89 Caddy coolant factory additive required?

I don't know about this, sounds fishy, but the label in the engine compartment says you must add some additive to the coolant other than regular antifreeze, and it's a dealer only item.

Never heard of such a thing, and the label says it will damage the engine and cooling system without it.

What is the stuff, do I really need it, what's it do?

Reply to
<no
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Reply to
Geoff Welsh

Yes, it's required to seal the coolant passages inside the engine. The engine is an AL block/iron head type engine. Dissimlar metals. The sealant is a bag of large tablets that cost less than $5 (GM part #3634621) Dealers carry it but so do any parts places that also carry AC/Delco parts. Failure to use the sealer is the main cause of failure in these engines. Use all the tablets each time the cooling system is drained/flushed.

Dave S(Texas)

Reply to
putt

Yes, it is necessary. Bars Leaks is the OEM product under the manufacturers name. Look here..

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all 6 pellets of HCC or 2 tubes of G12BP.I've bought it at KMart and a couple of auto parts stores over theyears. Note Dave's explanation of what it does and why it is needed. I use it in my Eldo, the wife's Camry, the daughter's Mirage and it will be going into my new Chevy van. A lot of people don't like it because it makes the coolant look muddy. Better that than new head gaskets. FWIW YMMV DFB For email remove "_no_spam_"

Reply to
D F Bonnett

I've never used these pellets (30+ years of car ownership with some well into the 100K mile range) and have not had a single engine coolant leak problem. A couple of hoses, yes...but never engine or gasket. This sounds fishy to me. Why would a properly designed coolant system and gaskets in a "young" engine require a "coolant sealer" product. This used to be needed only in very old engines (back in the 60's and 70's). Why would a new/young engine need such a thing?

Reply to
James C. Reeves

My opinion was that this was a band-aid for a poorly designed product. This won't change GM's position, however. Subaru has recently implented a recall on many of their vehicles which requires the dealer to add stop-leak to the system to help prevent head gasket leaks and help seal ones that already exist. I think this is equally bogus and that the manufacturers are simply trying to save money because their product has a problem they don't want to fix correctly.

Reply to
hyundaitech

You need it, it's organic and will not do any harm to the engine, and it should be installed every two years along with a complete change of your coolant. Trust me, your engine will be better for it if you just follow the factories advice on this one.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_Kai

Go over here

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andask that question. You'll hear some tales of woe about why it isneeded. It probably shouldn't be needed, but it is, at least if youplan to vehicle for a good number of years.FWIW YMMV DFB For email remove "_no_spam_"

Reply to
D F Bonnett

Reply to
Jon Rodman

An interesting discussion on the issue here ....

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here...
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YMMV DFB

For email remove "_no_spam_"

Reply to
MisterSkippy

I am always amazed how uninformed folks are about their own vehicle when it comes to maintaining it. Why pray/tell would the manufacturer put a label detailing a required part, if it wasn't needed?? I suppose they are just trying to make a profit on a less than $5 item, or maybe they are only trying to fool the owner into spending that $5. Probably the same can be said for all that oil the manual claims the engine needs too! Geez.......lol

The reason this particular type engine NEEDS the sealant is because of the two completely different metals that the block and heads are made from. The Aluminum block and Iron heads have different expansion/contraction rates. When both are at NOT, there isn't much of a problem, it's when they begin to cool off when the problems arise. If/when coolant begins seeping from its 'jacket', it's eventually gonna end up in the oiling system. Coolant and oil don't mix at all. That's the problem! Coolant in the oil system is not a lubricant for the crankshaft/bearings/etc. of the engine. Once the innards of the engine get a taste of coolant, they begin to wear at an astounding rate. That is where the money pit is with an Aluminum block/Iron head engine. A lousy $5 item prevents the problem, but for some crazy reason, folks refuse to believe spending that $5 is a good investment.

This is a Cadillac group, so I would imagine everyone drives a Cadillac. The guys that make the thing say you need to use the stuff, so use it! Unless, of course, _you know more_ than they do.....Happy Motoring!

Dave S(Texas)

Reply to
putt

Ok, it's not a Cadillac group.....sorry!

DS

Reply to
putt

Hi Dave, You make several good points.

In the case of my 1996 STS with the Northstar Engine I have aluminum heads and aluminum block. The expansion/contraction rates should be similar.

I have heard of people with head gasket leaks on the Northstar engines, but not any on the old 5.2 or 5.9 L pushrod V-8 Cadillac's. My 89 Eldorado was still running like new when I sold it with around 200,000 miles on it. I never put any sealant in the coolant of that one.

You have convinced me to get some of that coolant sealer the next time I am at the dealer just in case.

I will go read that discussion at the Cadillac forum you provided the link to.

Reply to
Jon Rodman

Let me see if I understand this. GM (with a straight face) is telling it's customers (that are suppose to accept the silliness) that they have to treat their relatively new GM vehicle just like they used to treat the old clunker they owned back when they were teenagers...add coolant leak sealer. What's wrong with this picture? News alert! Customers don't have patience for this sort of thing.

Reply to
James C. Reeves

You're probably completely correct about customer reluctance being a driving force. Having spent far too many of my productive years in corporate marketing I can state with a certainty that Sales tells Engineering what to say and do. Cadillac no longer states that the supplement is mandatory. I'm guessing that Mr & Mrs Richbitch bellyached that the coolant wasn't nice and pretty with the additive in. Since the Cadillac target market for new vehicles likely trades long before any damage results, Cadillac could care less about the long term. It's the second or third owner that gets bent over and reamed out when the head gaskets fail due to corrosion. Take a look here...

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andhere...
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for adiscussion of this issue.All that being said, I'm convinced of the efficacy of the supplementand use it in my '93 Eldo, the wife's Camry, my daughter's Mirage, andI will put it in my '04 Chevy van as soon as I have occasion to be atthe parts store. YMMV, of course. FWIW DFB For email remove "_no_spam_"

Reply to
MisterSkippy

James, it's better if you don't get involved in discussions where you have no clue what you are talking about. In the case of aluminum engines and coolant sealing tabs, you will simply reveal to the knowledgable folks that you have no understanding of what's involved in sealing up these engines. Go to the site that Mister Skippy sends you to, read...and learn.

Ian

Reply to
shiden_Kai

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