Question: Different coolants?

[killain]

Changing coolant & sign of the times. . .

Well....I'm not sure what "Global" antifreeze is and we still haven't established if what you put in the engine was actually propylene glycol or ethylene glycol but...if the bottom line question is: What's safe for a cast iron engine, that easy.

If the coolant mix is safe for an aluminum engine it will also be safe for a cast iron engine, so be it propylene or ethylene, it will be fine as a 50/50 mix in a cast iron motor.

For those following my mechanical/coolant escapades, I drained the "Global" whatever coolant and installed Preston Green ethylene Glycol and I wanted to just check the freezing point, and my 15 year old anti-freeze tester was shot, so I set out to find an 'Anti-freeze' tester. Easy you'd took ? ? ? Guess again. I hit four auto parts stores before I found a prestone tester at Auto Zone. Cost $2.95 and my freshly serviced cooling system is good to -34 degrees. There isn't any testers for Dex Cool I assume as I couldn't find a single one.

 

[G Winter]

For those following my mechanical/coolant escapades, I drained the "Global" whatever coolant and installed Preston Green ethylene Glycol and I wanted to just check the freezing point, and my 15 year old anti-freeze tester was shot, so I set out to find an 'Anti-freeze' tester. Easy you'd took ? ? ? Guess again. I hit four auto parts stores before I found a prestone tester at Auto Zone. Cost $2.95 and my freshly serviced cooling system is good to -34 degrees. There isn't any testers for Dex Cool I assume as I couldn't find a single one.

You might have to look for a refractometer . Which is going to cost a bit more.

OF89031 OLD FORGE REFRACTOMETER ANTIFREEZE TESTER | eBay

 

[Hib Halverson]

You might have to look for a refractometer . Which is going to cost a bit more.

OF89031 OLD FORGE REFRACTOMETER ANTIFREEZE TESTER | eBay

"G Winter" is spot on. Several years ago, I went around to three or four different auto parts vendors and purchased a bunch of different hydrometer type antifreeze testers. Everyone of them was inaccurate.

My test benchmark was a borrowed refractometer sold by Kent-Moore to GM dealers. I never again used a hydrometer type tester and I acquired my own K-M refractometer.

 

[G Winter]

"G Winter" is spot on. Several years ago, I went around to three or four different auto parts vendors and purchased a bunch of different hydrometer type antifreeze testers. Everyone of them was inaccurate.

My test benchmark was a borrowed refractometer sold by Kent-Moore to GM dealers. I never again used a hydrometer type tester and I acquired my own K-M refractometer.

I know about the refractometers because I use one at work to check machining coolant. The scale on them is % I have never used an automotive one, what is the scale on them? Temps ?

 

[catbert]

My 2006 Grand Prix owners manual says change coolant every 5 yrs or 100,000 miles ... at 80,000 the heater core plugged with slime.
Any vehicle I own with the dexcool will get it dumped and flushed . It is the poorest excuse for coolant I have ever had the misfortune of
having in a vehicle.

I've heard this comment a lot over the years from folks with first-hand experience. I haven't had issues, but I know a couple very famous Corvette engine builders who won't refill with Dexcool. It's hard to either prove or disprove the so-called problem scientifically in the field, so you have to give some credence to folks who have actually experienced issues.