Engine Coolant
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
The factory coolant is "junk" ??? What pea brain told you that ????
Dexcool was specially developed by GM as a coolant and is used in all GM vehicles from Chevy trucks to Cadillac sedans.
If you want to replace the coolant, Dexcool is as good as any other product. If you want something different ... try the Prestone "green" coolant .... but you might question why even Prestone makes a Dexcool product ....
http://www.prestone.com/products/ant...freezeCoolant2
Dexcool was specially developed by GM as a coolant and is used in all GM vehicles from Chevy trucks to Cadillac sedans.
If you want to replace the coolant, Dexcool is as good as any other product. If you want something different ... try the Prestone "green" coolant .... but you might question why even Prestone makes a Dexcool product ....
http://www.prestone.com/products/ant...freezeCoolant2
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 220
Likes: 8
From: A little place called Macungie PA
It's not junk, however it does react differently than the "green stuff" when mixed with contaminated or hard water from the tap. Mix it with distilled water and you should be fine, or just buy the 50/50 premix stuff.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
That engine builder is full of $%it!!!!
Take it from one who has inspected aluminum internals and radiators using it. It was developed specifically for aluminum. Maybe he should read the two papers that were written to doument the problems he has seen on the internet, bottom line is "Low Coolant".
Take it from one who has inspected aluminum internals and radiators using it. It was developed specifically for aluminum. Maybe he should read the two papers that were written to doument the problems he has seen on the internet, bottom line is "Low Coolant".
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
Dexcool is an excellant coolant. Early problems were due to air in system from cheap (leaking) GM gaskets. Dexcool turns muddy and thick if air is in the system.
I have 112,000 miles and 2 coolant changes on my 1998, and coolant always looked like new.
I have 112,000 miles and 2 coolant changes on my 1998, and coolant always looked like new.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,933
Likes: 30
From: San Rafael CA
There have been numerous lawsuits about Dexcool, most of which have failed to prove anything. One California court (California courts are notorious for stupid decisions .... remember OJ ????) recently "decided" that Dexcool affected certain gaskets in certain GM vehicles ...
http://www.girardgibbs.com/dexcool.html
Note the Corvette (and most other GM vehicles) are not part of the lawsuit.
Most Dexcool lawsuits have gone nowhere ....
http://www.cwcd.com/dexcool.php
because there is a huge lack of "evidence" to show that Dexcool is any worse than any other coolant, or that GM used Dexcool because they had some "evil" intention ......
Only idiots believe the Dexcool "conspiracy" theories that GM intentionally developed a coolant to screw up engines.
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Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 243
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Dex-Cool and distilled water for me too. No cooling system problems at 149K miles. I do agree with keeping the system full. 
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 40,995
Likes: 9,759
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
I use Dex Cool with tap water in my 3 GM cars. GM says tap water is fine. Its nice to get 5 years of use out of a coolant. My wife's Saturn is close to its second flush and fill of DexCool. It is 9.5 years old now.
Bill
Bill
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,458
Likes: 105
From: Northville Michigan
If your Corvette is a long-term affair, you might want to consider Evans Cooling's NPG+ waterless, lifetime coolant - www.evanscooling.com/index2.html.
I have had it in my Z06 for close to 6 years with zero problems. It never needs to be replaced.
I have had it in my Z06 for close to 6 years with zero problems. It never needs to be replaced.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 330
Likes: 33
From: Milwaukee WI
The Prestone yellow "all brand" coolant works well also. I actually called Prestone and asked what was the difference between dex cool and the yellow stuff, and they said pretty much just the color. Which should I use? Either. A GM dealership also told me they used the yellow stuff on everything.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 1
From: Newcastle OK
Dexcool was a notorious headache for a lot of GM owners back in the 90's in gen I and II small blocks due to the incompatible (read: cheap 
) gaskets that were used in the intake manifolds. All the Gen III's and gen IV's do not run coolant through the intake, so this is no longer a problem. 
) gaskets that were used in the intake manifolds. All the Gen III's and gen IV's do not run coolant through the intake, so this is no longer a problem.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 274
Likes: 0
From: tarentum pa
if you can use multimeter test the antifreeze first. put the black lead to negative at the battery and put the red lead into the coolant, you should see a .2 volt reading or less. if more than .2volts, change it.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
what do you mean...low coolant??
this is why I started this question
my low coolant warning came on.
just low or is there trouble?
the car has 30,000 miles but it is 9 years old
I dont know if it has ever been changed but this weekend it will
thanks for the info
Len B
this is why I started this question
my low coolant warning came on.
just low or is there trouble?
the car has 30,000 miles but it is 9 years old
I dont know if it has ever been changed but this weekend it will
thanks for the info
Len B
