GM Coolant Alternatives for coolant intellectuals?

[Fortecarbon]

The vehicle in question is a 2011 Silverado 2500 6.0 (gas).

And let me start by saying... YES.... I did a bunch of searching already and YES...I know I am going to get plenty of "just use Dexcool" responses....

But I am sorry, I can't help myself... I have to obsess over this, at least a little bit.

Having recently done a cooling system flush/maintenance/upgrade/etc to my wife's BMW and countless hours of coolant research for that project (which ultimately lead me back to BMW OEM coolant), my mind is much to overstimulated with coolant information to simply lie down and be run over by the Dexcool bus.

Here is what I find interesting....
With a little research there is vast information regarding the reasons BMW uses its specific G-48 coolant. For example moderate silicate content due to type of alloy block, phosphate free and Nitrite free, etc, etc. Mercedes also has fairly good information regarding the specific coolant (which either is or is similar to G-05) and plenty of substantiating evidence to stick with the factory formulations.

In short, I am quite impressed with both G-48 and G-05 coolants and they seem to work very well in the respective applications they are intended for. I have not read anything bad about either BMW coolant or Mercedes coolant, other than the cost and availability which drives people to search for alternatives.

And that bring us to GM and Dexcool... There are plenty of horror stories with Dexcool. Plenty of claims or ruining intake gaskets, head gaskets, brown sludge, corrosion, can't touch air, so on and so on...

AND YET, when I ask what I should run in my Silverado... I am going to get plenty of responses "just stick with Dexcool"

OK, fine.... why? Why should I use a coolant with a tarnished reputation? Tell me about the metallurgy of my heads and radiator and how Dexcool is the only formulation that can resist corrosion... Or that the specific formulation is designed to reduce cavitation around the cylinder liners like a diesel... or maybe that the cooling system is inadequate so Dexcool has super duper heat transfer technology that makes it more efficient...

Doesn't anyone think that maybe one of these other coolants is better? Or is it that since it a GM, nobody really cares?

I will tell you that my distrust for Dexcool is stemming from flushing the coolant in my diesel genset. I had put in Dexcool, since I had a couple of jugs laying around, figuring that it would probably be better than old school green. I later learned this is not true, and had been meaning to change it for a couple years, but I will say the the Prestone Dexcool bottle says good for all other vehicles (or something like that). You would not believe the sludge, rust and stuff that was growing... YES growing, in the cooling system. Really disappointing....I would have been better off with Seawater, at least I would have had a reason for jellyfish to be in there!

Clint

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Use Deathcool until the warranty expires, then switch to Peak Global Lifetime. But make sure you completely get rid of the old stuff, as much as you can.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Use Deathcool until the warranty expires, then switch to Peak Global Lifetime. But make sure you completely get rid of the old stuff, as much as you can.


+1 but flush it really good.

 

[NateDN10]

Well Clint... you asked for it.

Did you flush the old green coolant out of your generator before putting in DexCool? The two may not have been compatible.

Just last night I replaced the thermostat in my 10 year old Cobalt. I've drained and refilled the radiator twice over that 10 years, plus what I did last night. Each time the coolant that came out has looked clear and clean. The aluminum housing the thermostat was in was in great shape. There was a rubber o-ring on the thermostat that was getting spongy after 10 years, letting some coolant through and not allowing the engine to warm up all the way. Other than that, everything was in great shape.

In short, for a new vehicle where Dexcool is specified, I see no reason not to use it.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I'd use old school green.

 

[901Memphis]

Dexcool is actually a fantastic coolant it's the systems that it was in that caused issues, you have a very new vehicle and GM worked out all the issues long ago with system compatibility including using pressurized reservoirs to avoid air pockets.

Plenty of people run full size Gm trucks hundreds of thousands of miles to failure without touching the cooling systems.

If you want to use something else you can if it makes you happy. I switched my Buick to G05, it doesn't have a pressurized reservoir... Your GM would work fine with that too as long as you get a complete flush and remove all the Dexcool, I use lots of Distilled water gallons, usually about 10

 

[Blinker]

I use prestone DexCool in my GM cars requiring dex and have had absolutely no issues. We have some GM cars from the 1990's- early 2000's with engines that had bad gaskets but after they were repaired, never had any other problems involving the cooling system. In my experience, the problems were from [censored] gaskets.

 

[Blinker]

You will know if you have a cooling system leak. Our cars that had intake gasket defects caused the coolant to turn into a slimey gooey substance. Once the gaskets were replaced with the updated desigbs we have never had the issue again. And the coolant hasnt "gelled" ever since.

 

[Nate1979]

OP: you said there are horror stories with Dexcool. This is not really true. Post up some links with Dexcool problems on relevant modern engines. I really doubt the level of research you have done if that is the conclusion you have reached.

 

[Fortecarbon]

I thought that I had flushed the Genset out, but it was years ago, I don't really remember. I was also coolant un-educated.

If you walk down the coolant aisle at walmart there is basically an entire row of identical bottles. Prestone Dexcool and Prestone... both claiming "all makes, All models, all colors, mix your favorite drink, poor over ice cream, works great in the laundry"... lol

It leads one to believe that basically coolant has evolved to one basic formulation that works for everything... so why bother researching. Now I know better!

