Coolant drain/flush/refill
Platinum Member
Joined: 01-09-2007
Posts: 16,081
From: SE USA
CCK- The Dex-Cool has a much longer life than regular Prestone green..
Not sure how compatable a mix of both would be ? Since I'm still under warranty, & also because of the entended life. I'll stick with the recommended Dex-Cool
Not sure how compatable a mix of both would be ? Since I'm still under warranty, & also because of the entended life. I'll stick with the recommended Dex-Cool
Founding Member
Joined: 11-23-2007
Posts: 8,210
From: Texas
If you mix dex-cool and green coolant you get the life span of the the green. I wouldn't do that. If you want to flush your radiator every 2 years or so use green. I don't remember if it was 24K or 30K that it was recommended by GM to flush the green. If you want to have 150K coolant use dex-cool.
The only GM vehicles that had problems with dex-cool were the 1995-2003 3.1L, 3.6L and 4.3L engines. There may have been others that I am not remembering, but all were V6s.
The problem was it turned to mud in those vehicles when the coolant level was allowed to run low, but not low enough to turn a light on. Plugged radiators and heater cores were the norm on those vehicles.
There was a class action suit that was lost by GM on those vehicles. The bad part was the lawyers got $16 million and claimants got $50-$800 each, depending on what related repairs had been paid for. Owners had to submit a claim by 2008.
The only GM vehicles that had problems with dex-cool were the 1995-2003 3.1L, 3.6L and 4.3L engines. There may have been others that I am not remembering, but all were V6s.
The problem was it turned to mud in those vehicles when the coolant level was allowed to run low, but not low enough to turn a light on. Plugged radiators and heater cores were the norm on those vehicles.
There was a class action suit that was lost by GM on those vehicles. The bad part was the lawyers got $16 million and claimants got $50-$800 each, depending on what related repairs had been paid for. Owners had to submit a claim by 2008.
Platinum Member
Joined: 05-09-2006
Posts: 6,805
From: "Upland" Mesa, Arizona
If you mix dex-cool and green coolant you get the life span of the the green. I wouldn't do that. If you want to flush your radiator every 2 years or so use green. I don't remember if it was 24K or 30K that it was recommended by GM to flush the green. If you want to have 150K coolant use dex-cool.
The only GM vehicles that had problems with dex-cool were the 1995-2003 3.1L, 3.6L and 4.3L engines. There may have been others that I am not remembering, but all were V6s.
The problem was it turned to mud in those vehicles when the coolant level was allowed to run low, but not low enough to turn a light on. Plugged radiators and heater cores were the norm on those vehicles.
There was a class action suit that was lost by GM on those vehicles. The bad part was the lawyers got $16 million and claimants got $50-$800 each, depending on what related repairs had been paid for. Owners had to submit a claim by 2008.
The only GM vehicles that had problems with dex-cool were the 1995-2003 3.1L, 3.6L and 4.3L engines. There may have been others that I am not remembering, but all were V6s.
The problem was it turned to mud in those vehicles when the coolant level was allowed to run low, but not low enough to turn a light on. Plugged radiators and heater cores were the norm on those vehicles.
There was a class action suit that was lost by GM on those vehicles. The bad part was the lawyers got $16 million and claimants got $50-$800 each, depending on what related repairs had been paid for. Owners had to submit a claim by 2008.
Platinum Member
Joined: 05-09-2006
Posts: 6,805
From: "Upland" Mesa, Arizona
OK, I'll add a little more.....
I was TOLD, by undisclosed sources, that GM originally used the Dexcool in aluminum blocks...trucks, etc. with great success. They made an erroneous transition to the iron blocks with Dexcool and did not do adequate testing (remember, I was one....in a 3.1 Lumina).
I was TOLD, by undisclosed sources, that GM originally used the Dexcool in aluminum blocks...trucks, etc. with great success. They made an erroneous transition to the iron blocks with Dexcool and did not do adequate testing (remember, I was one....in a 3.1 Lumina).
Senior Member
Joined: 02-16-2009
Posts: 6,038
From: Frankenmuth/Flint, MI
Platinum Member
Joined: 01-09-2007
Posts: 16,081
From: SE USA
OK, I'll add a little more.....
I was TOLD, by undisclosed sources, that GM originally used the Dexcool in aluminum blocks...trucks, etc. with great success. They made an erroneous transition to the iron blocks with Dexcool and did not do adequate testing (remember, I was one....in a 3.1 Lumina).
I was TOLD, by undisclosed sources, that GM originally used the Dexcool in aluminum blocks...trucks, etc. with great success. They made an erroneous transition to the iron blocks with Dexcool and did not do adequate testing (remember, I was one....in a 3.1 Lumina).
Snoopy-
Very interesting !!! Thanks for the info !!!
& afterthought, my former 4.3 had Iron heads as well..