Hello...

I was wondering about the new radiator fluid that Chevrolet is using. I think it's some kind of gell fluid. Anyway... Is this good stuff to use with our old big block colling system or should the old style coolant be used? If it can be used, do you have to change some of the parts for the old system, like the cap, overflow tank, water pump, heater core, etc. or can you just use all the stock parts without any problems?

Thanks a bunch!

Al

I assume you mean "dex" cool. The orange stuff? It is supposed to last 5 years but you cannot mix it with standard antifreeze. I don't use it because I flush & fill fairly often but I don't think it will hurt anything. I do know that if you mix in even a small amount of the "green" stuff with dex cool, the corrosion protection disappears.



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Regards,
RLK
TC Member #918
ACES member
Metroplex Muscle
My Cars (http://home.texoma.net/~rknipe/)

Thanks Knipe! I'll stick with the old stuff.

Al

Avoid Dex-Cool at all costs, its garbage, plus we open up our systems more frequently than every five years which negates the cost of the orange stuff. I know its not Chevelle related but ask any S-10 or Blazer owner that was equipped with Orange stuff what they think about it . Stuff looks like chewing tobacco in the radiator after a few years.

Thanks Greg. My brother-in-law has an S10 and that's why I thought of it. He drives that truck quite a bit. I'll have to ask him about it. I don't recall him saying what it looked like, but I'll be seeing him within a few weeks and ask then.

Al

I have been paying attention to all of the pros and cons here for several weeks about DexCool because I purchased a Tahoe new in June,01
When I read in the owners manual to use only DexCool and nothing else in the cooling system I thought, oh thats just a sales pitch. I guess not.
Why would GM use something that is not compatable with other coolants?
After reading all this stuff I finally asked the service manager at Findlay Chev. in Kingman about the bad reports about this stuff and he said he knew nothing about it.
It would seem to me, if ixing could cause that much damage they should put a placard in plain view of the driver, do not mix with regular coolant.
I am going to print out some of these posts and take it back to this guy who " Knew nothing about it" and ask him again.
Why do they want to "improve" on something so simple as coolant that hasent failed us for so many years. Sounds dumb to me but then again, maybe I'm missing something.

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Bill Brown. 70 El Camino.Member#669. Slowly getting back in the groove.

Bill, If that service manager in Kingman knows nothing about those problems, he is brand new or maybe I better save my comments to a less public medium. GM and all the Radiator associated publications have been posting notices on it for years. In defense of Dex-cool, most of the problems have been with the radiator cap originally on the car. But, I still wouldn't use it. The ad for it one used to see on TV is most misleading and I'm surprised nobody has filed a lawsuit against them. Bottom line: Don't mix it with green antifreeze and keep a good eye on the condition of your coolant