Coolant upgrade for 76 Oldsmobile?

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I'm due to flush the cooling system again on my 84 Oldsmobile with a 76 350 engine. It still has green coolant in it, but I'm wondering if there is any reason not to put dexcool or some other long life coolant in it? I wouldn't mind spending a little extra if it might last longer or have any other benefits.
 
Maybe G-05, but i'd not put dex-cool in it if it has original gaskets, especially the head gaskets. Green is safest for it.
 
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I used this in a 92 Eighty-Eight. Extended life and green for an original look.

[Linked Image]
 
Zerex Original Green claims a 5 years service life and would be completely compatible with your system.
 
If it was mine, I'd just use the original green, still available at farm supply stores and some auto supply stores.
Or, if you've got a few more dollars to spend, buy some John Deere Cool Guard.
 
Does your car have a soldered copper/brass radiator and heater core? If so, I vote for Zerex Original Green.
 
Green, which is different than what was sold years back; G-05; or John Deere Cool Gard II.

You do need to know what sort of brass/copper soldered stuff you have in that vehicle...
 
I would use Zerex Original Green.

What's cool about it is that it's actually not a IAT formula.

It's a coolant developed by Glysantin which is sold by Glysantin and also Comma in Europe as "G64" originally for Volvo trucks i believe, it's what they call a PSi-OAT ( Phosphate + Silicate + OAT ) i am quite sure it does not have 2-Eha so it will not corrode solder.
 
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Originally Posted by JHZR2
Green, which is different than what was sold years back; G-05; or John Deere Cool Gard II.

You may have to settle for JHZR2's suggestion given the difficulty in obtaining original green these days in Canada. I haven't seen a jug at a supplier for years, with the last being at Partsource. I believe Oil Mart markets a conventional green at a good price, but I'm not sure how close you are to one.
 
Sorry, I left out a couple of things...it's a newer aluminum radiator. A newer heater core (also aluminum). Original steel shim head gaskets.

Intake gaskets are fel pro recently replaced because of some minor pitting on the Edelbrock aluminum intake manifold.
 
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Originally Posted by Chris142
Dexcool or any long life coolant will eat the solder out of the radiator and heater. likely the intake and head gaskets too.


Do you have any links that support that?
 
Originally Posted by Garak
Originally Posted by JHZR2
Green, which is different than what was sold years back; G-05; or John Deere Cool Gard II.

You may have to settle for JHZR2's suggestion given the difficulty in obtaining original green these days in Canada. I haven't seen a jug at a supplier for years, with the last being at Partsource. I believe Oil Mart markets a conventional green at a good price, but I'm not sure how close you are to one.


I can easily go to a John Deere supplier around here. I appreciate that advice.

The last time I bought green coolant it seemed like they only carried the bottom of the line cheapest stuff in green (certified brand at Canadian tire I think). I don't really want to cheap out on fluids in a 35 year old car that I might drive daily another 20 years. The past 12 years went by extremely fast and I've had to replace the heater core twice and have the rad welded (the rad was 15+ years old). The rad repair guy told us to install a ground strap because there was electrolysis happening inside.
 
Yes, and Canadian Tire doesn't even carry it anymore. The last I saw on the shelf was Texaco stuff at Partsource. Perhaps a Partsource in your neck of the woods may still have it. I don't think even Rechochem is making original green these days, and they make up whatever a company wants, plus a bunch of jobber stuff.

The other option would be a Chevron lubricant distributor (Husky/Mohawk handles that out west), if you can find one, since there still is a Havoline branded conventional green listed on the Chevron site. I can't say for out there, but here, a number of trucking outfits carry a lot of Chevron products, and one may be able to do a special order. Given the coolant capacity of vehicles like yours, it's probably not outrageous to buy a box of four jugs.
 
Originally Posted by FordCapriDriver
I would use Zerex Original Green.

What's cool about it is that it's actually not a IAT formula.

It's a coolant developed by Glysantin which is sold by Glysantin and also Comma in Europe as "G64" originally for Volvo trucks i believe, it's what they call a PSi-OAT ( Phosphate + Silicate + OAT ) i am quite sure it does not have 2-Eha so it will not corrode solder.


Zerex Original Green uses DISODIUM TETRABORATE. The price of it has come down. It's $8.69 for a gallon of concentrate at my local NAPA.

Zerex Original Green Safety Data Sheet










Zerex Green.PNG
 
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I really can't think of anything in my engine or cooling system that would be bothered by any kind of coolant now, so I could probably run anything really? No brass or copper still remaining that I can think of. Just aluminum and steel... actually the recent intake gasket is now a steel piece also. The one from 12 years ago that leaked was a fel pro composite gasket.

I'd use that zerex green if I could find it but probably I'll go to John deere and buy the stuff recommended that they have. I'd like to be able to change it just every 5 years if possible.
 
Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
I really can't think of anything in my engine or cooling system that would be bothered by any kind of coolant now, so I could probably run anything really? No brass or copper still remaining that I can think of. Just aluminum and steel... actually the recent intake gasket is now a steel piece also. The one from 12 years ago that leaked was a fel pro composite gasket.

I'd use that zerex green if I could find it but probably I'll go to John deere and buy the stuff recommended that they have. I'd like to be able to change it just every 5 years if possible.


Just an update:
I finally changed my coolant. I didn't do a complete flush but I plan to do it once more before I store it for winter (it began raining as I did it in the driveway and I broke the lower rad hose clamp (no drain petcock in my aftermarket aluminum radiator). When I drained it I realized I already converted it to yellow coolant when I did it last (I think 4-5 years ago). The coolant was a bit dark but looked okay. I think I put gm crush tabs in at one point as a preventative measure which seems to make the coolant look dirtier.

I guess if I'm only going to get to it every 4-5 years yellow coolant is probably the best choice.

IMG_20190710_074136.jpg


IMG_20190710_074045.jpg


IMG_20190710_074055.jpg
 
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Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
I finally changed my coolant. I didn't do a complete flush but I plan to do it once more before I store it for winter (it began raining as I did it in the driveway and I broke the lower rad hose clamp (no drain petcock in my aftermarket aluminum radiator). When I drained it I realized I already converted it to yellow coolant when I did it last (I think 4-5 years ago). The coolant was a bit dark but looked okay. I think I put gm crush tabs in at one point as a preventative measure which seems to make the coolant look dirtier.

Don't feel bad. In at least 75% of the times I had to drain coolant from one of these vehicles, the petcock wasn't working or working very well.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted by Garak
Originally Posted by caprice_2nv
I finally changed my coolant. I didn't do a complete flush but I plan to do it once more before I store it for winter (it began raining as I did it in the driveway and I broke the lower rad hose clamp (no drain petcock in my aftermarket aluminum radiator). When I drained it I realized I already converted it to yellow coolant when I did it last (I think 4-5 years ago). The coolant was a bit dark but looked okay. I think I put gm crush tabs in at one point as a preventative measure which seems to make the coolant look dirtier.

Don't feel bad. In at least 75% of the times I had to drain coolant from one of these vehicles, the petcock wasn't working or working very well.
wink.gif



That's true. I remember that happening on one of my cars that had the original rad in it.
 
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