Damn That Dexcool...sprung another leak

Maccaca · 2006-08-27T13:30:28+00:00

97 pontiac GA 3.1, 131k miles. I must say this car has held up and runs pretty damn good to be honest...but the coolant leaks do to Dexcool have caused an Intake gasket failure at 80k costing me $800, and yesterday at 131k miles just dished out over $700 to repair a coolant leak at my timing chain cover. Also replaced chain while cover was off since I had it apart. Doing an internet search I noticed several class action suits against GM regarding gasket failures do to the 150k mile Dexcool coolant. The gasket repairs are unneccesary and GM has been using Dexcool since 1996 and may still be using it. In any case I have decided to get in on the class action suit to make GM pay for my repairs.

Aug 27, 2006 46 Replies

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shiden_kai 19 years ago

"James Goforth" wrote

Why isn't it the case? I worked on those engines for years and they most certainly were not much more then an Olds gas engine that had been beefed up in certain places.....obviously the heads would have different combustion chambers, but they used the identical style of valve train as the gas engine. Hey, they beefed up the crankshaft, guess that's why we had tons of them with crankshafts broken right in half.

There were "nonstop" problems with this engine from beginning to almost the end. The last version wasn't bad...but as GM is famous for....as soon as you fix it, phase it out.

Not even close. Oh, they might have "designed" it that way, but it rarely worked that way in reality.

Ian

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Maccaca 19 years ago

Relaying what I heard. Old ford 2.8's and GM 2.8's arent dissimilar. So it was copied from ford in the late 70's. Either way the engine design should of been scrapped long ago. Instead they kept it and made it worse every chance they got. They made a few improvements with the 3500 and

3900. However neither is a worthy replacement for the 3800. 3800's have intake failures too.

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Maccaca 19 years ago

My father had an 85 Oldsmobile 98 with a 3.8 years ago...and his intake gasket failed back then.

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Maccaca 19 years ago

I thought the main idea of Dexcool was maintenance free for 100-150k miles?? So what maintenance are you referring to?

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Maccaca 19 years ago

Yeeeah ....at 80K miles...and 131k miles.

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William H. Bowen 19 years ago

Normal maintenance for a cooling system, regardless of the coolant used involves checking condition of hoses,check for leaks at hose connections to items like radiator and making sure recovery tank coolant level is kept at proper level.

ANYONE that tells you a system on an automobile is "maintenance-fee" is a fool! Even the ententainment systems require maintenance (cleaning tape player heads for instance).

Regards, Bill Bowen Sacramento, CA

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Hairy 19 years ago

Better to relay what you *know*, rather than all the fairy tales you've heard.

How do you know?? Seems to me, the jury is still out on those engines.

Dave

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