Red coolant

[inplansight]

I have two turbo engine to install in the next week or so and was wondering if anyone has used the ""red/orange" coolent as I have GALLONS laying around but have ran out of the green .

Just trying to save an few bucks.
thanks paul B

[Turbodave]

That should work fine, both are compatible with steel and aluminum. Only issue I've seen with some of the red or orange coolants is that they can stain stuff if there is a leak. I remember a friend using the GM orange stuff back when it first came out and it made a mess of his engine bay when a hose let loose. Wasn't easy at all to clean up and required many parts be repainted as a result of the incident.

[contraption22]

The Dexcool stuff does tend to gel up. You must change it more often than the good ol green stuff.

[inmyshadow]

A friend of mine that works as GM techincan says the same thing.

He told me not to use DexCool in any of my cars unless I change the fluid once a year. He told me about all the warranty radiators his Dealership replaces a few years after a car is sold. He has pulled radiators that were solid as a rock.

later

The Dexcool stuff does tend to gel up. You must change it more often than the good ol green stuff.

[Clay]

yeah, I would stick with the green. The pure dexcool stuff doesnt mix with the traditional ethylene glycol, and like has been said with out good maintenance it turns to poo in the engine.

[Frank]

yeah, I would stick with the green. The pure dexcool stuff doesnt mix with the traditional ethylene glycol, and like has been said with out good maintenance it turns to poo in the engine.

That is probably the most important information. THere was many a coolant system my dad had to flush and even unclog because they mixed the two and when it sits, it gels. When it gels you get overheating conditions, etc.

[turbovanman²]

Just stick with the green stuff, Dexcool likes to plug things up.

[magtec]

someone converted my '97 blazer to the green stuff before i bought it, but every time i take the radiator cap off i'm reminded that it came with dexcool from the factory. look at the pictures here, then tell me again that you'd ever put dexcool within a 10 mile radius of your cooling system: http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/dex-cool_pics.htm

[turbovanman²]

I wonder why some vehicles are affected and some aren't. My 98 Jimmy has not issues with Dexcool and its got 180,000 km's?

[raccoon]

I wonder why some vehicles are affected and some aren't. My 98 Jimmy has not issues with Dexcool and its got 180,000 km's?

contamination from quick lube shops topping up fluids maybe. Just like 604 failures and ATF+3, really why people trust 15 year olds to do maintenance on a 20k + investment is beyond me.

[Clay]

I wonder why some vehicles are affected and some aren't. My 98 Jimmy has not issues with Dexcool and its got 180,000 km's?

Your a mechanic Simon. You probably take proper care of your car. That, or GM paid you off!

[Dusty_Duster]

I've never had any problems with my wife's '04 Cavalier, but I change the coolant at 30,000 mile intervals.

[Dominic]

Last time I changed my coolant I used this red stuff that the shop uses on highway tractors....Never had any issues with it in the ol' Omni.

[turbovanman²]

Your a mechanic Simon. You probably take proper care of your car. That, or GM paid you off!

Shhhhhhhh, or people will want a piece of the pie,

I should have added my customer vehicles don't either and i never change the stuff until the required mileage/time BUT thinking about it, if it has a leaking intake/head gasket, it does turn cruddy, so never mind,

[Dusty_Duster]

How hard is it to convert a red-coolant vehicle to the standard green coolant?

[contraption22]

How hard is it to convert a red-coolant vehicle to the standard green coolant?

Flush it really really really well. Several times. Then when you think it's completely clean, flush it again!!

Prestone makes a really good coolant flush.

Another tip to add here. Defintely use distilled, mineral free water. Tap water, and especially well water can have minerals in it that can really accelerate cooling system corrosion.

[Clay]

Another tip to add here. Defintely use distilled, mineral free water. Tap water, and especially well water can have minerals in it that can really accelerate cooling system corrosion.

this is why I typically by the premixed stuff. Its a bit more expensive, BUT its mixed correctly, and with distilled water.

[contraption22]

this is why I typically by the premixed stuff. Its a bit more expensive, BUT its mixed correctly, and with distilled water.

You're right, and when you add in the cost of distilled water, which is still only like a buck a gallon, it gets a bit more reasonable.

[csx452]

someone converted my '97 blazer to the green stuff before i bought it, but every time i take the radiator cap off i'm reminded that it came with dexcool from the factory. look at the pictures here, then tell me again that you'd ever put dexcool within a 10 mile radius of your cooling system: http://www.sancarlosradiator.com/dex-cool_pics.htm

Exactly what my LeBaron radiator looked like. The crossdrills on the head and block were also plugged solid. The radiator guy said he had a hell of a time cleaning the radiator and that it looked like a recent recore. Avoid the stuff like the plague.
Frank H.

[Clay]

on a related subject. Our old 04 durango had orange coolant, as did my dads 04 Ram. Is this the same as Dexcool? Im thinking it was something different, but still not the old green ethylene glycol.