Dex-Cool or Death Cool ???????
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,840
Likes: 301
From: Bonita CA
Dex-Cool or Death Cool ???????
I was wondering if any of you are having problems with Dex-Cool. GM has a bulletin on it and I see there are several lawsuits out there alledging that the stuff forms a crystal residue that blocks cooling passages. I think the problem gets much worse if you ever let your system get low and introduce oxygen. Other manufactures will void your warranty if you ever use Dex-Cool. GM has been the only manufacturer that stood behind it. I have had machinists, mechanics and radiator people tell me to get rid of it. To be safe, I recently changed over to Prestone's new yellow bottle formula which mixes with ALL types and colors of antifreeze, even Death-Cool.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
I've been meaning to ask how long most members wait before having theirs flushed. I've been watching posts here in this forum since 2000 and to be honest, have not seen many complaints regarding the antifreeze. I believe the owner's manual calls for 5 year flushes?
Resident moron
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 4,746
Likes: 20
From: Assachusetts
I always hear some people complaining about it, but I've never seen any proof.
Used properly it's great. I have 81k miles on my 98 daily driver and the coolant has never been touched, looks fine. I've had it in my last 3 cars in fact, never a problem.
I'm also pretty sure every manufacturer uses some variant of it, no one uses the old 'green' stuff in the last 10 years or so.
Dope
Used properly it's great. I have 81k miles on my 98 daily driver and the coolant has never been touched, looks fine. I've had it in my last 3 cars in fact, never a problem.
I'm also pretty sure every manufacturer uses some variant of it, no one uses the old 'green' stuff in the last 10 years or so.
Dope
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
This problem has been around a while. It was found to be low coolant and some mitigating circumstances. I actually switched all my cars from Prestone to Dexcool because I was so impressed with its characteristics. Have been using in all my cars for several years, absolutely no problems. I even went into my block and radiator with a boroscope, cleaner than any Prestone engine I have seen. Stick with the Dexcool, just keep it full and maintained.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I use Dex-Cool and distilled water (only) and I am now at 106K miles. I changed and flushed at about 60K so I am on my second batch. No problems whatsoever.
Robert
Robert
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
I drained mine at 5 years, it was very clean. I switched to dex-cool in all my vehicles, no problem.
I know if you have a leak and air gets into system, it can be a problem. But then a leak is also a problem.
I know if you have a leak and air gets into system, it can be a problem. But then a leak is also a problem.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,225
Likes: 0
From: Currently living in and loving... Chico, CA
I read somewhere (maybe it could have been on the actual bottle 
) that a 50/50 Dexcool mix has better heat exchange properties than a 50/50 green stuff mix. If so, putting a green stuff mix into a cooling system sized for Dexcool heat exchange properties may cause the motor to run hotter than usual and be more prone to overheating.
When I replaced the factory fill green stuff mix with a 50/50 Dexcool mix in my '95 Caprice, the motor ran cooler. Just my $0.02, folks.
) that a 50/50 Dexcool mix has better heat exchange properties than a 50/50 green stuff mix. If so, putting a green stuff mix into a cooling system sized for Dexcool heat exchange properties may cause the motor to run hotter than usual and be more prone to overheating.When I replaced the factory fill green stuff mix with a 50/50 Dexcool mix in my '95 Caprice, the motor ran cooler. Just my $0.02, folks.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,037
Likes: 9,800
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I wouldn't switch. GM specifically tells you in the owners manual that you are supposed to use DexCool by trademark not by a specification number. That means DexCool by Texaco not anybody else's orange fluid when replacing the coolant. This is key since they don't have any interest in what you do to the car after the warranty runs out but have clearly taken an interest in this case. They have been sticking by this product for many years now and if it was causing as many problems as opiniated mechanics think it would have been ditched. I've had 5 vehicles with DexCool in the radiator and have never seen a problem with any of them. Any A''hole can file a lawsuit and even win by being a nuisance. Doesn't make them right and GM wrong.
Bill
Bill
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
I wouldn't switch. GM specifically tells you in the owners manual that you are supposed to use DexCool by trademark not by a specification number. That means DexCool by Texaco not anybody else's orange fluid when replacing the coolant. This is key since they don't have any interest in what you do to the car after the warranty runs out but have clearly taken an interest in this case. They have been sticking by this product for many years now and if it was causing as many problems as opiniated mechanics think it would have been ditched. I've had 5 vehicles with DexCool in the radiator and have never seen a problem with any of them. Any A''hole can file a lawsuit and even win by being a nuisance. Doesn't make them right and GM wrong.
Bill
Bill
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 31
From: Richmond Texas
We've had dexcool in our last 3 chevy's and in my vette. The other 3 have gone to at least 80k miles (one went ove 100k on the original fluid) and we never had a problem with overheating or anything coolant related. It was always nice and orange. I'm not worried about the coolant in my car. GM says it's good for at least 5 years so I'm gonna trust them. Sometimes it's just not worth trying to create a better a mouse trap.
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 397
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From: Modesto Ca
Originally Posted by my6thvette
Drained mine last year, after 5 years, and it looked absolutely perfect. No residue at all. 
...Same here. It did have a bit of a burned odor to it for lack of a better term but then it was 5 years old. It flowed right out nice and still orange. I flushed the system many times (5x) with distilled water. I ran it to temp, let the thermostat open and gunned the engine to flush out the block each time. The clearest I could get the water at the final drain was a very light pinkish color. Then with a full block of distilled water added 6.5 qts of Dex-Cool (from the dealer) and Water Wetter, topped off with a little more distilled water. I have a stock thermo and my temps in traffic never reach 220 in hot weather and run 190 as soon as I move.
Racer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 397
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From: Modesto Ca
Originally Posted by Sandra Bigwoode
So what about all the people with C5's that have less than 3,000 miles on them and more than 5 years?
Should they be driven more or just parked and left to rot?
Should they be driven more or just parked and left to rot?
The instructions are right here in the forums. All you need are Rhino Ramps, Dex-Cool (from the dealer), plenty of distilled water and a few tools. Depending on what year you have the radiator petcock may be a different color, mine is green ('99 MN6). Just becareful not to twist too far. Took about 2 hours.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,347
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From: Slidell La
Originally Posted by my6thvette
Drained mine last year, after 5 years, and it looked absolutely perfect. No residue at all.
60K and 5 years
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,613
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From: Spring Tx
Dozens of lawyers spent tens of thousands of dollars trying make a class action suit out of this so called problem, and I know for a fact that their cases were thrown out of court in California and Ohio
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,225
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From: Currently living in and loving... Chico, CA
Just changed the original Dexcool in my wife's '00 Denali 5.7 cast iron with a hair under 33,000 on it this morning, and all came out clear. The vehicle will be 5 years old in August with a build month of July. I think that speaks for itself.