green vs orange antifreeze

[GhettoPop]

2 years ago when my mechanic installed a new radiator and water pump, he changed my coolant over to havoline dexcool (orange). Now, i've heard a lot of mixed feelings on that stuff and i wanted to flush my system. so do i use dexcool again or do i switch back to old green? some say keep using havoline dexcool and not any other types of organe antifreeze, just Havoline Dexcool cuz its a "different formula". others say flushing out and putting in green in can cause more bad then good now, especially if some dexcool is left in the system. what u think?

[grey88gt]

Probally 90 percent of the pepole I sell parts to end up going back to the good old green. Ive never had any one come back and tell me they had problems after converting there new car to green. I do sell both types antifreeze and there is no way I would sped the extra cash for the other. Yah you dont have to flush the system like you do with regular anti freeze. I dont know many of us that are going to be able to drive our cars 100,000 plus miles before we have it tore down again doing some kind of mod to the engine. I know there are benifits as to using the other but Iam not spending the extra cash on it. Ill ask our water pump rebuilder monday and get his 2 cents.

[fiveohpatrol]

I agree with grey88gt, just put the green back in. A buddy of mine is a tech at a GM dealer, whose cars come with the dexcool from the factory, and they NEVER put the dexcool in when they do a flush. He's been there for about 6yrs and has never had anyone come back with problems from switching to green.

[mustangII460]

Dexcool will rot every gasket on your motor, to include head gasket.

[procharge94]

Well, I never knew that dexcool was so abrasive to gaskets, but I was going to point out that I'm running the green coolant in an aluminum radiator. Buy whatever you can afford. The manner in which motors are pulled apart will rarely allow for a lengthy stay of coolant.

[GhettoPop]

i can afford either, just was worried about leaving a little leftover havoline dexcool and mixing w/ the new green. according to you guys this is not a problem, so it looks like green it will be

[procharge94]

I do not see any problem with mixing, as I have done the same in dire situations. If you are going to change your coolant, you might as well give the system a simple flush.

[~The Jester~]

DO NOT put dexcool in that motor! GM actually sent out a TSB because of that crap rotting out the head gaskets. Can't even tell you how many cars I've fixed because of that stuff. Bad bad bad bad bad idea there GM. We had some leaking from a car in the parking lot, it ran over into a puddle. The dexcool actually settled beneath the water!

Prolly not have any problems mixing green with the little bit of DC that'll remain, but if you're worried use that new Prestone. I've been using it for about 3 months now, and it works great, mixes with anything (even Ford's new yellow stuff), and it's GREEN. hehehehe

[GhettoPop]

i have heard all the Gm/dexcool problems. note that that is GM Dexcool, not Havoline Dexcool, which I heard is a totally different formula.

[Unleashed09]

I need some help. I have a 1995 Mustang, v-6, straight shift. I just bought a new radiator and now my uncle is wanting to put Prestone antifreeze (orange kind) in it. Everyone, including the auto parts people are telling me to use to green antifreeze. But my uncle is saying he knows what he's doing. Can someone please help me ? I don't want the wrong stuff put in my car and I definately don't want anything to happen to it. Thanks.

[Lethal5Oh]

First off, never ever mix dexcool with green stuff. Youll end up with a cooling system filled with mud. seen this happen many times. GM even realized they screwed up using it in blazers, its causing corrosion in heater cores. I know i just got done flushing my moms out. Unleashed09, i hope since your uncle "knows" what hes doing that he will first flush every cooling hose in the system for the above reason of mixing. Second read the previous response. IT WILL MOST LIKELY DAMAGE YOUR ENGINE. Hope he likes doing head gasket. 3.8 are notorious for them as it is. Why spend more than you need. If it came with green STAY WITH GREEN.

[~The Jester~]

NO,NO,NO,NO. Orange stuff is just BAD! Don't care who makes it. I have a 305 Shivvy in my shop right now that's getting a new set of head gaskets courtesty of Dex-Cool. And she's the last on a LOOOONG list!

Orange=BAD!!! Green=GOOD!

[ols0051]

I have one of those blazers that had big problems because of dexcool. It was 5 yrs old and that red stuff started squirting out everywhere. After I replaced almost every gasket in the thing, put in the green stuff no problems.

[GhettoPop]

UNLEASHED.....this was my thread and after all i went through all i can say is........................DON'T EVER PUT THE ORANGE SH*T IN A STANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mpj76]

The orange stuff makes it hard to tell if your system is starting to rust, not that anyone here waits that long to flush.

[HoodStrype]

WHOA!!!! Wait up- I personally lost a 96 4.3 Sonoma (RIP) to that crap- CLOGGED THE ENTIRE MOTOR... Had it flushed 4 times (I got a discount working for the parts store who sold the machine) and refilled with green -then had to have the MOTOR PULLED, the freeze plugs taken out and flushed the motor and heater core, and had the radiator routed-

Most of the damage was done before the change to green... we (a couple of mechanics and I) looked through everything before the change and it was horrible! Radiator, overflow, hoses, thermostat and housing.

Then the heater core went out and it still clogged the motor and radiator again... that junk (mud) was all over the inside of that engine. I saw it myself! And after all of that time and money I had to get rid of the truck because it was over heating still- 260 degrees after all of that! The mechanic whom I've known since I was 5 years old (friend of the family) said that he had seen 2 or 3 chevy cars with the same problem as me. They both went in the junk yard.

Evidentally, that red stuff had done it's damage. After 60k miles or 4 or 5 years it starts to turn to this brown mud type crap. I clings to everything- and dries and hardens on the walls. If you have that crap change it before it says to. Given time more cases like mine will come out in the open and GM will pay dearly- PS if you know of a lawsuit please PM me!
NO NO NO!
Hold on...














NO!!!!!!

Stick with green and NEVER MIX even if you flushed! Over time it will kill that car!!!

[canukracer]

All The Teachers At A/c Delco School Call It((( Red Death!!!))))

[~The Jester~]

I'm a Ford guy that earns a part time living as a mechanic in my own shop, and I just call it GARBAGE.

My mom just bought an '04 Shibby mini van, and even though it was under warranty, I MADE my Dad flush that summ-beeotch out with only 43 miles on it, and replace it with good ole GREEN stuff!

Orange is bad bad bad bad. Seen it literally 50 times in my shop. ORANGE=BAD!!!