Dex Cool Coolant ... It's Bad News

[Pegisue]

Our 97 Chevy Silverado 2500HD had the radiator replaced at the dealership in June 02. It had been leaking from a seam and was replaced with a manufacturers specified radiator & the dexcool coolant using the extended warranty.

In July 03 just 3,600 miles (yeah, I know we don’t put many miles on this vehicle) later, the engine severely overheated, the top and bottom radiator hoses collapsed and the head gasket blew. This happened on our first camping trip with our new trailer (5500 lbs so don’t worry, we didn’t overload the truck)

We had it towed to the dealer initially for their diagnosis, which was that the engine had been blown and our only option was to put in a “crate motor” for what we felt was a very high price. We chose to have it towed to an independent mechanic that we have taken our vehicles to for many years and had the engine rebuilt for just over half the price quoted by the dealer. The radiator was sent out to a radiator shop to be bore out, and was found to be 50% blocked internally. He cleaned out red gunky substance that was clogging the radiator and causing it to not function properly.
Also as a note, this heavy-duty truck has a single core radiator as a stock issue, which seems kind of small for the engine and load size considering that this truck has a weight rating of 9,000 pounds that it can tow. I have had the dealer verify that the correct radiator was installed. The radiator shop mechanic recommended replacing it with a double core radiator to lessen the chances of overheating in the future.

Now that our truck is home and repaired we have to go through the “break in period” with the rebuilt engine and cannot tow our new trailer all summer if we want to break it in properly and safely since we live in a valley and everything from here is up a hill there is no real flat land camping to go to. We surely don’t want to heat it up and cause a problem at all, so we’re taking it easy.
I have called the dealership and their standpoint it that this is a General Motors issue and they say that they installed the proper radiator in the truck so there wasn’t a problem on their end. I have called GM and they said that since I didn’t have all of my oil changes done at the dealership that they cannot determine that we have properly maintained this vehicle and therefore are not liable for anything.

No where in the owners manual does it say that we are required to take our vehicle to the dealer for maintenance so I think that GM is trying to get me to back down by finding something that I might not know and perhaps they can scare me away.
I can’t get anyone to talk about the Dex cool issue. I have read some stories online about the problems people have had. I am hoping to get GM to help me pay for this engine rebuilding and admit that there can be a problem with using their Dex cool product.

Is there anyone out there that has had a similar experience or has some advice for my situation?
Is there a class action lawsuit in California for this?
I would appreciate responses from anyone with information, opinion or experience with this matter.

Thanks!

Pegisue

[klohiq]

My cav has had a lot of problems with overheating, but in general not anything really serious. The radiator may need to be replaced, but it could be because the mechanic we usually take it to put regular coolant rather than dex cool at one point. The radiator seems to be fine and that was over 100,000 miles ago (260k and some change on the car currently ).

[Alero GL Lemon]

Dex cool is garbage! I'm replacing my intake manifold gasket possibly the rad. my engine is full of sludge! GM claims people are having problems because they didn't keep the coolant full. When I did bring my car to GM for regular maintance they didn't check it! My low coolant light came on shortly after a "scheduled maintance", I bought the death-cool and maintaned it myself. You can't trust GM Goodwrench to "care for your GM". My lemon is in the shop and has been several times for different reasons.

[fajita23200]

Originally Posted by klohiq

My cav has had a lot of problems with overheating, but in general not anything really serious. The radiator may need to be replaced, but it could be because the mechanic we usually take it to put regular coolant rather than dex cool at one point. The radiator seems to be fine and that was over 100,000 miles ago (260k and some change on the car currently ).

I have no idea which shop you're going to.But,if a mechanic does not know the difference between the two he needs to be shot.If it's made for one it will not run on the other for very long.

[C_Sephiroth]

Dex Cool is a very Good Coolant. Safer for the environment. Has added Benefits for the cooling System. Lubes Water pumps better. Has a Better Heat Exchange Rate. The list goes on and on. Yes they had problems when it first cam out, as ANYONE does with new products. (Should always wait till the 3rd year for something new 1st year to new, bugs. 2nd year they are working the bugs out. 3rd year they pretty much have the bugs out and 4th year they are trying to make things cheaper) But Now they pretty much have the bugs all worked out for the Dex Cool. It is like the Synthetic Engine Oils. When they came out back in the 50's (mind you I wasn't alive) They had all kinds of probelms, Causing Seals to leak, Foaming up. all kinds of stuff, and now well for nearly 20 years, there isn't a Really a bad thing about Them, except Cost. I am changing over my Green Coolant to Dex Cool this summer. The Only thing you have to do is flush it out, with a chemical and water, then add the dex Cool. From Stuff I have seen you DO NOT WANT TO MIX the green and the Orange, even though The new Dex cool States that you can Safely Mix 10% and not have a problem, I wouldn't even Try it. It makes the Nastiest Sludge and Slime. Most of these Failures that you speak of are Probably of this Nature, Some where Someone Probably Added the wrong stuff. Shit happens ya know.

[danstrong]

If you are converting your car from ethelyne glycol to dex cool in an older car, be sure to have the bars leak ready for all the leaks.

Dan Strong

[C_Sephiroth]

Well First I wouldn't be converting if I hadent replaced Everything. What makes you think it will Leak?
FYI Dex cool is a Ethelyne Glycol Base.

[Alero GL Lemon]

Dex-Cool may be better for invro which is great!It is not better for your cars engine!Go to
www.nbc4.tv/automotive/236981/detail.html and see my problem with death-cool!

[spooleffect]

Dex-Cool is and excellent coolant/anti-freeze.

If you have sludge in your engine thats because you still had some of the old green coolant in there. You CANNOT mix traditional coolant with dex cool because it will mix into sludge. You have to completely flush your entire system free of the green stuff before you can introduce dex-cool into the system.

[Alero GL Lemon]

My car NEVER had the green stuff in it!It is a GM factory dex-cool car.I look after my car and knew to use dex-cool.Do you what make a Alero is? Maybe you should pay more attention to user names!

[fajita23200]

Originally Posted by Alero GL Lemon

My car NEVER had the green stuff in it!It is a GM factory dex-cool car.I look after my car and knew to use dex-cool.Do you what make a Alero is? Maybe you should pay more attention to user names!

Hi,I have a 98Cavalier.It has the dex-cool in it .I've never had a problem with it.I know that very soon I need to replace the coolant.It has 95,000 miles on it.I've replaced a few other parts.The dealerships always try to say you did'nt maintain your vehicle.But,that GM's Problems excuse on their part is always bullsh$%.That's the company they represent right???

[C_Sephiroth]

The only reason Dex Cool turns sludge is because someone added Green Coolant to it. Not saying you did it, but that is the only way it will turn to sludge.

[bigdaveangell]

dex cool is shit. If you talk to any gm tech, none of them will even use it in their car or truck. Its corrosive to aluminum. Thats why you get sludge in you engine and radiator. Most people think that you cant run the green stuff in a dex cool system. Thats not true. If the dealer finds out that voids your warranty but that is the only bad thing that will happen.

[C_Sephiroth]

Well Whoever you are talking to doesn't know SHIT. Dex Cool Is less acidic. it has an average ph of about 8 and the Green stuff has an average of about 10-11 (Lower #'s GOOD). The Sludge builds up because someone Mixed The Two. I am a GM Tech. I specialize in Corvettes. We have converted many older vetters to the Dex Cool because it is less Corrosive to aluminum.

[bigdaveangell]

it may be less corosive im not arguing about that but it eats at aluminum. maybe a chemical reaction. Ive seen it alot in colorado