While my truck was being serviced, the mechanic topped off my coolant with about a gallon of Dexcool. I'm running Zerex ELC for diesels. It's a 7.3 and has a capacity of 8 gallons if I remember correctly. Will this cause any issues?
Dexcool and Zerex compatibility
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Originally Posted By: PumpPusher
While my truck was being serviced, the mechanic topped off my coolant with about a gallon of Dexcool. I'm running Zerex ELC for diesels. It's a 7.3 and has a capacity of 8 gallons if I remember correctly. Will this cause any issues?
Stop going there, if you mix coolants it can easily turn to shmoo inside your radiator, heater core etc.
I believe the Zerex ELC is red and is similar with Chevron Delo ELC...
Get them to compensate you for something. Cooling systems are expensive, and I do not know why they would put Dexcool in a non GM vehicle in the first place.
While my truck was being serviced, the mechanic topped off my coolant with about a gallon of Dexcool. I'm running Zerex ELC for diesels. It's a 7.3 and has a capacity of 8 gallons if I remember correctly. Will this cause any issues?
Stop going there, if you mix coolants it can easily turn to shmoo inside your radiator, heater core etc.
I believe the Zerex ELC is red and is similar with Chevron Delo ELC...
Get them to compensate you for something. Cooling systems are expensive, and I do not know why they would put Dexcool in a non GM vehicle in the first place.
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Fully formulated ZerexÒ
Extended Life incorporates organic acid technology
ZerexÒ Extended Life is compatible with
major long life and conventional brands of ethylene glycol
based coolant.
Extended Life incorporates organic acid technology
ZerexÒ Extended Life is compatible with
major long life and conventional brands of ethylene glycol
based coolant.
You need to raise a stink over that. I would completely change the coolant & refill with the correct coolant. Dexcool should only go in GM vehicles & Fords where the "specialty orange coolant" is specified.
The only way you can have a Dexcool coolant replaced with Zerex is if you get all the Dexcool out first.
We're not talking about what's in your radiator or your hoses. We're talking ALL of it removed.
Even then you may end up with problems depending on how much residue is in the system.
Dexcool is best mixed with Dexcool. Zerex is a wildly different animal and is most often used with certain import vehicles.
Do not mix the two. Drain the system out completely and stop going to that mechanic.
Hope this helps...
We're not talking about what's in your radiator or your hoses. We're talking ALL of it removed.
Even then you may end up with problems depending on how much residue is in the system.
Dexcool is best mixed with Dexcool. Zerex is a wildly different animal and is most often used with certain import vehicles.
Do not mix the two. Drain the system out completely and stop going to that mechanic.
Hope this helps...
Your diesel requires a coolant suppliment. I dont think dex has any in it
Ouch, definitely not happy. I'll bring it up to them but ultimately I think I will do a flush myself so it's done right. My guess is they went red with red.
Originally Posted By: PumpPusher
Ouch, definitely not happy. I'll bring it up to them but ultimately I think I will do a flush myself so it's done right. My guess is they went red with red.
Dex cool isn't red.... They must have color blind people working there. If they really cared they would of called the customer and asked what coolant they're running and got a confirmation that it's not dex cool or whatever.
Ouch, definitely not happy. I'll bring it up to them but ultimately I think I will do a flush myself so it's done right. My guess is they went red with red.
Dex cool isn't red.... They must have color blind people working there. If they really cared they would of called the customer and asked what coolant they're running and got a confirmation that it's not dex cool or whatever.
The Dex in my 07 Sierra is red, did it change?
After doing some research, turns out OEM fill is red. Since mine is still on the original, might be time to change it too.
Originally Posted By: PumpPusher
After doing some research, turns out OEM fill is red. Since mine is still on the original, might be time to change it too.
+1 I believe that the Texaco/Havoline (the OEM supplier of dex) is a reddish color. Prestone and Zerex dex is orange.
Either way I would bring it back and have them flush it out. Dex should only be mixed with dex.
After doing some research, turns out OEM fill is red. Since mine is still on the original, might be time to change it too.
+1 I believe that the Texaco/Havoline (the OEM supplier of dex) is a reddish color. Prestone and Zerex dex is orange.
Either way I would bring it back and have them flush it out. Dex should only be mixed with dex.
I'm going to drop pull the lower hose and plugs in the block and drop whats in there. Fill with distilled water, run it with the heater on for awhile , and drop again. I figure 4 or 5 times should do it. Add 4 gallons on concetrate and top with water.
The motorcraft "dex-clone" turns pink when mixed...
My F-250s, Taurus & Fiesta are all still on the factory fill of Motorcraft Orange Coolant & it's pretty darn orange in the reservoir of all of them. I use Prestone's Dex-Cool for top ups.
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Flush that system ASAP and get the right stuff back in it. Dex-cool doesn't have the right add pack for a diesel AFAIK. If that Zerex ELC is anything like G-05, mixing it with Dex makes for same nasty gelled up stuff plugging the heater core and brown goo coating everything as well.
I flushed it a few days ago with distilled water. I didn't run the truck much after the goof up. The over flow was orange but the radiator was still bright red so I don't think it was mixed in yet. Either way, it has a fresh batch of Rotella ELC in it.
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