Should I flush out the Dexcool?

[Braapdaddy]

As mentioned above I maintained a fleet of about 35 1ton vans about half GMC and half Ford

The GMCs were all brand new and like clockwork the radiator would fail at just after warranty 36k and yes they had dexcool this is from the 1999 to 2005 model years G3500 single wheels kept spare radiators to rotate out as they went bad ........had a 55 gal drum of Service Pro (AIOD) Green that everything got refilled with after a flush of hose water

Fords were E350 single wheel also never any cooling system issues mostly 1992 to 2005 and mostly Green but a few of the newest ones had Ford Gold ....... I started my own business in 06

At some point it was reformulated and I do have two GM vehicles in my fleet now one 2008 6.0 and a brand new 2.7 I plan on continuing to use the Dex-Cool in these Two

My diesels all have Super Tech Big Rig Red

 

[Slick3914]

3.8L ?

3.4

 

[Snagglefoot]

I’ve been running Dexcool for 15 years on my 2008 Chevy Suburban 3/4 ton, changing out every five years. No problems and still have the original rad and water pump after 240,000 miles. There were some problems with later Chevy rads.

 

[thastinger]

23 years and 190k miles on my Honda, 22 years 160k on my F150 with Original Plastic radiator. It's not the plastic tanks design it's poor construction or maybe your onto something with dexcool. My 2000 Cadillac radiator failed along with the expansion tank somewhere around 6-8 years. Had a ridiculous amount of failures in our fleet with Napa radiators for Chevy Express vans. Finally just gave up even with the warranty exchange it wasn't worth it.

My 98 F150 just lost its original radiator last year and it had the plastic ends. Sure enough though, the leak developed right where the plastic and AL join together. I figured a 24 year run was pretty good though.

 

[zzyzzx]

My 2000 Chevy Impala has 24 years of the original radiator with Dexcool. I’d call that pretty good.

My 1999 Alero still has some of it's original DexCool as well, with no issues.

 

[ls1mike]

No, it is not an issue anymore...mememememe clear my throat, get out index cards.

Good Morning,

The DEX-Cool was an in issue in 3.1, 3.4 3800, and Vortec engines (350, 454, 4.3). None of those have been made for years.
Main issue was the plastic gaskets would break down if the coolant ran low and then they would leak. Then you get coolant in the oil and you know what happens...I have a 3800 that I run the Dex in, but I put the metal gaskets in it.
I have six GM Vehicles. 2000 LS1 WS6, 2003 Sierra Duramax, 2005 3800 Lacrosse, 2014 Caprice 6.0 L77, 2015 2.0 Turbo Malibu and a 2017 6.0 L96 Gasser 1 ton. All of these cars have run DEX since day one with no issues. The WS6 is 23 years old and has had one coolant change.

The DEX- Cool is not the cause of the radiator failure. I replaced the Caprice's already. It is the cheap materials used in the tanks/radiators and the cheap O-rings used to seal the tanks. They would have failed either way. The Lacrosse and WS6 are running straight up bone stock radiators, hoses and water pumps.