Should I stop running Dex-Cool in my 01 Tahoe?

[KeithKman]

I have 2001 Chevy Tahoe with the 5.3 motor. The truck has 127k miles. The water pump was replaced around 95k miles so the coolant was replaced then also.

I have read for years about Dex-Cool or "deathcool" as it is called. Should I start running the green stuff? I know if you switch to the green stuff you need to get all the deathcool out of the cooling system. How hard is this to do on a Tahoe? What is involved?

Is switching a good idea or am I just starting a big headache?

 

[ls1mike]

No, you have a dry intake. You don't and won't have the issue of the older 3.1, 3.4, 3800 and 4.3. Your engine is LSX based. The 4.8, 5.3, 5.7, 6.0, 6.2, 7.0 do not suffer from these problems.

 

[JHZR2]

Agreed

 

[pbm]

I also agree. If your anti-freeze comes in contact with your I/M gasket the 2-EHA in Dexcool can do its 'plasticizing' but if it doesn't, Dexcool is actually an excellent A/F, IMO.

 

[defektes]

Originally Posted By: pbm
I also agree. If your anti-freeze comes in contact with your I/M gasket the 2-EHA in Dexcool can do its 'plasticizing' but if it doesn't, Dexcool is actually an excellent A/F, IMO.


+1

 

[Chris142]

Was the water pump replaced because it was leaking or the rubber lined gaskets were leaking?

 

[Gary Allan]

Let me ask this question ..since I see some apparent heralding of the greatness of Dexcool.


Has it somehow shed its liability ..or rather vulnerability to air infiltration/contact? If nothing has changed, then the "long life" aspect to it will still be 100% dependent upon 100% system integrity for the whole duration of the prescribed "long life". Never to have a aftermarket clamp loosen ..never to have a hose fail and be replaced ..

Nope. Too many wagers with too many variables.


Now you could counter with "Well, if you took care of your system like you should, then it wouldn't be a problem" ..but that is counter to the "long life" and the "set it and forget it" concept of the product itself. It took coolant service beyond the first round of ownership.


I find Dexcool a perfect example of Universal Law. It provided alleged great benefits with higher potential liabilities. It's like 5mph bumpers of the mid 70's. They reduced all the minor impacts to 5mph impacts to $1500-$2000 in the exchange. You never get something for nothing.

 

[mechanicx]

I think Dexcool has been tweaked to be less sensitive to air but that's another variable. Dexcool even licensed versions is more of a standard than an exact formula so it can vary by brand. On the other hand they all seem to have 2-EHA which seems to be responsible for the good and bad of Dexcool and dexclones.

I think Dexcool has been well proven to work in most pressurized reservoir systems because they are mostly self bleeding and they have a good track record. I would not trust it in on a radiator cap system though.

My only big ? mark over Dexcool is we know it detriorates some types of plastics abd therefore gaskets more than some other coolants do. The question is how do you know for sure your gaskets are not one of them? Some car models had a good record with Dexcool so apparently they had compatible gaskets, while others seem to have more HG failures. It's hard to say if Dexcool was incompatible with the gaskets or something else was to blame.

You got to figure by now any car factory-filled with Dexcool will not have any of those problems (there are always exceptions though), but I'm talking about the earlier cars going back to the mid-90's and cars that were never factory-filled with Dexcool/Dexclone.

 

[KeithKman]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Was the water pump replaced because it was leaking or the rubber lined gaskets were leaking?


I'm not sure. Why do you ask?

 

[Chris142]

I have never seen one of those pumps leak. It has always been the gaskets behind the pump. But the pump gets replaced because you must remove it to access the gaskets.

It's my opinion that the Dexcool eats the rubber seals in the gaskets causing the leak.

 

[KeithKman]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
I have never seen one of those pumps leak. It has always been the gaskets behind the pump. But the pump gets replaced because you must remove it to access the gaskets.

It's my opinion that the Dexcool eats the rubber seals in the gaskets causing the leak.


Interesting. I bought the Tahoe from a family friend and they had the local dealership do all the mainence and service on the vehicle. When I bought the car they gave me copies of all the service records, etc. It showed they replaced the pump, but as you said, it was probably the gaskets.

Given that the Dex-Cool eats the gaskets, should I flush the system and run the green stuff or keep running the Dex-Cool?

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: KeithKman

Given that the Dex-Cool eats the gaskets, should I flush the system and run the green stuff or keep running the Dex-Cool?
You won't find Dexcool in anything I own.

 

[KeithKman]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: KeithKman

Given that the Dex-Cool eats the gaskets, should I flush the system and run the green stuff or keep running the Dex-Cool?
You won't find Dexcool in anything I own.


What's the best way to flush out all the Dex-Cool out of the radiator and engine block?

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: KeithKman
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Originally Posted By: KeithKman

Given that the Dex-Cool eats the gaskets, should I flush the system and run the green stuff or keep running the Dex-Cool?
You won't find Dexcool in anything I own.


What's the best way to flush out all the Dex-Cool out of the radiator and engine block?


Since most GM are hard to drain a T-flush is probably quickest and most effective. You can then add some super radiator flush as directed. I'm not sure you would need to really hard flush out the Dexcool only just get it all out. If you search in this forum there was a recent thread discussing T-flushes.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
I have never seen one of those pumps leak. It has always been the gaskets behind the pump. But the pump gets replaced because you must remove it to access the gaskets.

It's my opinion that the Dexcool eats the rubber seals in the gaskets causing the leak.

That might be true.

However, I have seen those gaskets, and they have the plastic skeleton that always fails in the GM 3400 intake manifold.