Dexcool question....

[96Holly]

I boiled over my 96. I started a thread other than this one but have an interesting question.

If it boils over or overheats does the dexcool coolent (red stuff) gum up? Would it cause damage to the cooling fins in the rad or heater core??

Please help

 

[Ken Anderson]

No, but you will have to buy more dexcool.

 

[c4cruiser]

The cooland shouldn't affect the functioning radiator, but as long as the coolant that boiled over is sticky or gummy, it will allow dirt and debris to stick to it. You might run a stream of water through the fan shroud and rinse off the coolant and that will also help to dislodge any debris that is stuck to the radiator.

One of the common reasons for overheating is debris in front of the A/C condensor and the radiator.

 

[96Holly]

Thanks...

I think I was misunderstood. The remaining amount of Dexcool in the cooling system, will that gum up inside the rad or heater core after it overheats?

 

[88 4 Fun]

I think I was misunderstood. The remaining amount of Dexcool in the cooling system, will that gum up inside the rad or heater core after it overheats?

It could if you don't keep your radiator filled to the brim. That stuff likes to gell and eat metal.

I thought I'd try it in my 88. I flushed and cleaned everything then added "The Good Stuff". About six months later I lost a 1 year old water pump, the heater core started to leak and then the radiator split away from the plastic side tanks.

I later read that GM had a lot of problems with that stuff under heat and pressure and an air gap at the top of the radiator.

I'd really flush everything out, both inside and out.

Good Luck

BTW: I went back to Prestone Green

 

[BigRed]

Great time to switch it over to distilled and good ol' green and to stop wondering about some crappy liquid wrecking thousands of dollars worth of parts.

 

[Vettefan87]

Yea I agree. The green stuff is better and you do not have to worry about it harming your system.

 

[96Holly]

Thanks...

I had a problem with my Vette overheating. I got another post running but havn't had a chance to run some test to figure it out. See my post on overheating under load...

Anyway a freind of mine is having a problem with his GM van. Dealership was giving him a story about the heater core being cloged because of the Dexcool. I then thought about my problem with my vette overheating....

Killing two birds with one stone kind of thing here... Thanks again.

 

[86PACER]

Great time to switch it over to distilled and good ol' green and to stop wondering about some crappy liquid wrecking thousands of dollars worth of parts.

I agree. I went with DexCool before I knew better. After hearing bad things from owners on their almost new cars, I soon flushed it all out and went back to the Green coolant to be on the safe side and eliminate all worries and hastles I had about DexCool. I would suggest that you just switch to the Green coolant and forget all worries.