Hello there, I here that there is some type of horse tablet (or something like that) that I can add in my radiator to keep it from rusting or from overheating in the long run! Can someone please feel me in on whether this is true or not? Thanks ahead!!

2005 Pontiac Bonneville GXP

just do your regular maintenance and dont put anything in it except coolant and you wont have any issues.

I believe what you heard about was a 90'* era additive that GM (at least Cadillac) recommended be added to the cooling system to prevent small leaks. Had nothing to do with preventing corrosion or overheating. They were rather large brown tablets (I believe they were made out of crushed walnut shells), GM no longer recommends their routine use.

The 'horse tablet' was something to stop leaks, and adding it to your rad is a bad idea. It also blocks up small coolant passageways. Use proper coolant, keep the rad fins clean and flush on a regular basis and you should not have a problem. Your radiator is primary aluminum with plastic tanks, and rust should not be a problem.

Keeping the antifreeze solution up to strength (40-50%) and flushing the coolant every 3-4 years should be all the maintenance your cooling system needs unless it starts leaking.

The reason for keeping it up to strength is to prevent electrolytic erosion, which will occur in any situation where disimilar metals are in a conductive solution. An iron block and an aluminium radiator is a classic example, also cylinder heads, manifolds and water pumps might be made of aluminium.
Antifreeze contains additives to inhibit this process.

I have junked the heads on several cars that broke down on trips from southern Europe back to the UK with no antifreeze, the owners hadn't known of the importance of keeping antifreeze up to strength.

Roger.

Thanks to all who replied, I truly appreciate the info and I hope that I can return some back in the future!!! God blessthumbup2