Is Havoline dex cool (approved by GM) ok to use?

[JBsZ06]

Tommorow I need to add some coolant to the Z and stopped by a store this evening and all they had was Havoline Dex Cool approved by GM.

Wanted to make sure its ok to use to fill up the expansion tank.

Thanks

JB

[JETBLU]

Originally Posted by JBsZ06

Tommorow I need to add some coolant to the Z and stopped by a store this evening and all they had was Havoline Dex Cool approved by GM.

Wanted to make sure its ok to use to fill up the expansion tank.

Thanks

JB

That's the stuff!
GM doesn't actually manufacture their own Dex-Cool.

[JBsZ06]

Thanks!

[JETBLU]

Originally Posted by JBsZ06

Thanks!

anytime!

[OhOneZOhSiXXX]

Originally Posted by JBsZ06

Tommorow I need to add some coolant to the Z and stopped by a store this evening and all they had was Havoline Dex Cool approved by GM.

Wanted to make sure its ok to use to fill up the expansion tank.

Thanks

JB

DONT USE DEX-COOL!!!

Do a search and read up on the pending lawsuit against GM because of dex cool.
Tens of thousands of complaints have been filed saying that the coolant does not last nearly as long as advertised (50k vs 150k miles), destroys radiators, water pumps, and potentially the engine. Just do your own research and conclude for yourself.

FWIW - Prestone just released a coolant that works with ALL coolants in ALL cars. I would recommend that instead. Not worth the risk.

[JBsZ06]

Thanks for the advice...yet I'll keep using dex cool especially since I'm under warranty still.

Her'es todays event: Way to go TTP performance! They are the coolest and really pride themselves on customer service!

They are over at 160 Huron street, Clifton NJ. I highly recommend these guys...I really dig their concept of customer service. Made my dam day!

-------------

I got it checked out today as max and I were out for barely 10 minutes and the temps started to climb again..

Stopped by over at TTP Performance and they were glad to see me. These guys are great...they pressure tested it and it was fine...They checked everything out and took the time put some type of heat sensor reading device on both sides of the thermostat.. and show me...

Thats a class act!

One side was 198 degrees while the other side was 224 degrees or something like that...

The expert Corvette tech George Benson said...Its the thermostat and thats it..

I' was so pleased and they volunteered to change out the thermostat right there but I had the kid with me so I'll take care of it mid week next week.

Maybe I'll get the coolant flushed while I'm at it.

Cars running great and the thermostats a non event.

Almost was buying a set of AFR heads..I was holding myself back! They are getting some amazing results and the corvette Z06's they had over there looked bad @ss!

[JETBLU]

Originally Posted by OhOneZOhSiXXX

DONT USE DEX-COOL!!!

Do a search and read up on the pending lawsuit against GM because of dex cool.
Tens of thousands of complaints have been filed saying that the coolant does not last nearly as long as advertised (50k vs 150k miles), destroys radiators, water pumps, and potentially the engine. Just do your own research and conclude for yourself.

FWIW - Prestone just released a coolant that works with ALL coolants in ALL cars. I would recommend that instead. Not worth the risk.

Researched this & talked to a few techs & reearchers at Texaco about Dex. The bottom line is this...only certain makes & models of GM cars ever had a problem (never C5's) with Dex...& only certain cars....one of them is the '96 Impala SS (i have the '95 which i changed over to Dex back in '96 & never had a problem)....seems that problems arise for 4 reasons....1) proper level of coolant is not maintained 2) improper mix of Dex/ water. 3) left in system too long 4) air in system. Dex is actually much better for aluminum engine components...radiator...water pump....etc. Plus as JB points out...if you use conventional coolant...warranty is void!

[OhOneZOhSiXXX]

Originally Posted by JETBLU

Researched this & talked to a few techs & reearchers at Texaco about Dex. The bottom line is this...only certain makes & models of GM cars ever had a problem (never C5's) with Dex...& only certain cars....one of them is the '96 Impala SS (i have the '95 which i changed over to Dex back in '96 & never had a problem)....seems that problems arise for 4 reasons....1) proper level of coolant is not maintained 2) improper mix of Dex/ water. 3) left in system too long 4) air in system. Dex is actually much better for aluminum engine components...radiator...water pump....etc. Plus as JB points out...if you use conventional coolant...warranty is void!

""Shortly after vehicles filled with Dex-Cool were sold, GM was presented with data and complaints from customers, its engineers, its dealers, fleet accounts, service technicians and the media of corroded, rusted and clogged radiators, eroded aluminum cylinder heads, eroded water pumps and thermostat housings, rotten and leaking radiator hoses, leaky heater cores and freeze plugs, corroded radiator caps, deposits within the cooling system, damaged and leaky cooling system gaskets, damage to the head gaskets, chronic overheating, damage to the engine, oil in engine coolant system, leaking coolant, deposits on the overflow tank and sludge in the engine coolant system," the Illinois suit alleges, adding that as early as late-2000, GM engineers were observing coolant contamination in several thousand GM off-lease cars less than four years old."

