GM's Dexcool Lawsuits.........wazzup ??

[Tom Kearns]

Been watching people complain about their corvettes running warm and curious if the recent lawsuit claims can be the culprit.

My 98 pace car at 50,000 miles normally ran at 196 and started running at 200. A simple change of antifreezze brought it back to 196. My 2003 auto runs 5 degrees cooler than my 1998.

I NEVER see a 200+ unless in a parade or heavy traffic, then I just turn on the AC and it settles down to 190's.

Still don't understand the GM suit for ALLl cars made after 1996. You can search "dexcool" and see lotsa stuff on the topic. Should we be doing something ?? :confused

Tom Kearns
Lenexa KS
2003 Z-51 Auto

 

[Tuna]

I'm with you - I haven't had a bit of trouble from any of my DexCool cars. In fact every car I have has DexCool in it.

I'll bet that 99.99 % of the problems people think they have with DexCool is because they mixed it with the older style green antifreeze. The 2 are not compatible. I looked at one of the DexCool lawsuit sites and everything they listed there as problems can usually be attributed to mixing the different coolants.

Just to make sure I didn't make a mistake, I converted my 92 to Dexcool and tossed my older green antifreezes in the trash. I keep a bottle of DexCool around if I need and I've never needed it. I just had my 92 rebuilt and I had the water pump replaced. I kept the old one that ran with Dexcool for 5 years - it looks perfect and the shaft seal is not leaking. It had 100K miles on it too. The inside of the heads and the block were perfect also.

That's my 2 cents.

 

[tlong]

DexCool Uncool

Tuna, I have read many of your posts and respect your knowledge. However I must differ here after much research.

Dexcool is completely compatible with regular green coolant. No side effect except nullifying the supposed 5 year lifespan if mixed. If you try to go to Dex from regular there will be cross contamination due to residue imparted to the aluminum and iron as regular coolant is absorbed. You can never flush it all out.

I changed to Prestone from Dex in the '96, verbotten in the manual. I have a cooler running engine. There is no downside. The trouble starts when air is introduced to Dex systems. The Blazers had a slanted radiator cap that leaked, causing class action sized problems with gaskets, seals, heater cores and sludge. Our cars can have problems if the overflow tank goes dry and air is sucked back.

The Texaco people have started recomending change every 2-3 years, whiping out the advantages of non silica based glycol, other than questionable claims of water pump seal lifespan extension.

My opinion is why take a chance? Billions of miles on a small block Chevy engine with Prestone is strong precedent.

 

[XS650]

Re: DexCool Uncool

Our cars can have problems if the overflow tank goes dry and air is sucked back.

The Texaco people have started recomending change every 2-3 years, whiping out the advantages of non silica based glycol, other than questionable claims of water pump seal lifespan extension.

My opinion is why take a chance? Billions of miles on a small block Chevy engine with Prestone is strong precedent.

I'm new to the Dexcool stuff. My '96 i just got still has it in it so now I have to deal with it.

From what I have been seeing in the Forums, Dexcool works fine as long as everything in your cooling system is just right. Unfortunately, a slight radiator cap leak can turn you coolant to doo-doo. Seems a bit sensitive to turn lose on the general public to me. :duh

Something I figured out after years of product development is that if a fair share of your customers are having problems with your product, you did something wrong. Doesn't matter if they aren't following your directions exactly. You should have made it more idiot resistant or educated them better. Since the general American motoring public isn't educable, things need to be idiot resistant.

Sometimes I wonder if GM see us as beta testers.

 

[Tuna]

Re: DexCool Uncool

Tuna, I have read many of your posts and respect your knowledge. However I must differ here after much research.

Our cars can have problems if the overflow tank goes dry and air is sucked back.

I see you point. I have not come across the issue of air getting in the system causing problems with DexCool. If that is truely the issue, then every car has that problem - anybody that lets the overflow tank go dry is not maintaining their car as well as they should and they probably have a leak some where or they have over heated the motor as some time in the pass.

I'll defer to you in the future on DexCool issues.

