I'm a little behind schedule with the motor swap but today was the day to prepare for the drivetrain drop. When I disconnected the lower radiator hose, a teriyaki sauce-like liquid came out of the hose. There is a DexCool sticker on the strut tower so I assume that once upon a time it used to be orange but it was far from that. Also, I noticed some green tint in the ground drippings. Is this simply a case of someone adding conventional coolant/antifreeze to the DexCool or is this a more serious problem?

The radiator in the 97 is cracked so I'll be using adifferent one. I'm not sure which one yet but I have a choice of the original 90, 89 parts car or something else from a junk yard. Another question would be if there are any ramifications to initially using only water to get the swap done and then getting the cooling system flushed and filled with conventional coolant? Should I consider the DexCool instead? Do the two types of coolant play well together?

Sounds like a bit of the pink and green got mixed. Dexcool and the regular green don't play well together.
You can run straight water, just not for a very long time. If you fill it up with water and run to a shop to get a flush and fill it should be fine, just keep an eye on that temp gauge.
Dexcool is supposed to be one of those things that will last a very long time, but is also a little more spendy.

Check out the thread in 92-99 on radiator replacement. There'* quite a bit about the two colors not working well together. JR even mentions sending a neighbor in for a flush and fill after she mixed hers....turns to a mud.

I'll fill you in ...oh in about 6 hours...crap...I better get some sleep

Dont run strait water.. that would fry your waterpump...

What you are seeing might also be GM cooling system suppliment. It will give the coolant a muddy looking color. A bit disconserting but harmless if that is the case.

If you have been running green silicated coolant, don't bother switching back to Dex-cool. Once you go green you can't go back as the system gets plated with silicates and Dex-Cool, while it still will perform ok, looses it'* longevity and you are still relegated to 2 yr. coolant changes. Might just as well stick with the cheaper green stuff.

As mentioned, DON'T MIX 'EM.

Can anyone describe the smell of the dex-cool with the supplement tabs? Sounds as if it looks teryakish...but what does it smell like?

There is no difference in the smell, only in color. Dex has a bright orange color. When you add the suppliment tabs to it, it gets dulled down a little. Slightly muddy looking. Not quite as bright orange. The sealant tabs are ground up ginger root and are a fawn, cardboard or clay color. You can then imagine 4 of those in the coolant will some what dull the bright orange color. Best explanaition I can think of. Hope that helps.

I have had considerable bad experiences with Dex-Cool in my Sonoma truck also in my sister'* GMC Jimmy. In both cooling systems the Dex-Cool turned really muddy and into sludge that plugged up the heater cores. After numerous flushes and cleaning according to the GM cleaning procedures still had problems. Put in the conventional anti freeze in both a couple of years ago and had no problems since. Do a serch on google and check out Dex cool problems. There are very many people with the same problems with Dex-cool and even class action suits in progress against GM for these problems. I would sooner have to go back to the regular coolant servicing schedule than deal with the problems of Dex-cool supposed extended life service schedule.

Flatlander

I can confirm this. When I bought my '96 with 116k on it, it came with green coolant and I later found out the dealer changed it over about 20k into the motors life. Since then there have been no coolant problems.

Geeeze. Sounds like I should keep an eye on the wife'* car too.

The coolant was well beyond dulled or muddied orange. It had the color and consistancy of Guiness beer without the bubbles and foam.