Dexcool problems?

[timinator]

"Sometimes they really don't take into account the budget conscious home mechanic or shop and perhaps the Dex-Cool was always too finicky to begin with."

I think that is the problem right there. That is why I switched back to the green stuff. Don't have to worry about it as much as you do with Dex-Cool.

Could not agree with you more. Problem is some customers will not allow me to switch so it is at least nice to know how to prevent the problems.

[rally]

mike22l thanks for setting stockcar5 straight on this dex-cool discussion. stockcar doesnt have a clue what you and i and others out there who dealt with these issues on dex-cool and damage that has occured. Let me set stockcar5 straight too. Talked to a GM Service rep and he told me the dex-cool caused leaky heater core problems in the Jimmy and Blazer vehicles 95 and up. I am wrong, no i am just passing this info on i was told. mike22l i understand completely your argument.

[jsgarage]

As a quick-check, take a good VOM set on the lowest possible scale, select 'voltage' and stick one lead in the coolant only, with the other grounded. If you get a reading of 0.070v (70 millivolts) or below, you're OK. Above that reading, you have significant electrolysis going on in there and aluminum parts are busily dissolving. For this test, it matters not what kind of antifreeze but it DOES matter if you have corrosive local water in your area. Note this test won't work with a $5 VOM from Kragens. I use a $250 Fluke #8024-B VOM set on 0-2VDC.

Grounding the rad may or may not help, but while the VOM is hooked up, try turning on the ignition, the headlights and stepping on the brakes with the engine not running: if the VOM reading changes, something else on that circuit has a bad ground. Corvettes, Z-28s and modified cars with all-aluminum engines & rads need to do this check regularly, and they often find all kinds of things with poor grounds. Some cars need a sacrificial magnesium anode in the tank. They can also use 'No-Rosion' additive in their coolant when local water is strongly acidic. It's now included with all aluminum Fluidyne rads. You can check local water with swimming-pool pH paper. If its far below 7.0, you may have electrolysis problems.

[zums]

i have 4 vehicles with dexcool,99 v-6 144000 miles never changed 2003 156000 never changed - 2000 v-8 89000 never changed and 65 chevelle aluminum rad, not one problem, dont know what you guys are talkin about

[Dodge Freak]

i have 4 vehicles with dexcool,99 v-6 144000 miles never changed 2003 156000 never changed - 2000 v-8 89000 never changed and 65 chevelle aluminum rad, not one problem, dont know what you guys are talkin about

And where do you live/. up here in cold Michigan all of mine have turn to jelly. Stuff is junk, imo. Had a 1992 olds and never had a problem with it for 19 years, had a 2000 Buick and that went bad around 70,000 miles.,lots of stop leak got it til 180,000 miles.

[Dodge Freak]

GM didn't lose a major lawsuit about Dexcool cause of good lawyers

[zums]

nj, plenty of cold winters, check all the dexcool with the eth gly index, run them all protected to -10 to -20

[raynorshine]

o5 chevy.... original coolant...might of added..can't remember ever adding anything....-40F temps during winter......no problems of any kind.....?????????????????

[zums]

changed the stats, put back what was caught, what needed to be added was 50 water- 50 dex

[timinator]

[quote="jsgarage"] Some cars need a sacrificial magnesium anode in the tank.

Although magnesium is an alkaline earth metal and therefore will neutralize acid, it is reactive in water. More so in hot water. Did you mean to say zinc anode? Thanks for the tip on No-Rosion.

[raynorshine]

o5 chevy.... original coolant...might of added..can't remember ever adding anything....-40F temps during winter......no problems of any kind.....?????????????????

oh ya, 200 KM too......

[redcorvette]

2003 Venture van, 160,000 miles, original coolant, -35 F winter, +95 F summer, no engine, rad or heater core problems so far. Topped up the overflow tank with a mixture of no name long life coolant and well water a couple of years ago, haven't added any since.