Dexcool in a Yamaha Rhino?

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I'm getting ready to replace the failed stator in our 2011 Yamaha Rhino 700. You must drain the coolant and engine oil to get the cover off to access the stator. The Rhino currently has a 50/50 green all makes/models universal coolant in it. I have had no issues with the green antifreeze, but...

I have two gallons of 50/50 mixed (full strength and later mixed with equal amounts of distilled water)Valvoline Zerex Dexcool already bought that I have leftover from a past project. Is there any reason why I can't use the Dexcool in the Yamaha?
 
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If you flush the old stuff out, you should be fine to use Dexcool.

I'd probably use something like Zerex G05 or Zerex Asian Formula, but coolant isn't complicated.
 
I would not use Dexcool ... get some Honda coolant from the local car dealership. I think ??? the seals in the Asian water pumps don't play well with other formulas.

Do some reading about it to make sure.
 
Originally Posted By: italian68
dexcool might possibly be the worst coolant currently produced


Yep, so bad with both Ford and GM using it in all their cars.

really bad...
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
I would be worried about dexcool damaging plastic parts.

Based on what?
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: italian68
dexcool might possibly be the worst coolant currently produced


Yep, so bad with both Ford and GM using it in all their cars.

really bad...

It’s so bad that our 05 Trailblazer is still on its original water pump after 13 years. The coolant passage was super shiny when I replaced the thermostat, so obviously it’s really acidic and stuff. If I’d ran the factory fill much longer than the 10 years it was in there it surely would have turned to goop?

In all seriousness I don’t think dexcool is that bad. I’ve seen a few older GM cars online that allegedly had some issues when dexcool was mixed with other types of coolant, but who knows. If there was a problem, I don’t think it was widespread. Obviously I’m not an antifreeze/coolant expert.
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
If you flush the old stuff out, you should be fine to use Dexcool.

I'd probably use something like Zerex G05 or Zerex Asian Formula, but coolant isn't complicated.

I might go this route, I’ve been thinking about using the Zerex Asian Formula in my Toyota in the place of the Toyota pink antifreeze anyways. I don’t really think the Yamaha would have any issues with it or the Dexcool either one. Yamaha doesn’t really specify any specific antifreeze, just a 50/50 mix and to change it every 2 years.
 
Originally Posted By: BlakeB
Originally Posted By: Chris142
I would be worried about dexcool damaging plastic parts.

Based on what?


One of the anti-corrosion components presented as sodium or Potassium 2-ethylhexanoate and ethylhexanoic acid is incompatible with nylon 6,6 and silicone rubber, and is a known plasticizer.

I'm not a chemist, but this is what's out there in the world.
 
Originally Posted By: JetStar
Originally Posted By: BlakeB
Originally Posted By: Chris142
I would be worried about dexcool damaging plastic parts.

Based on what?


One of the anti-corrosion components presented as sodium or Potassium 2-ethylhexanoate and ethylhexanoic acid is incompatible with nylon 6,6 and silicone rubber, and is a known plasticizer.

I'm not a chemist, but this is what's out there in the world.

Interesting, I had no idea. I would think that the plastics used in automotive applications would or should be compatible with most antifreeze formulations, otherwise you’d have a lot of people having a lot of trouble I’d think. Thanks for the info!
 
if not replaced at regular intervals dexcool will corrode/deteriorate the cooling system circuit.
 
Originally Posted By: italian68
if not replaced at regular intervals dexcool will corrode/deteriorate the cooling system circuit.

To what coolant concoction would that not apply?
 
Originally Posted By: italian68
if not replaced at regular intervals dexcool will corrode/deteriorate the cooling system circuit.


Absolute nonsense. I run GM fleet vans and Silverados and we run them to component failure on OEM coolant. This is usually well over 200k miles.

Never a problem with Dexcool. None whatsoever.

Your info is based on a problem GM had with GASKETS, not coolant...
 
Originally Posted By: italian68
if not replaced at regular intervals dexcool will corrode/deteriorate the cooling system circuit.


A lot of engines had problems with dexcool due to it containing a plasticizer, it caused certain plastics and rubbers to decay and leak, on some older models with a radiator cap it could under certain conditions turn to sludge and damage the cooling system.

It can be said the gaskets were the problem but when used with a non aggressive coolant the gaskets were fine but once they went to dry intakes and the pressure cap on the bottle there were no further issues. In either case the once the issue was removed from the equation there was no problem.

For this reason I would not use it in any system not spec for dexcool unless I was 100% sure it contained no plastic components that could be damaged by 2EHA. Japanese manufacturers do not use coolants with 2EHA. I would look closely at JD CoolGuard II.

http://articles.sae.org/8242/

https://www.mbca.org/sites/default/files/antifreedec04_0.pdf

https://jdparts.deere.com/partsmkt/document/english/pmac/52394_fb_AntiFreezeCoolGard_II.htm

 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: italian68
if not replaced at regular intervals dexcool will corrode/deteriorate the cooling system circuit.


A lot of engines had problems with dexcool due to it containing a plasticizer, it caused certain plastics and rubbers to decay and leak, on some older models with a radiator cap it could under certain conditions turn to sludge and damage the cooling system.

It can be said the gaskets were the problem but when used with a non aggressive coolant the gaskets were fine but once they went to dry intakes and the pressure cap on the bottle there were no further issues. In either case the once the issue was removed from the equation there was no problem.

For this reason I would not use it in any system not spec for dexcool unless I was 100% sure it contained no plastic components that could be damaged by 2EHA. Japanese manufacturers do not use coolants with 2EHA. I would look closely at JD CoolGuard II.

http://articles.sae.org/8242/

https://www.mbca.org/sites/default/files/antifreedec04_0.pdf

https://jdparts.deere.com/partsmkt/document/english/pmac/52394_fb_AntiFreezeCoolGard_II.htm





So could I also use JD coolant in my Toyota Tacoma in place of the Toyota Pink coolant? Is there any real life benefit to doing so? I’ve seen the 1GR-FE go 600k+ miles with no issues on (I assume) the Toyota pink stuff. Is there any evidence to show that the JD stuff has better heat transfer qualities than a less robust formulation? I would think that less cavitation would equal better heat transfer/thermal efficiency that might result in a slightly higher overall temperature (faster warmups?) but reduce the temperature of the hottest places of the block?
 
I finally got around to fixing the rhino a few weeks ago. I wound up using Peak Final Charge Global 50/50. It is supposed to be good for 8 years or 20,000 hours.
 
Originally Posted by italian68
dexcool might possibly be the worst coolant currently produced


Certainly in terms of compatibility with different kinds of materials used in cooling systems it is the worst.

It works just fine in cooling systems designed for it but can be catastrophic in cooling systems not designed for it.
 
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Dexcool is fine in systems made for it.

A while ago, a major GM tech advised never to open a GM truck cooling system except in the case of repair.

We sent vans to the grave with FF Dexcool. Not a bad coolant. Just don't put it where it doesn't belong.
 
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