DChan415
Enthusiast
How many of you guys are using Dex-Cool coolant in your Vipers?
How many of you are using Dex-Cool?
- Thread starter DChan415
- Start date
Dex-Cool caused some problems in GM 350's like in Tahoes and Burbans. Apparently it was causing some problems with the intake gaskets. Lots of folks have done a complete system flush and gone back to old fashioned green. I also read in an automotive trade rag that the verdict was still out on OAT (which I think stands for organic acid technology).
A few folks at work that have had these problems with the "Dex-Cool", and one guy changed over.
A few folks at work that have had these problems with the "Dex-Cool", and one guy changed over.
Motor City Mad Man
Enthusiast
I've been using it for 2 years now in the Viper with no apparent problems. I've heard rumors about the problems in GM vehicles.
I'm using Zerex G05. It's in a gold bottle and is yellow and is forward and backward compatable with green. A Car and Driver article recently with the 50th Ann. Corvette on the front had a write-up that this was the best.
This is not to be confused with their white bottle Zerex long life coolant which is green.
I decided not to use Dex-cool because it's critical not to mix this with my factory fill green. I would only do this if I went to a place to professionally flush the system and I'd have to be convinced how they would get ALL the old stuff out.
This is not to be confused with their white bottle Zerex long life coolant which is green.
I decided not to use Dex-cool because it's critical not to mix this with my factory fill green. I would only do this if I went to a place to professionally flush the system and I'd have to be convinced how they would get ALL the old stuff out.
Ron
Enthusiast
A lot of rumors & internet gossip on DexCool. Do the serious research (SAE white papers for example) and you'll find DexCool quite satisfactory plus has several real benefits over green.
Reality is though, any coolant properly installed and maintained is fine.
Green contamination just means that you loose the long life properties of DexCool. It will still maintain anti-corrosive and freeze / boilover protection.
Reality is though, any coolant properly installed and maintained is fine.
Green contamination just means that you loose the long life properties of DexCool. It will still maintain anti-corrosive and freeze / boilover protection.
Andy
Enthusiast
Where's Tom Hayden when you need him? He's a coolant guy when he's not autocrossing.
Tom F&L GoR
Enthusiast
DexCool is actually a licensed name from GM that indicates the coolant has met their longlife coolant specifications. It's not really a specific technology.
GM had some coolant underfill problems that, because the radiator had no cap at all, like Vipers, and the plastic fill reservior looked full, like Vipers, the owner never suspected problems until it overheated. The field fix was to flush and refill with green, which "magically" cured the problem. (I believe this was in smaller GM SUVs.) Of course filling the system completely didn't have anything to do with it.... The overheating caused severe deposits in the cooling system so just filling up didn't cure the problems due to plugged passageways. So DexCool products got a "reputation" that's been hard to overcome. Consider that it also puts several other green coolant companies literally out of business, and the competitiveness has been at times quite ugly.
Similarly, mixing the two has for some reason caused people anxiety, yet there's no problematic issue not to. There are some laboratory bench tests that were designed long ago to evaluate (green) coolants before pink coolants existed. In these specific tests, pink coolants don't always look great, because the test is measuring something the pink coolant doesn't do. Field performance has always been very good.
As Ron says, the resulting protection is a mix also. Remember that the green coolant works by plating out the additive very quickly to provide a protective coating, so the additive reserve is close to nothing in a short time. The pink coolant works the other way; it only attacts corrosion sites when they show signs of starting, so the additive is available for a much longer time. Hence the 2 year change requirement for the green and the 5 year/150K mile recommendation for pink.
Besides watching the development program progress, I now own a Dodge Intrepid that used recycled glycol with the extended life coolant package for most of it's 147K miles; and having seen the insides, it's fine. Extended life coolant has been in my '92 Dodge van and '96 Dakota since new, in my '94 RT since 20K miles when I got it (now has 60K.)
I'll repeat myself a little and point out that the "bad" news seems to come from competitors or those that hadn't gotten the full story about some problem, while the "good" news is in the technical literature (Society of Automotive Engineers technical papers.) So yes, I think it's a safe, goof-proof, fill and forget product.
(Maybe it was that pink coolant that helped my AX times...)
GM had some coolant underfill problems that, because the radiator had no cap at all, like Vipers, and the plastic fill reservior looked full, like Vipers, the owner never suspected problems until it overheated. The field fix was to flush and refill with green, which "magically" cured the problem. (I believe this was in smaller GM SUVs.) Of course filling the system completely didn't have anything to do with it.... The overheating caused severe deposits in the cooling system so just filling up didn't cure the problems due to plugged passageways. So DexCool products got a "reputation" that's been hard to overcome. Consider that it also puts several other green coolant companies literally out of business, and the competitiveness has been at times quite ugly.
Similarly, mixing the two has for some reason caused people anxiety, yet there's no problematic issue not to. There are some laboratory bench tests that were designed long ago to evaluate (green) coolants before pink coolants existed. In these specific tests, pink coolants don't always look great, because the test is measuring something the pink coolant doesn't do. Field performance has always been very good.
As Ron says, the resulting protection is a mix also. Remember that the green coolant works by plating out the additive very quickly to provide a protective coating, so the additive reserve is close to nothing in a short time. The pink coolant works the other way; it only attacts corrosion sites when they show signs of starting, so the additive is available for a much longer time. Hence the 2 year change requirement for the green and the 5 year/150K mile recommendation for pink.
Besides watching the development program progress, I now own a Dodge Intrepid that used recycled glycol with the extended life coolant package for most of it's 147K miles; and having seen the insides, it's fine. Extended life coolant has been in my '92 Dodge van and '96 Dakota since new, in my '94 RT since 20K miles when I got it (now has 60K.)
I'll repeat myself a little and point out that the "bad" news seems to come from competitors or those that hadn't gotten the full story about some problem, while the "good" news is in the technical literature (Society of Automotive Engineers technical papers.) So yes, I think it's a safe, goof-proof, fill and forget product.
(Maybe it was that pink coolant that helped my AX times...)
I use it and swear by it.
jimandela
Enthusiast
on finalGTS recommendation i have a garage full of the stuff and distilled water standing by.
just trying to find the time to swap it out!!!
if it is good enough for FINAL it is good enough for me!
He is the best non certified vipertech in the field.
just trying to find the time to swap it out!!!
if it is good enough for FINAL it is good enough for me!
He is the best non certified vipertech in the field.
Hey JIM,
Did you talk to Pat yet about the 24 hour "Replicated" Accusump system project???
HOLY HELL was that a project, started on a saturday at noon, and I worked NON STOP until noon on that Sunday, slept for 4 hours, then took the car back to his house, and installed a VEC-1! LOL, I am nuts...
Next chance I get I have to do his plugs and a coolant swap-(he's going Dex too)
Did you talk to Pat yet about the 24 hour "Replicated" Accusump system project???
HOLY HELL was that a project, started on a saturday at noon, and I worked NON STOP until noon on that Sunday, slept for 4 hours, then took the car back to his house, and installed a VEC-1! LOL, I am nuts...
Next chance I get I have to do his plugs and a coolant swap-(he's going Dex too)
jimandela
Enthusiast
So, all 3 of us will be on Dexcool!
scottgf
Viper Owner
Does Dex Cool offer any better cooling abilities like "Water Wetter" or is it just a corrosion, lifetime thing?
Just wondering...
Cheers,
Just wondering...
Cheers,
Ron
Enthusiast
DexCool does have have better heat transfer properties than green, but less than pure water. Don't know about wetter.
