What brand coolant will you replace in your GM vehicle after a flush?
 

What brand coolant will you install after a flush on a GM vehicle 1998 or newer (DEX Generation)?

Prestone. That's what my dad has always used and we've never had a problem that was directly related to the coolant (had a line blow on the Tarus but that was because the line rotted)

AnyColor.. Brand isn't overly important.

A quick check on Prestone DEX prices :

Walmart PRESTONE 50/50 DEX $12 a GALLON
Walmart PRESTONE straight DEX $13 a gallon
Distilled water $1.69 per gallon

Which means

1 gallon of 50/50 bought at store $12
2 gallons of 50/50 mixed yourself $14.69

$12 for a gallon or $7.35 a gallon for the same stuff.

Mix my own, and went green only because the color helps identify it's coolant.

Honestly... I run DeathCool. LOL

There haven't been any concerns vs deathcool in the Duramax, Nor the LD8 that I have seen !!

I'm at 70k so I haven't had to flush yet. I'm still buying the 50/50 DEX from Oreilly to keep it topped.

Whatever is on sale at the junkyard.

Just changed out my Dex @ 47K miles with another round of the same. It was definately dingy and off colored compar5ed to new. I wouldn't trust it beyond 50k seeing how mine has started to degade.

Why all the 50/50 options in the poll and no OEM AC Delco DexCool options? Using 50/50??? Sorry for the burn here but that's for women folk with nothing better to do than pay an pour.

I usually buy the 50/50 because it's safer to keep around.

Danica Patrick is hott, so Peak

I buy pretty much any coolant, though usually it's Prestone over Traveller if I have that option at TSC stores.

As soon as the warranty was up, flushed out the DEXcool and put in good ole Prestone green coolant. Flushed out wifeys 06 Equinox that we got recently as soon as wee got it. I think I put Napa green coolant in it.....

i went to valvoline for a coolant flush because i know someone who works there, they did not have pink dexcool, so their 'dexcool compatable' alternative was the peak global yellow

it's now 2 weeks later, and my stuff is murky and i can see sediment in the overflow, and inside the radiator cap kneck....

i think i'm going to go back and have another flush done, i don't like murky coolant.

You should point out that murkiness to them and see if you can have a bit of a refund for it since you feel like you need another flush. Sorry about that, and actually the yellow stuff usually gives me pretty good results.

Ya, those flushing machines need to be run until clear. The process disturbs sediment. Most of these places stop as soon as the fluid starts to change. They don't want to waste new. My guy starts with water in the fill reservoir, then when it's clear, redoes it with antifreeze.

they did it 4 times already haha - i'm not 'blaming' them for doing it wrong, i checked it later that day - and a few days later in the carwash - it was still yellow, and clear - the sediment crept back up over time -

I'll go back for my oil change on monday, and if they'll give me a good discount on another round of flushing - i won't complain.

I really dont like the new macines that just "flush" by running new in to replace the old. Back in the day when I worked at Sears Auto, we had a machine that cleaned alot better by reversing the flow with clean water after you drained. It brought out alot of sediment. But with today's laws I guess dumping the flush water into the sewer isn't allowed.

Oh, wow! That's a great idea! I once made a coolant filter, and I still have it. It's a strainer in a cup, and I'll see if I can find all the pics and make a thread about it. I didn't actually catch that much. I guess it all depends on you having lots of sediment in the first place when you attempt to filter/flush coolant.

Ya, The thing with garage flushes is nobody wants one until they after they are having cooling problems.

But to change dex cool only after 40K miles is expensive

I don't care about brands unless my hydrometer complains. As long as I've got a hose nearby, I'll take whatever 100% green is available.

back home they just throw tab water in the radiator lol :roflmao:

but yeah i run OEM stufff

a/c delco 50/50 dexcool all the way. Its made with lubricants to help the water pump. As long as you do you required flushes (90k miles on most GM's)(But i like to go every 45k) you will have no problem. I'm big on using OE products becuase thats what the vehicle was designed to have in it.

Your alot like my grandfather was...If it didnt come on the vehicle from the factory it did not belong...And nothing other than oe would do...but this is the guy who had a 67 bonneville convertable with a 426 and 3 2 barrel carbs

LOL ... I admit there are a few exceptions but being a GM tech, I have seen waht kind of damage can happen when something other than what is recommended is used, be it parts or fluids.

