Switch from Dexoool to Stand Green antifreeze???

[Frank G]

Hello All,

First Post here

The Story goes, I have a 97 Chevy Cavalier (RS 2.2 Auto), well last week I had a minor accident however I lost the radiator and all the fluid which was the 5 year/ 150000 mile Antifreeze GM calls "DEXCOOL" / Well the body shop repaired the car and put a new radiator in it but instead of using DEXCOOL they refilled it with the standard Green Fluid. I know the majority of the original DEXCOOL was lost in the accident and with the new radiator, I am sure 90% of it was lost. I know for a fact they did not flush the system to rid it completly of the "DEXCOOL"

Now for the question ???? Do you guys see any negative side affects resulting to the slight mixture of different antifreezes????
Any Problem with Waterpump can be expected? and long term radiator life due to lack of Dexcool?
And the manual states only use "Dexcool" in the system, are they just looking to push their fluid or am I able to use the Green stuff in it as well???

The body shops, says they only use the Green Fluid and have never seen any problems doing so in a newer GM vehicle.

thanks
Frank G
1997 Cavalier RS 2.2L
2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee (4.7Lv8)

[grimesjm1]

actually, i like the green better then the red. the red will gel up if it either gets too low and "cooks" or if you try to use it for the 100,000 miles it advertises...i know the green doesn't mix with the red and i've always been told not to mix them, but i did once and never had a problem.....

[Frank G]

Thanks Grimes So far no problems I dont plan on flushing the system anytime soon if what you say is correct.

Any other opinions

[Ketch]

Originally Posted by Frank G

Thanks Grimes So far no problems I dont plan on flushing the system anytime soon if what you say is correct.

Any other opinions

OHGoodness ....yes, please flush it. As much as everyone likes to doubt the manufacturers and believe some anonymous poster, GM specifically states not to mix the two. Why risk it?

[public]

I would second that. I switched my vehicles over to the green without trouble several years ago but I did flush them well. Some years back when DexCool was new I switched a Cavi to the red stuff without flushing and ended up with some pretty bad scale. I did some research and found thats what can happen when mixed. So I flushed it really well and went back to the green. No more problems. Good Luck.

[FourthGenSS]

Mixing the two coolants can be very bad because they generally do not mix and will jell or ball up. The problem may never be noticable but it can result in blocked coolant passages specifically in the head. Since the 2.2 was already prone to head gasket failure there is no since in helping out the failure by creating hot spots in the head. Flush it.

[C_Sephiroth]

Indeed I would flush asap.