WTF?

So... oddly enough my girlfriend saw my car leaking a little bit... I check s, its dexcool.

Car has been running warm recently, under 210 mark, so probably actually 220ish. I have a 160* stat but I assumed middle of FL summer, might be part of it.

Well getting something welded real quick on my exhaust(just a cut I made when I gutted the CAT)

got to see it up close, when we had the car running on the lift(checking for leaks) and it was kind of puking its guts a little.

I pulled the cap, and there is some sludge on the cap. WTF? I flushed/replaced the fluid. At ~40k, I know have 82k. It was replaced with dexcool, gonna say prestone, either way it was upperlevel, because I know the ****tyness of dexcool and what can happen, hence the swap at 40k



SO.... whats up, I think my radiator is done, where the fluid is leaking ... might have to replace, but is there anything/way to flush all this bull**** out of my system. Also maybe a chemical to dissolve/flush the crap that might be in my system.

So what should I look to do since I have to fix all of this now?

 

I also want to add, when I was driving home(not to far from place with lift) the heater wasn't blowing, and guage was at 210, was trying to help cool anyway I can.

So possibly the heater core is blocked too...


I am willing to do the radiator, likely has a hole in it. Reluctant to the heater core, just because its a bitch.

I just want to make sure if I do anything, it will be a fix, and I won't kill my freshly replaced parts....



I miss the green stuff I am going to be picking up a radiator/parts for my 2k Camaro, in my 92 Mustang with original radiator) Hell my old 94 Camaro still running on stock radiator with green stuff and is around 200k

 

Ok, your radiator leaked so its Dexcool's fault?
My wife's car has 170k miles on it and mine has over 80k miles and neither of us have had any problems with it. In her car I have mixed it w/ radiator stop leak and green antifreeze and have always used tap water.

 

and dexcool forms sludge when mixed with air under heat and pressure

any of the chemical flushes out there should work to cut it, just follow the directions, as for the clogged heater core, back flush it with a hose before using the chemical, and just refill with green when you are done if so desired

 

Ok then its not dexcools fault, GM really ****ing got cheap on later Camaros...


first cat died at 35k, 2nd cat died at 70k

Radiator died at 82k.



My 94, first cat died at 120k, still on stock radiator with 200k on it(used green stuff)

I also have a 92 5.0, with the original radiator. Never had problems on my 85 camaro, or my 92 GMC jimmy both had over 120k when I sold them.



This is the newest, car with the lowest miles I have had, and its the only one to have radiator problems and its the only one to have Dexcool in it.


Don;t worry you can throw in your... "well you just didn't take car of it then" Because I know its not true.

 

Thanks I might be going back to green stuff.... Just worried if that I might miss some.


Can you flush it yourself at a home pretty confidently or should I take it somewhere, that has a machine?

 

if you take the block drains out, and use the chemical per the directions, open block drains, fill with water, run, block drains, and once more with water, drain with block drains, then fill with green, you will be fine


just make sure you do the couple drain with water to get all of the chemical out

 

Eric-

Have you checked to see if your water pump is leaking?

I bought my car in '03 with 41K on it and around 85-90K I noticed Dexcool sludge was coating the underside of my car when I would change its oil, and it was determined that my water pump was leaking. It was replaced and I have had no issues since, with 135K on my car now.

Also, my car had the sludge all over the dipstick when I bought it, which I didn't trust. I called around to see who had a powerflushing machine and brought it there at around 50K. This machine flushed ALL of the sludge from my system and it hasn't been back since that. I would venture to say that with all of the sludge that came out, this was the first time my car's coolant system was serviced.

I personally would not leave Dexcool in my car for GM's 5 yr./150K change interval, I just don't trust it. I have my system flushed, filled and bled properly every year (which is about 25K miles) and it has not had any issues since I've been doing this.

I do miss the green stuff too.

 

Ya, Dexcool caused the cat failures, window motor problems, and what ever other problem 4th gens are known for. So yes, I'd say GM did get cheap on 4th gens as well as many other cars. They also poorly designed a lower intake manifold gasket on 60* V6's and the stupid retainer rings for the headlights on grand am's.

Again, I've got a car that is driven daily with 170k miles that has had Dexcool or a mix of it which if you listen to all the propaganda a mix will turn hard as a rock. I know people with GM trucks that have the same amount or more milage with Dexcool and they don't do the upkeep that I do and they haven't had any problems. Stop blaming Dexcool and find out what caused your leak.

 

I am not an idiot, I know dexcool didn't cause those problems, and GW didn't send a hurricane to New Orleans. Just saying... either its Dexcool that caused something... Or its GM got real cheap, and the radiator died at 82k. (wouldn't surpise me with some other issues that have happened)


Initial inspection is the leak is on the right side of the radiator. Not sure what caused it, and not sure how if anything could fly up there and hit it?


I assumed maybe dexcool maybe clogged it and caused an issue that way.


My waterpump seems to be working fine.... Guess I will replace radiator, thermostat for giggles, fill it with water, take it somewhere and have them powerflush it fr ~$80. And go from there if any other issues arise.

 

a note on the heater core, if your radiator is like 1/2 gal or so low you will get an air pocket in the heater core and it wont blow hot air. With the radiator leak I bet thats what is happening.....

 

^ Thats good info right there.

 

Might take the radiator to a shop first. The center part of it usually lasts a long time but the side tanks are real common to split or leak at the crimp. Cost about sixty bucks or so to have it cleaned out and fixed if so. Dexcool and a leak will sure cause sludge from what I've seen and heard, put a new radiator cap on it too. I've been using the Prestone extended life stuff, no problems with it at all.

 

tom2 is correct about the plastic tanks. Check around them for a split.

 

I have a '99 Silverado that went 145,000+ before I noticed a leak that I found on the front of block. Just before this, I saw high temps, and changed the 'stat. Later, I found the weeping leak on block front. Figuring it to be water pump weep hole, and I replaced the water pump-and replaced original coolant with Dexcool, since I had had NO problems up into 145,000 on a 4-wheel drive that I BEAT. Guessing the t'stat was not the issue...

Problem was solved. No leak-stays cool.

Not saying this is your deal, but don't immediately rule out Dexcool, as it has impressed me, and I'm stubborn and resist change-I liked green too before this.

Now I have turned to the universal YELLOW stuff. Why fight it?