Can some one please fill me in on what is the problem with dex-cool. I have read so many pros & cons? Would like the real scoop
- posted
18 years ago
Can some one please fill me in on what is the problem with dex-cool. I have read so many pros & cons? Would like the real scoop
Just google it as there are many schools of thought on this stuff. Then make up your own mind.
Just google it as there are many schools of thought on this stuff. Then make up your own mind.
Well, I could give you "my" correct word, and then some others would give "their" correct word, and you'd be back to square one.
Ian
Yep. Personally I don't think it is bad stuff IF you treat it more like the old coolant and change it out at 50K or so. Don't let the system run low and suck air into the system, and do NOT add any green coolant into a dex system unless you want to have lots of fun flushing the system when it gels up.
Indeed, a newsgroup is the place to go if you want the widest variation of opinions. Of course most questions have only one correct answer, and one post may be that correct answer but it will be diluted by all the other "answers".
word
others
square
Yep. Personally I don't think it is bad stuff IF you treat it more like the old coolant and change it out at 50K or so. Don't let the system run low and suck air into the system, and do NOT add any green coolant into a dex system unless you want to have lots of fun flushing the system when it gels up.
Not that I know of. I just drop the coolant, flush with clean water, then refill with new Dex.
The major issues involving orange Dex-Cool can be traced to the use of non-distilled water, i.e., tap water, especially HARD tap water. Use ONLY distilled water to dilute to maximum 60 Dex:40 Water or thereabouts (dilution rate is another issue for discussion). Distilled water, distilled water, distilled water. No additives. Replace every three years or less after thoroughly washing/flushing/back-flushing with a mild citrus detergent/solvent and rinsing/flushing/back-flushing with clean water.
Franko
clean water,
anever
my
Do
correct
some
treat
let
green
flushing
If you are going to replace it every three years there's no reason to bother with Dex. Just use the green stuff and you don't have to worry about what kind of water you use either, and replace every three years.
One of the reasons for developing Dex was to increase life of water pump seals.
Randy
This may be true but the main reason was the much higher aluminum content in engine assemblies with the parts that touch the coolant.
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Whatever's good for the goose... only problems are: (1) the green stuff doesn't hold up as well as the orange stuff after a year or so; sure you can pour in additives to rejuvenate the tired coolant; and (2) the minerals in hard tap water will still create problems whether you use green or orange.
Most GM vehicles are sold with the orange Dex. If you want to replace with the green stuff, just flush/back-flush/wash and flush/back-flush/rinse thoroughly as mentioned earlier before using the green stuff.
Franko
no reason to
have to worry
three
to
especially
distilled
three
add
and
of
them.
to
THere is not reaction between the two type of coolant. Not sure how it started but the are both based on ethylene glycol and there is no chemical issues between them that would cause any problem/reaction if mixed.
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The green antifreeze contains silicates, phosphates and / or borates as corrosion inhibitors to keep the solution alkaline.
"Orange" antifreeze is ethylene glycol base as is the green antifreeze. The difference between the two colors is that orange antifreeze contains a different type of corrosion inhibitor that has a much longer service life than silicates, phosphates and borates. Orange antifreeze contains organic acids that protect engine parts from corrosion. Silicate (green) type antifreeze does not mix with orange type antifreeze. Never mix the two colors in a cooling system. The organic acids in orange types will cause precipitation of silicates in the green type and corrosion protection is greatly reduced and radiator blockage can occur.
Regards, JR
I do not buy into this because I have mixed them on one occasion and had no problems at all. Yes they have different additives but the base stock (the ethylene Glycol) makes up over 95% of is volume, the rest is of very low volumes. No anitfreeze maker has ever come out and said the was a problem and most of the problems are likely caused by hard water and not enough antifreeze and the water reacting with the aluminum and taking some of the by products from this reaction into solution for later deposit somewhere else. Aluminum, castiron and water is a very reactive combo and the less reative agent present (ie water) the better off you will be.
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Well there you go, GM says you CAN mix it.
I'm not sure if you were using this bulletin as a "for" or "against" argument with Snoman's contention that you can mix the two coolants with no problem.
He's right....you can mix them with no problems, other then you will lose the extended change interval that Dexcool supposedly offers. Horror stories about dexcool sludging up has nothing to do with mixing it with green coolant.
Ian
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