Anti-Freeze Mixture

I was wondering what he best Antifreeze Mixture is to use on the older cars? Also What is the best Antifreeze for the Older cars. I just got my Radiator Recored and I want to make it last and I know that flushing it once a year is good also,But Is there a "BETTER ANTIFREEZE"? compared to another?
Don

 

I use only prestone 50/50 in everything. Even dumped the red stuff and put in prestone in my late model GM.

 

I keep hearing this.

uzzled: I've had dexcool in my 94 Explorer for about 3 years now. Not a single solitary problem. Plus, my 2002 Durango came with it.

What's this dooms day event I'm supposed to expect?

 

From what I understand the red stuff is fine, as long as you change it as some point, and do not let it get low.

The stuff will crystalize when it starts to break down, and cooling systems do not like to pump crystals.

 

Interesting. So much for the 150,000 mile BS then I suppose. I can't believe they (GM) can get away with this. Can you imagine the possible law suits? I would think they'd cover their a$$es and pull it until they resolve the problem??

 

uzzled: yeah whats up with that orange anti-freeze I think it sux........ uzzled: looks like muddy water

o No: anybody still make green?????????????? o No: prestone you say o No:

 

I think the Dex Cool is extended life anti-freeze, and it is not that bad of stuff. Problem is, you just can't let it go the wayside like the green stuff. The green stuff gets low/contaminated, it just gets dark (and you lose any protection). On the other hand, when Dexcool starts to break down, you better pay it attention.

I think it is OK stuff, and 150k miles might not be out of the question (if you keep it topped off), but I think selling it as "lifetime" coolant is wrong.
But of course, so many things are sold as "lifetime" things that we all know should be changed at 10 years/100,000 miles.

Prestone is what they sell down in Alabama. I have also seen "Peak" brand.

 

I always run generic green anti-freeze, mixed 50/50 or maybe a little bit thicker. The key is not to run straight anti-freeze.........it will actually cool less b/c it is too thick to transfer heat. I avoid prestone like the plague, seems like anytime I ever used it my radiator began seeping where the tubes are soldered to the tanks. Generic (NAPA brand, etc.) has worked well for me in all my vehicles over the past 15 years without any problems. :bglasses:

 

Distilled water and 2 bottles of Red line Water Wetter. No anti freeze. If you blow a head gasket and the anti freeze get in your oil, there go the bearings and time for a new rebuild. With water wetter you just do 2 oil changes back to back and go. Take it from someone who had 2 GN's.

 

Won't distilled water actually leach minerals out of the rad? At least that's what I've herad. And you can't run a mixture like that in the north lands it would freeze solid in the winter.

 

When was the last time you had to subject this mixture to 0 - 20 degree temps though (FL)??? :Brow:

 

Has anyone ever used Evans waterless coolant?

 

I have done LOTS of research on this. This is correct. and i prefer the greenstuff my self. problem is, to convert you must get rid of EVERY once
of the dexcool before changeing to the green stuff. the two are completly
incompatible and will make sludge when mixed.

 

Dexcool won't go 150,000 miles, because some thing will fail by then. GM has a problem with intake gaskets leaking coolant, some say its from Dexcool. I think the gaskets were a poor design. Sometimes they even leak internally and ruin the bearings. Do a google search on Dexcool. There are plenty of people with problems. More than one web site trying to get a class action law suit going. If you have a 3.1 or 3.4 V6 Keep an eye out for coolant leaks. 5.0 and 5.7 are not much better. Distilled water is best. Do not used deionized water. It will pull the ions out of your radiator and heater core. Some cars even have ground straps on the heater core to help with electrolysis. If your dexcool looks like mud flush it and change the radiator cap. Weak caps can let air in the system and cause "mud". I have seen brand new replacement motors from the dealer using green coolant. I still use what ever the vehicle had from the factory, including Dexcool.
my .02
John

 

I've heard both ways on the sludge. i keep dexcool cars full in the to avoid the crystalization for certain.

As far as the intervals go. I change them either at the end of a year or a year and a half. it depends on what i have time for and when it was done last.

The green does the same work. cheeper at that. My 'burban was already swapped when i bought it. no problems yet.

My folks's gs still haas the dexcool in it. I have already changed it once. It does keep the internals nice and clean thou. then again this car I speak of,
Is very low mile and kept very nice( I do all of their maint on their car and house in trade for baby dsitting the boys at MY house :beer )

 

I put the dex-cool in my 92 Jimmy with 4.3L and had to put on a water pump in about a month and another one in less than a year. So I put it back on a diet of the green stuff and no more problems.

I kept my 99 Jimmy overfull of dex-cool until I finally decided to change over to Prestone so help stop the crystilization problem, but I still had a lot of pink powder around the radiator cap. Cap was leaking enough to suck in some air but not leak out antifreeze.

You hear so many stories about this that it is hard to know what to believe so I just stick with Prestone in everthing.