Green versus Orange Coolant

[Alex D]

Dexcool has gotten a bad rap lately in a lot of places...I dunno I have it in three of my four cars, but two of them are a 2001 and 2002. My 1996 Corvette has Dexcool in it an it was putting a little sludge into the overflow canister. That is usually a good sign that the corrosion inhibitor package in the coolant is done. it also happened right at 5.5 years of coolant age. I simply flushed the cooling system and refilled with new Dexcool. Also washed out the overflow canister. This was last spring and I have had no more sludge coming up in the overflow. I also chaned the radiator at that time cause mine was beginning to leak at the tank seals..the entire system as far as I could see was spotlessly clean.

Here are two links with some info you may like to read:

http://autorepair.about.com/library/weekly/aa052601a.htm

http://www.imcool.com/articles/anitfreeze-coolant/dexcool-macs2001.htm

[ December 29, 2002, 01:39 PM: Message edited by: Alex D ]

 

[Scott P]

I was always told that the brown sludge found in the coolant is actually from leak stopping tabs added at the factory. At least, as in regards to my Grand Prix.

 

[Mike_dup1]

Also another problem I see is when people add water to the system thinking they are doing the right thing. But they are diluting the 50/50 mix and leading to the demise of the coolant. I know one person that has been doing this to his truck. I told him that was a bad thing to do but he is too cheap to buy the Dex-Cool. Its amazing that some will spend $35,000 for a vehicle but will nickel and dime servicing it.

I see a least one company (can't recall which, Prestone?) is marketing a 50/50 mixture for toping off.

I have had no problem with Dex-Cool. I have run it 95,000 miles in my 1999 K2500 Suburban and it still looks good.

[ January 07, 2003, 09:06 PM: Message edited by: Mike ]

 

[widman]

Don't be surprised Mike, I've seen people put ATF Type A fluid in their $100,000 Mercedes because it was 20 cents a quart less than Dexron. -- By the way, a Mercedes Trans on Type A has a useful life of about 10,000 km. (Documented)

 

[S2000driver]

Just a note: There are GREEN long-life coolants out there, Honda's type-II premix is one of them.

10 years to the first coolant change on my S2000...