I would like to get away from the GM Dexcool coolant in my car for a variety of reasons, mainly all the problems it has caused in other cars over the years.

Anyway, I'm searching around for a good coolant and I'd like to hear what other kinds folks are using, and why. I'd like to get away from any coolant that uses the rubber and nylon eating 2-EHA (2-ethylhexanoic acid) in it like DexCool does.

Thoughts, opinions, suggestions?

 

One comment is that Dex Cool does not mix well with other coolants.
So a detailed flush (Heads/ Block/ lines/ etc) would be called for.

Why not keep the Dex Cool and change it every year? Cost?

Other than green coolant - for sure Merc Benz uses a "special" long life coolant.

 

I don't like the 2-EHA additive in DexCool that eats rubber and nylon and would like to use a coolant that doesn't do that.

I have read that you can indeed mix other coolants with DexCool, but you just have to change it more often if you do since it degrades the life of the coolant. But the reports that DexCool will gel or form deposits if mixed with other types is (according to GM and Texaco) not true, and it will mix just fine.

But I don't mind doing a couple flush cycles to get it all out, but first I need to decide what I want to use. I've looked at Peak and Zerex and Prestone and I'm trying to decide what I want to switch to.

 

In looking at the info on Peaks website, they say that their Global Lifetime Coolant does not contain 2-EHA and it also meets the GM DexCool spec. So I'm leaning toward using this.

http://www.peakauto.com/antifreeze-p...lifetime.shtml

 

You should look into the Dexcool situation a little more before making the switch. I haven't found any problems with Dexcool and I have had it my cars since 1997. I have had or my family has had it in 10 GM vehicles since 96. None of them had any cooling system problems and all but 4 went more than 5 years using Dexcool. The 99 Tahoe was only 4.5 years old when we sold it but the coolant in the reservoir looked new. My wife's 99 Saturn was at the end of its second 5 year period using the coolant when we sold it. My 97 and 03 Vettes had their coolant change at 5 years and my 03 Tahoe is at 8 years using Dexcool. My daughter's 02 Olds went 7 years before I finally convinced her to change the coolant. The two 08s and one 09 in the family haven't got enough years on them yet to change the coolant. On all the vehicles I have changed the coolant it always looked brand new when drained, even, after 7 years on the Olds. The coolant never ate the rubber and I haven't changed a cooling system hose on a car since Dexcool was introduced. There are many other owner's that have had the same experience as me. Don't listen to all the lawsuit stuff because that is just a bunch of lawyers bending the truth to to justify collecting a bunch of money.

Dexcool is a geat coolant compared to the old green coolant that I used to change every two years and that always looked dirty when it came time to change it.

If you switch to the green stuff you will be back to draining the coolant every two years and you will not have all of the engine protectants that Dexcool has.

Bill

 

I'm not considering switching to the old type coolant. There are several new coolants on the market that are long-life coolants (5 year - 100K miles) that don't contain the 2-EHA acid in them that is known to eat nylon. Personally, I don't want it in my car, and I feel there are better alternatives out there.

I didn't want to turn this thread into an argument over DexCool. I'm really just looking for feedback on other good alternatives. So far it looks like the new Peak Extended life and Global Life coolants are about the best option I can find.

 

You could use soluble oil & water. Dromus B comes to mind. (Add a little clorox to minimize "growth.")

or,

Water wetter and water only.

or,

Isopropyl alcohol & water (Kind of a fire hazard tho..)

 

FredH Bill Dearborn is correct about the use of Dexcool in your car. The cooling system in your Corvette to include the component materials are compatable with 2-EHA acid. If you are convinced that changing to Peak coolant is what you want to do, make sure that you follow their drain and flush instructions to the letter and document the fact in case you have a problem in the future. Good luck.

 

I did a power flush on my 07 LS2 last spring; radiator, block, heads and heater. I put in one gallon of Zerex DexCool, I quart of Red Line Water Wetter and AC Delco water pump lubricant, and the rest water. I'm protected to a about 10 degrees, a temp I'll never see here and the car runs a bunch cooler.

 

Not only are you short on freeze protection, you are short on boil over protection and the proper concentration of corrosion protection with one gallon of Dex in a 12.5 quart system.

 

I am curious as to what issues you have seen previously. Working at a GM dealer for 10 years and not seeing any issues on the thousands of vehicles serviced in here, I would be all ears.

 

4 Qts of anti-freeze is about 65% of the of the factory mix and takes the freezing point to about 0 degrees. Freezing is not a weather condition of concern for me. Summer temps in the mid 90's and several trips to the strip in the summer never saw temps over 202, even in staging. As far as corrosion is concerned, the AC Delco lubricant deals with the corrosion. Granted, this solution may not work in the northern or arid states where cold and hot are at extremes, but it works for me.

 

As I said earlier, I'm not interested in turning this thread into an argument over problems with DexCool.

I'm simply looking for other alternatives to using it and was hoping to get input from others who have switched to something else that doesn't contain 2-HEA acids in it.

 

Look into John Deere packaged pre-mix coolant ... is one of the best on the market.

 

I'm with Bill. Never had an issue with DexCool and I have had it in a bunch of cars.

 

Where are you getting the information about 2-HEA acids and how it affects nylon? I know for sure it hasn't affected the rubber parts of the cooling system in any of my cars. By the way I don't know of any nylon parts in the cooling system.

Bill

 

I think you have answered your own question. Go with the Peak Global. It does what your looking for.

 

It takes very little coolant to provide "corrosion protection". Also so long as your coolant system is pressurized like it should be you don't need to worry too much about it boiling.

 

 

Fred,
I want to do a flush in my C5 and I, like you, would prefer not to use Dexcool, for reasons I'll keep to myself (don't want to start a bunch of flames). I'm considering switching to Toyota Super Long Life Coolant, which is Toyota's answer to the organic acid, phosphate and silicate free coolant. It's pink and only comes in premixed form ... and it ain't cheap. But maybe you get what you pay for? I posted a note about it in the Tech section, but (surprise surprise!) nobody yet has had any experience using it in a Vette. (Just a couple wise cracks, as might be expected, from those who consider it sacrilegious.)