Hey guys it's time to replace the coolant in my car and I currently have Dexcool. I went to a shop that I usually go to and both the master tech's said "get rid of that dexcool and replace with the green stuff because it eats up your gaskets and causes a whole lot of problems" One of the guys has also been a GM tech for at least two decades. I searched the forum but did not find a definite answer as far as pros or cons. They will do the work and completely flush the system and I have had them work on my cars and they have done a great job always. I want you're input should I or should I not or anyone running on the green stuff?

Thanks

 

Use Dexcool with a 50/50 mixture. Dexcool is the correct coolant for the C6.

 

Those problems existed in the 90's. Everything in the C6 engine and cooling system is fully compatiable with Dexcool and Dexcool is the recommened coolent.

 

Aso use distilled water when you mix the 50/50 mix, and top it off with distilled water if needed.

 

I've often wondered if the factory uses distilled water, or do they just turn on the tap?

 

My 2006 owner's manual says to replace the coolant every 150K miles or every 5 years, whichever comes first.

 

And five years is only a few more months for me. I'm sticking with Dexcool.

 

Being in southern Ca you really don't need a 50/50 mix, a 1/3 coolant will suffice. The green stuff will work fine, just make sure it's of the low silicon variety, and therein lies the catch 22.

 

I''ve used Dexcool exclusively in my '97 as well as my '06 and have had absolutely no issues with it. You can buy it pre-mixed, 50/50, with de-ionized water, which makes it very easy to use. Whatever you do, do NOT mix Dexcool (orange) with the green stuff.

 

The green stuff WILL have to be replaced in 3/36,000, at least.

And, if you ever put green stuff in the rad, you cannot go back to Dexcool and get it's 100,000 mile effect. The green stuff leaves a residual that conflicts with DExcool's extended service additives, and knocks them down.

 

I would stick with dexcool but there is green that will mix just fine now.


make sure you burp her...

 

Thanks for all your input guys. I'm on the 5 year mark so it's time. Other than the fact that I can't switch back to dexcool after the green stuff any other cons you guys can think of if I were to go green?

 

Yes the Master corvette mechanic advised me (2005 w/ 56k mi and soon to change the antifreeze) to stay with dexcool for two reasons: 1 the previous problems of corrosion were cured and only applied to early 90's equipment and 2 you can never get all the dexcool out of the system and you do not want to mix the green and orange in any ratio.
I am going to use the Prestone dexcool coolant. Probably change it in december.
Does anyone know how to clean the expansion reservoir?
If you would please let me know how it turns out and any tricks to the procedure you use?

Thanks

Mike

 

I believe the manual states, "clean, drinkable water". I'm thinking of using an expensive bottled water. Nothing is too good for my Z.

 

I haven't done it yet, but if you put small ice cubes in it and shake, it will get the crud out.

 

Dexcool actually has the ability to protect your all aluminum engine better than the green stuff. I can't believe any GM Tech that has kept up with developments would even tell you that. I usually tell people who say their mechanic recommended the green stuff to very quickly severe all relationships with that shop. It also lasts at twice as long. No matter where you live the green stuff has to be changed every two years. I and my family have been driving GM vehicles with Dexcool in them since 97. One of the cars was an 96 Olds 3800 V6 (supposedly one of the engines that had gasket problems). Changed the coolant at 5 years and again in 2008 (a little over). Both times the coolant looked the day it was put in the car. The car is now with a different family member and still going strong with Dexcool. My 97 C5 went 5 years on its Dexcool, the 03Z went 5 years, my wife's 99 Saturn is now on its 3rd fill of Dexcool, my 03 Tahoev is on its second fill and I only kept my 99 Tahoe 4 years so didn't change its coolant. My daughter's 02 Olds Intrigue went 6 years before its coolant was changed. I just had to replace the coolant reservoir due to a leak and the year old coolant still looked good. No cooling problems with any of those cars except the leaking reservoir which was a problem where the drain hose connected.

However, I also have plenty of years experience with the green stuff and I can tell you that with most cast iron engines it ends up looking like Dexcool in about two years. Not a good thing since that red color is rust. In cars that went 4 years on a load of the green stuff I have seen it come out of the cooling system so thick it looked like syrup.

Bill

 

Not a good idea. Antifreeze is not only for keeping your coolant from freezing, but also has corrosion inhibitors. Those would be diluted with a 1/3 mixture.

Michael

 

its not as easy as open the radiator pecock and draining. you need to really flush the entire system out with water. In the shop we had a machine but if your at home i would just drain the radiator and take the lower hose off the engine and drain it as much as you can. Put it all back together fill the tank with water only let it come to operating temp. and drain again taking notice to how what comes out looks. Do this as many times as you need until its only water. Then drian again and fill with 50/50 mix adding an extra half gallon of antifreeze to make up for any water that is in the block etc... This should get you real close to exact 50/50. Test it with a gauge for strength and make sure you get "ALL" the air out of the system and you are good to go.

 

Thanks for the tip.
I was thinking aboutdoing exactly that, since I use the same procedure to clean the black tank in my travel trailer.

Mike

 

That's why I was thinking of using my local oil change place. They have a machine that sucks all/ most of it out and then replaces it. Isn't that what the dealerships use?