FWIW, I doubt that the primary maker of dex cool (Texaco) would make anything other than positive statements about its product, for obvious reasons. A non-bias party, like Mr. John Mechanic at ABC Car Shop, would probably give a more insightful/honest opinion.

FYI - I have spoken to John Mechanic and he does not recommend it either.

Yes, the four reasons you have given maybe correct, and would therefore apply to all coolants/cars/owners. So why then are there not thousands of complaints/allegations toward the green stuff. ???
Are the owners of the green stuff smarter and maintain there vehicles better?? Probably not.

If your vehicle has not (yet) been affected, then great...go with what works and keep using it. Keep in mind, that nearly all complaints arose after 36k miles.
As far as warranty, I would guess that a large percentage of the people on this board have voided their warranties with Modifications and/or Mileage long ago, including me, and would never take their car to a dealership anyway, so thats really not applicable.
I'd love to see what GM would say if you brought them a 427cc stroked H/C engine and told them they had to replace it because of corrosion due to dex-cool. lol

Every tire that Firestone made was not defective...but that did not mean that they didnt have a problem.

Thanks for the insight...Just not worth the risk for me.

[Terry S]

This subject has beem discussed thouroughly here before. You can do a search for previous posts. Except for problems with certain radiator caps the problems with Dex Cool stem from lack of maintainence.. The biggest problem as I see it is GM advertized long change intervals. So most people just forget about the coolant. However Dex Cool needs to be checked periodicly just like any other. There is no one change interval that fits all vehicles and all operating conditions. Our cars do not have the radiator cap problem. I have seen many 100,000 + mile GM vehicles where the radiator and the inside of the engine looked brand new.
1. Don't let the coolant level get low.
2. If the freeze protection starts to degrade it is a sign that the coolant may need changing.
3. If the EME voltage gets to .5 volts or more it is time to change the coolant and use only distilled water. (do a search on EME & you will see how to check for EME with an inexpensive (you dont need an expensive one) digital volt meter.)

[JBsZ06]

Thanks for all the insight..

I think its just a bad thermostat and when I get that changed out and the rest of the system checked out...I'll ask the GM Corvette specialist what he recommends as he can actually tell whats going on inside...

Whatever he recommends thats what I'll go with .

I'm pretty sure it will be stay with Dex cool and thats fine with me. If suggests flushing the system and putting in new...

That works for me as well.

I'll keep you guys updated mid week on the final outcome.

With it being in the 90's and humid..

It sure is hot without using the A/c !

[vettenuts]

Originally Posted by terry schulze

This subject has beem discussed thouroughly here before. You can do a search for previous posts. Except for problems with certain radiator caps the problems with Dex Cool stem from lack of maintainence.. The biggest problem as I see it is GM advertized long change intervals. So most people just forget about the coolant. However Dex Cool needs to be checked periodicly just like any other. There is no one change interval that fits all vehicles and all operating conditions. Our cars do not have the radiator cap problem. I have seen many 100,000 + mile GM vehicles where the radiator and the inside of the engine looked brand new.
1. Don't let the coolant level get low.
2. If the freeze protection starts to degrade it is a sign that the coolant may need changing.
3. If the EME voltage gets to .5 volts or more it is time to change the coolant and use only distilled water. (do a search on EME & you will see how to check for EME with an inexpensive (you dont need an expensive one) digital volt meter.)

I agree. The problems and reasons are well documented in several papers that were presented at conferences. Now that the lawyers are involved, every Dexcool equipped car will develop the same problem

[gsjack]

Nothing wrong with Dexcool, just lack of maintenance by the owners. Keep it properly maintained like any of your other fluids and you will be fine. Just make sure you always use distilled water with your Dexcool.

Jack

[Terry S]

A mechanic recently told my daughter she needs to get the dexcool out of her 125,000 mile 96 Blazer before it ruins the system. I just looked at the inside of the radiator yesterday and it looks almost like brand new.

Sure enough dexcool must be BAD stuff!!

[OhOneZOhSiXXX]

Originally Posted by terry schulze

A mechanic recently told my daughter she needs to get the dexcool out of her 125,000 mile 96 Blazer before it ruins the system. I just looked at the inside of the radiator yesterday and it looks almost like brand new.

Sure enough dexcool must be BAD stuff!!

Yeah, Im sure the mechanic really wanted to rip your daughter off.

That $50 to flush the system sure does go a long way...

How dare he, you'll show him...Leave it in for another 125k. Maybe the radiator will look even better.

[Resist]

I've used Dex Cool for years and NEVER had a problem. I think the issues come in when you don't change it at the proper time or it gets contaminated.