 

[Fortecarbon]

http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/dex-cool.htm

http://www.reuters.com/article/gm-settlement-idUSN2735011520080327

I don't think we can deny there have been issues with Dexcool (modern vehicles or not)

Google BMW coolant issues, Mercedes coolant issues, Toyota coolant issues....? Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. (actually, its possible the G-48 is tough on O-rings which leads to common BMW leaks).

So I am still looking for evidence that Dexcool is a superior coolant for my truck (or probably not). I am not saying it won't work... of course it will work. But I am search for BEST. I enjoy working on and maintaining my vehicles and equipment and it is a good feeling to find and use a superior product it make the time spent seem a little more worth it. If I just wanted something that was going to work, I certainly would not wast so much time typing about it

 

[Oro_O]

The problem with the genset sounds like contamination and not at all solely on the DexCool.

I would stay with DexCool.

As mentioned, the horror stories were years ago and things got sorted out. I researched this issue ad nauseum a year ago when I took over maintenance on my older parents' two 2007 MY GM vehicles. I have Audi, Lexus, and Acua vehicles myself and am finicky about coolant choice. Once I found myself, as I judged it, well informed, I went down to NAPA during a sale and stocked up on DexCool for those vehicles and feel very comfortable with it.

 

[Donald]

Probably the best coolant is JD CG II.

I would use Dexcool if the vehicle came with Dexcool. If you have the intake gasket with a plastic edge that needs to be replaced.

I would not use an all makes/all models unless it was 11 PM Sunday night and all 7-11 had was some all makes/all models.

 

[440Magnum]

I would say that a 2011 6.0 is WELL beyond the years where any Dexcool incompatibility remains. I'd use it with confidence in a GM product made that recently. GM had enough problems early on that they *know* how to make their later stuff work with Dexcool forever. Dexcool has an advantage in that its actually a fairly simple coolant- no complex mixture of chemicals and multiple metal protection, nothing to interact and severely degrade over time... but its only viable in cooling systems without multiple metals present. GM builds their engines that way, so it works extremely well in them.

If I were, for some strange reason, committed to switching the only thing I'd seriously consider would be G-05. IMO, its the nearest thing in the world to a "universal" coolant, though its manufacturer (wisely) doesn't even HINT at going there. It will protect *every* metal found in cooling systems dating back decades (iron, aluminum, brass/bronze, copper) as well as lead/tin/zinc/silver containing solders in brass radiators and heater cores. Its even got nitrites so it carries approvals for some wet-liner diesels. The only potential issue I could see with it in a Dexcool application is the silicates might shorten the waterpump seal life if GM cheaped out on seal materials... not unexpected given that they designed for dexcool, so why over-spec the seal?

 

[Brian Barnhart]

Switched my '06 Sierra over to G-05 back in '09. Did several flushes and have had no issues. Not sure I'd go to the trouble to switch away from Dexcool today.

 

[Gasbuggy]

I would be more concerned that my flush was not 100% and now a little dexcool is mixing with the new coolant. Dexcool problems of the past don't apply to "newer" vehicles from what I've heard from dealer techs. I think the majority of horror stories occur from mixing coolants, even if you don't know about it. Car goes in for a service and the oil change guy tops everything off, your reservoir gets some "friendly" all makes and models and you are none the wiser. 5 years later you've got a problem.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Fortecarbon
http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/dex-cool.htm


I have a 2000 Sierra and a 2004 Silverado. Both are 5.3's and both have been using nothing but DexCool since day one.

I've yet to see anything like what this shop describes. They can't prove that the systems that they show in these pictures weren't contaminated by the introduction of some other coolant (or from any other liquid, as far as that goes).

It's not a sealed system from the factory.

 

[bullwinkle]

On a 2011, I would stick with Dexcool-your truck has the pressurized expansion tank-which PREVENTS the introduction of air into your cooling system. If you had an older vehicle with the old-school open expansion tank, then I would recommend Prestone AMAM, Peak Long Life (or Global Lifetime), or even old style green. With your system, unless somebody messed up & added the wrong coolant, you probably won't even have to flush it, just drain & refill.

 

[surfstar]

My one experience with DexCool - my 2005 Saturn. Bought it in 2010 or 2011. At 85k miles, I drained and refilled the radiator twice during subsequent oil changes. One full strength gallon, got me through both of those drain and fills.
Did the same thing recently at 135k miles.
No other cooling system maintenance nor any problems.

I don't see what the big deal was/is.

cheaper/easier than trying to track down overpriced OEM import fluids, so I'm not anti-DexCool.

 

[Nate1979]

Originally Posted By: Fortecarbon
http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/dex-cool.htm

http://www.reuters.com/article/gm-settlement-idUSN2735011520080327

I don't think we can deny there have been issues with Dexcool (modern vehicles or not)

Google BMW coolant issues, Mercedes coolant issues, Toyota coolant issues....? Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. (actually, its possible the G-48 is tough on O-rings which leads to common BMW leaks).

So I am still looking for evidence that Dexcool is a superior coolant for my truck (or probably not). I am not saying it won't work... of course it will work. But I am search for BEST. I enjoy working on and maintaining my vehicles and equipment and it is a good feeling to find and use a superior product it make the time spent seem a little more worth it. If I just wanted something that was going to work, I certainly would not wast so much time typing about it

Ok, so you haven't done the research as there hasn't been problems with Dexcool for years and for sure not with a 2011.