Special antifreeze?

MadFish · October 18, 2001

I was told that my truck takes a special anti-freeze. Its supposed to be red instead of green, or something like that. Is it True or BS? If its true, I think I found out why my heater hose blew.

mjsmith1223 · October 18, 2001

That would be Dex Cool (red stuff) and it is definitely NOT compatible with the old green stuff. When the two mix it causes a gel to form which plugs up the cooling system.

Once the system is contaminated with the green stuff it'll need to be thoroughly flushed and re-filled with fresh Dex Cool. Not sure on the proper procedure though.

Mike

chevy4x4trucks · October 18, 2001

Yeah, it uses dex-cool available at any auto parts store. For my truck (new body style so it may not be the same) you cut it w/ water 50/50. Not sure what flushing the system all entails but to test the mixture ratio they have cheap testers at any auto parts store, just ask a guy at the sales counter they should know what you're talking about.

MountaineerTom · October 18, 2001

I'm not sure when the trucks started using the Dex-Cool (More of a pink color than red), but my '91 had the green stuff and my '99 has the pink. I'm pretty sure your '98 is suppose to have the Dex-Cool. The two different kinds are not suppose to be mixed together. If you did, you probably should completely flush the system out and refill with the Dex-Cool.

Good luck.

chevy4x4trucks · October 18, 2001

It will definetly say in your owners manual and I think it says it too under my hood on the cap. Not 100% I never paid too much attention to it.

MadFish · October 18, 2001

Well, Looks like I got a job to do. Should I just drain the mix and then fill it wil water to flush it? Or how do I go about it?

Chevy4x4, neither have I. I just noticed it was low and filled it. Didnt think there was a difference.

MadFish · October 18, 2001

Well, I just looked at it. Its filled with the Dex-Cool. The guys at the shop filled it with 2 gallons. So, we're thinking all the green came out on the highway when it blew.

raventai · October 19, 2001

prestone used to sell it in a silver bottle not shure if they still do or not, use to use it in my 280-Z

when i did the switch I drained the system filled with watter ran it for a half hour with the heat valve open, drain refil with watter repeat 4 times there will be no glycol left drain one more time (pull the block drains if u can fnd them) refill with dex/water

another way would be to get one of those back flush kits prestone is selling ties into a heater hose u can then just connect a garden hose to the heater line and blow out all the crap with the engine idleing a good 10 minutes past clean watter coming out will do nicely, completely drain as above and refill

CMNTMXR81 · November 1, 2001

95 & 96 was when the bulk of GM's vehicle's were converted to Dexcool (or Tang as I call it).

With that said, I've comepletely flushed my system with a power flusher (made by BG Products) at the dealership and have converted back to regular green Etholene Glycol (sp?) You can convert a Dexcool system back but you cannot convert a green system forward.

Dexcool was designed to be a long lasting, environmentally friendly substitute, as such it isn't as effective in cooling as it's old green un-environmentally friendly counterpart.