flush the radiator and change the antifreeze. I refilled with a 50/50 mix of Prestone and water but the manual says to only use Dex Cool???
Am I OK with the Prestone or is this a
? It seems to run a lot cooler now 
Thanks
Am I OK with the Prestone or is this a
? It seems to run a lot cooler now Thanks
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,076
Likes: 26
From: Nevada and Florida
Originally Posted by MannyBlk00
I was reading some threads on normal running entine temperature and noticed my engine was running hot. So I decided to flush the radiator and change the antifreeze. I refilled with a 50/50 mix of Prestone and water but the manual says to only use Dex Cool???
Am I OK with the Prestone or is this a ? It seems to run a lot cooler now
Thanks
Am I OK with the Prestone or is this a
? It seems to run a lot cooler now Thanks
IMO.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton md
Originally Posted by BHP
If it is the Prestone Dexcool version (orange color), meets GM specs you are OK. Run it my car, no problems. Some folks say you have to run Texaco IMO.
IMO.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,588
Likes: 6
From: Montreal Qc
I have read that mixing the orange and the green is not good. So you have 2 choices, leave it alone and see if those who say that are right and see how much damage and greif it will cause you, or, flush out your system immediatly and VERY thoroughly and put back only Dex-Cool.
If it was me, I'd get on option #2 right away!!!
If it was me, I'd get on option #2 right away!!!
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,567
Likes: 0
From: Aurora IL
Get it flushed professionally before the green and orange turn into sludge in the cooling system and block it up. They will no mix and there is always some left unless a proper flush is done. Then refill with orange, Dexcool, like the general wants. You and your cooling system will be happy for a long time.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,945
Likes: 12
From: Vancouver
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
To be done ASAP. When your done you'll have the cleanest cooling system in town. At least you can tell yourself that and it might take the pain away. Keep us posted if anything happens. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,631
Likes: 2
From: Clever, MO aka SOMO
I just read somewhere this weekend, that we should use the Dex Cool in our alum. LS1 engines. Something about the old green stuff can cause corrosion or whatever. I always stick with factory recommendations on stuff like this.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,340
Likes: 24,779
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
As long as the Prestone says it meets DexCool standards, you should be fine. If it was the green stuff, you may want to drain and refill with the correct antifreeze.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,678
Likes: 34
From: Fayetteville GA
Originally Posted by CAPN17
Get it flushed professionally before the green and orange turn into sludge in the cooling system and block it up. They will no mix and there is always some left unless a proper flush is done. Then refill with orange, Dexcool, like the general wants. You and your cooling system will be happy for a long time.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Wheaton md
Luckily I didn't mix the green and the orange, I did a complete flush, filled with the green stuff and have only driven it a couple of times. I just got back from the parts store and got the orange one along with another thing of flush 
Weird thing is it's still over heating, it's fine when I'm driving over 30mph, but when I'm standing still or driving slow the temp guage goes up just over 220
and then falls back down. I'm thinking maybe the th-stat, hopefully not the water pump
I didn't know about the distilled water... Thanks arkindared
Weird thing is it's still over heating, it's fine when I'm driving over 30mph, but when I'm standing still or driving slow the temp guage goes up just over 220
and then falls back down. I'm thinking maybe the th-stat, hopefully not the water pump I didn't know about the distilled water... Thanks arkindared
Racer
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
From: Goose Creek SC
If you're still overheating, then the first (and simplest) thing you should do is get the front end elevated a little, so you can look up underneath, at the front part of the radiator (locate the air dam/scoop, and look up from there). This is a very common place for debris to collect. This trash can have a big effect on the cooling power of the radiator.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,820
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Get the green stuff out now if not sooner you will have damage otherwise. However, as far as I know there is no way to know whether the Prestone Orange coolant actually meets the Dexcool specs since I don't think they have been published. I have not found any specs for Dexcool anywhere I have looked. I have never really looked close enough at a Prestone container to see if Prestone actually makes a written claim that their Orange coolant matches Dexcool or just imply that it does.
Bill
Bill
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
From: McDonough GA
Originally Posted by arkindared
And distilled water.
I really wonder if this orange is all they say it is.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,661
Likes: 67
From: Ocean Springs MS
Originally Posted by MannyBlk00
Weird thing is it's still over heating, it's fine when I'm driving over 30mph, but when I'm standing still or driving slow the temp guage goes up just over 220 and then falls back down. I'm thinking maybe the th-stat, hopefully not the water pump
I didn't know about the distilled water... Thanks arkindared
and then falls back down. I'm thinking maybe the th-stat, hopefully not the water pump I didn't know about the distilled water... Thanks arkindared
