Dexcool?

Formula69 · Post by **Formula69** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 12:23 pm

So, what's everyone's opinion of GM's Dexcool?
Personally, I think it's shit, but what's everyone else's experience?

rockcrawl · Post by **rockcrawl** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 12:37 pm

I recently pulled a water pump manifold off of a Northstar that has been sitting since '97 and the coolant was like Jelly inside. Not totally solid, but little blobs of it. I guess that's what everyone talks about. We've been using the pink Totota extended life coolant for years and have never seen a single problem. Also no problems with the aftermarket Dexcool compatible extended life coolants, colors varying from yellow-orange-pink. I continue to use it, but have never actually used Dexcool brand. All the OEMs are using the stuff now, is it just GM that is having the problems?

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 1:23 pm

GM dexcool is crap.

Don't use it.

The Dark Side of Will · Mon Jul 04, 2005 9:36 pm

rockcrawl wrote:I recently pulled a water pump manifold off of a Northstar that has been sitting since '97 and the coolant was like Jelly inside. Not totally solid, but little blobs of it. I guess that's what everyone talks about. We've been using the pink Totota extended life coolant for years and have never seen a single problem. Also no problems with the aftermarket Dexcool compatible extended life coolants, colors varying from yellow-orange-pink. I continue to use it, but have never actually used Dexcool brand. All the OEMs are using the stuff now, is it just GM that is having the problems?

That was probably remaining "dog turd" in the system. The Northstar requires bars-leak type material in the cooling system to avoid minute leaks.

For the record, GM suggests yearly coolant changes, which almost no one ever does...

rockcrawl · Post by **rockcrawl** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:14 pm

GM dexcool is crap.

Don't use it.

Wow, that's a useful post. Would you care to elaborate or are we supposed to just have faith in your supreme knowledge? Is it crap because someone told you so, or do you dislike the taste of it?

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:17 pm

Well yes it did taste bad. But the reasons you pointed out in your orignal post is why it sucks. I worked with it directly for about a year on new cars. On cars less then 2 years old it looked like crap. All gooey and stuff

That doesn't happen to regular antifreeze no matter how old it is. Only reason GM went to dexcool is because its more environmentally freindly. Its not a better product though then plain old antifreeze

hopefully that was better for you as I know it was much better for me.

Anyone got a cigarette?

rockcrawl · Post by **rockcrawl** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:34 pm

That was probably remaining "dog turd" in the system. The Northstar requires bars-leak type material in the cooling system to avoid minute leaks.

AFAIK the 4_9s require the same coolant sealant, same part number. I've never used it, so the requirement is questionable. I've taken a lot of them apart, they all have a brown mud in the low parts of the coolant jackets, around the cylinder liners. If you let it dry out long enough it becomes a crumbly powdery stuff that looks just like it could be compressed into the coolant pellets at the GM counter. I've never seen anything in those engines that looked like what was in the 4_6. It was a clear pinkish jelly, not a lot of it, but it was there. The 4_9s use green coolant.

I'm not convinced that Dexcool is so bad, but I know a few GM techs who will never use it.

rockcrawl · Post by **rockcrawl** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 10:44 pm

So now the question, is it just the GM Dexcool, or is it all the Dexcool compatible extended life coolants as well? Like I said, Toyota's been using the stuff for 8 or 10 years and we haven't seen any problems. We've used several different brands from Zerex to the local auto supply house brand. I cannot recall a single incident of thick or gelled coolant.

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 11:06 pm

based on your experience then its only the GM stuff then.

I havent' worked with the toyota stuff so I can't comment on that. All I know is that what comes from the factory from GM is junk.

Hell use the toyota stuff if you want the dexcool type product

Dont' know why its called an extended life coolant if it has to be changed every year though. Makes no sense to me.

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:07 am

Shaun41178(2) wrote:based on your experience then its only the GM stuff then.

I havent' worked with the toyota stuff so I can't comment on that. All I know is that what comes from the factory from GM is junk.

Hell use the toyota stuff if you want the dexcool type product

Dont' know why its called an extended life coolant if it has to be changed every year though. Makes no sense to me.

last time I was at a shop the owner was explainging to some old couple with a cadillac how their coolant had turned to jelly and possibly ruined their engine - it had been overheated several times form the old lady driving it with the bad coolant untill the water pump stopped spinning and made the belt squeel then they took it in to get looked at.

BigRedDeckSpoiler · Post by **BigRedDeckSpoiler** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 4:04 am

rockcrawl wrote:So now the question, is it just the GM Dexcool, or is it all the Dexcool compatible extended life coolants as well?

Was Chrysler using "orange" antifreeze in '98?
My wife used to have a '98 Wrangler whose cooling system got so crapped up that the heater wouldn't even blow warm air.
When I took off the cap to investigate, the coolant was orange. I just figured it was shit antifreeze and the system had rusted up really bad. I bought a flush kit and flushed it for nearly an hour before the water was relatively clear. If it was some flavor of Dexcool, that would be a better explanation.