Yeah i've seen some damage from things of such to but ive noticed its more operator error not the part/fluid itsself....I.E. said person not doing it right lol

whatever was in it originally

none of the above. I had her go green (prestone I believe) after the inital flush.

the original dexcool went 35k on my monte, and moms 2003 impala went less. both cars were only a few years old. i was pretty upset to find a permanent brown stained reservoir. now all cars i have and work on get the all makes prestone extended life as soon as i can. my monte has 165k and a few more flushes and i still have the brown reservoir. no gasket failures though on either the monte or moms impala.

What color was the sludge? Dark brown or light brown? DexCool is not invincible like many people may be led to believe. Air pockets in the system or even a slight mixture with a different kind of coolant will foul up the DexCool in short order and turn it into sludge or gel. It needs to be replaced at minimum every 5 years or 150k miles as well.

Gasket failures occur on 60*V6 engines regardless of coolant type used. These failures date back to the early 1990's.

looked like coffee flavored yogurt, and both cars were virgin and less than 30 percent of the recommended interval. no air pockets that i know of because i do the main. and i didnt even remove the cap until then , i only looked at the bottle to make sure it was at the line.

so if so many of those engines did have failures why not mine or my moms. I think it was because i got rid of the dexcool so early.

Dexcool itself is not what kills the gaskets. Its the acidity in the coolant that kills the gaskets. The sludging up, as mentioned by one of the admins before, is due to either mixture with other coolant types, or air in the cooling system. This would clog up the radiator and overheat the engine, not blow your gaskets. I wouldn't put it above GM to fill the car's cooling system improperly from the factory, lol. It is likely that there were air pockets in the system without you knowing about it, as air in the system will result in light brown colored sludge and this has been proven.

That being said, I would keep an eye on it. Don't get me wrong I'm very, very glad that your coolant has held up so well thus far because LIM gaskets aren't fun, but just keep in mind its the acidity, not the sludging that kills the gaskets, and all coolants will get acidic after some time and will need to be replaced.

The original Dex of the Lawsuit had a life expectancy of 100k. A variety of reasons including the gasket etching proved out that it did not last that period. It has since been reformulated and those gaskets not used since 2003-4? The New Dex formulated after the lawsuit is warrantied for 150k and tests seem to prove this out. So alot of the debates here, is welcome to yesterday.....Whether a manufacturer other than GM/Havoline says it's Dex compatible or not is only as credible as that maker. I wouldn't add any other formulation with Dex. Although if your going to switch, I would certainly advise using one that states so because of residue. I've been using Dex for 16 years and never seen it go "milky" without being adulterated. I did have an S10 where it went "staining brown" after a bad overheat. None of us are lab scientists, and what seems like credible evidence on both sides (Again, regarding old original Dex) floods the internet. So why waste the breath and effort. If you feel it's not for you, don't use it. For others, that's their business.

For myself, I've been using it since it's inception, I have always changed it out like any antifreeeze @ 3 years/50k miles and other than the overheat incident (bad water pump) have had 0 problems. The GXP was changed out with the old slightly darker but still let light through. It was replaced with new Dex. Using other than manufacturers recommendations voids warranty for those like me that have one.

8 months and only 36 votes???
Picking up heads today, last of the Rock Auto order coming tomorrow.
After 3 flushes with plain tap water before teardown, I guess I'll do one more with distilled water after re-assembly, and then then use the Pres-Dex...

I'm gearing up to flush out my radio when the weather gets better, but it'll just be a hose out and dex (already have it sitting around). I don't have a job and limited funds, so 80 dollars or however much it would cost to take it to a shop (as well as not knowing if theyll actually use what I give them) to get a flush is too much for me to handle right now.

It's interesting this thread has resurrected itself in the past couple of days. I had been planning to change my coolant tomorrow for a few days anyway and for the record I bought Prestone Dex 50/50 to do it. Northstars love dexcool and wouldn't put anything else it.

Ugh, radio? I'm having brainfarts galore tonight :rolleyes:

I use fleetgaurd (cummins) its enviro. friendly they say its drinkable non toxic( not me after its been run ) and can be mixed with any other antifreeze.