In the meantime, I'll continue to use DexCool in all my cars and I'll continue to check the systems as I currently do. As I noted already, my 92 is/was perfect inside after years of DexCool use.

 

[Dean Barker]

I was an engineer in the Agricultural tractor industry. Close to 10 years ago, Texaco came in and gave us a sales pitch to try to get us to switch to the heavy duty extended life anti-freeze. Off the record, they said it would last forevery but officially said to change it in our tractors every 5000 hours. Management did not go with their program, but I personally thought it sounded like the way to go. I also farm, so I started converting everything to either the heavy duty or regular extended life antifreeze. My first 87 Buick LeSabre had Dexcool in it for about 8 years with absolutely no problems. Before Dexcool I had to replace two water pumps and clean the catch tank every year or so. After Dexcool, no water pump problems and no crud in the catch tank. One of my tractors showed clear green anti-freeze when drained, but with the HD Dexcool, it immediately turned muddy. I had just bought this tractor used so had no history on it. The first time I used it under heavy load it started overheating. That winter I, removed the radiator, and took it to a shop. I was told it was rotten so had put a new core in it. I then assembled the tractor and installed new HD Dexcool, and every since it has worked good. HD Dexcool seemed to clean up all the crud in a contaminated system and keep it in suspension. If you have a radiator that is ready to leak but is plugged up by crud with the green anti-freeze, installing Dexcool will clean up the crud and the radiator will leak. So, I have currently 3 cars, 2 pickups, and 4 diesel tractors with HD Dexcool or Dexcool. The coolant stays nice and clean with not a single water pump failure after Dexcool. This is just my two cents worth. Sorry for the lengthy history.

 

[Mike Mercury]

Dean, very imformative!

 

[vettenuts]

I agree with Dean. I have changed over all my cars, with the exception of the new BMW, to Dexcool. Keep it full, and no problems. I also went into the block and radiator of my 90 Vette when I had it while the Dexcool was drained for some winter motor work I was doing. It was unbelievably clean. Never saw a Prestone block look like that after draining. I am very impressed with the coolant and will continue to use it.

 

[bowtiebandit]

I'll just add my 2 cents from what I see. Those that have problems with Dexcool, Blazers, occasional F and B bodies, have all had a leak of some kind that either went unnoticed or ignored.
I have flushed countless numbers of Blazers and each and everyone that has come in with "Mississippi Mud" have all had either a waterpump or an intake leak.
It basically boils down to a properly maintained vehicle plain and simple. Ignore it and it will ignore you.

 

[jack volkert]

dexcool

stay away from G.M.'s dexcool, it breaks down very fast and turns brown and will eat water pumps. Texaco dexcool has been good to me over the years. i flush it every 2-3 years and only use distilled water with it. it looks like new when it is drained, i would swear by it.

 

[vettenuts]

Re: dexcool

stay away from G.M.'s dexcool, it breaks down very fast and turns brown and will eat water pumps. Texaco dexcool has been good to me over the years. i flush it every 2-3 years and only use distilled water with it. it looks like new when it is drained, i would swear by it.

Not sure I understand, they are one and the same (GM and Texaco).:confused

 

[Rich96c4ce]

Re: Re: DexCool Uncool

.............Since the general American motoring public isn't educable, things need to be idiot resistant...............

Wow, the most absolutely true statement I have ever seen in this forum! I have thought that for decades but never dared to say it publicly. :BOW to the daring XS650!

.............Sometimes I wonder if GM see us as beta testers................

Amen, Brother! How about this, too - No drain plug on a C4 differential, either suck some of it out, or take the cover off. Just ad .

 

[jack volkert]

dexcool

the texaco havoline dexcool is not made by GM. GM have their own brand which is different, trust me.

 

[bowtiebandit]

Nice article here about half way down the page

http://www.motorage.com/motorage/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=54983

 

[vettenuts]

Here are three more with good information:

Dexcool Article Presented by Texaco/GM

Radiator Cap Information

Information on the Dexcool Lawsuit

Have used this stuff for years, keep it full and you will be fine.

 

[motorman]

some rad caps rusted and caused the problem