Dex cool causing engine poblems?

[Horse_gal_jen]

General Motors Corp. Class Action Rejected
Detroit, MI: (Feb-24-07) A class action lawsuit was filed against the auto company for allegedly selling millions of vehicles prone to problems caused by Dex-Cool coolant. The lawsuit sought to represent owners of more than 35 million cars and trucks built by GM between 1995 and 2004. Those vehicles use orange-colored Dex-Cool coolant, which the plaintiffs claimed was responsible for numerous engine problems, especially radiator sludge and failed head gaskets.

US District Judge Patrick Murphy has ruled that GM will not face a national class action. State courts in Michigan and California already have rejected statewide class actions. [DETROIT FREE PRESS: DEX-COOL REJECTED]

anyone heard anything about this? any truth to it?

[Duramaster]

I have had vehicles that used DEXCOOL. No problems. The important thing is to keep the cooling system full. If a leak developes which then allows air into the cooling system............. well then that is when problems would start to occur.


We had numerous S/T trucks in the shop with plugged radiator cores. The problem was because the RADIATOR cap itself would develope a bad seal which allowed the engine to push the coolant out into the overflow bottle,but the cap had such a bad seal that the engine could not draw the coolant back into the radiator. Often referred to as Mississippi mud. The defective cap could be easily spotted on the earlier vehicels..... It was the plastic style cap that locked using the "push and half twist" lock. As far as the newer vehicles (GMC TRUCKS that is) that use the screw on caps, I have not seen any problems.

[More Power]

Here's a clip from an article I wrote in 2003 about Dex-Cool:

We have learned that an air/coolant interface within the engine or cooling system could create an environment for aluminum or iron corrosion when using Dex-Cool. Not coincidentally, GM incorporated an air-bleed screw in the 6.5L & Duramax 6600 thermostat housing. This provides a means to vent air from the cooling system. Additionally, the coolant surge tank is also designed to remove air from the cooling system. So, unless there is some sort of engine or cooling system failure (or inadequate initial fill), there should never be an air/coolant interface in your 6.5 or Duramax cooling system.

A recent class-action suit has been brought against GM for cooling system corrosion involving 4.3L engines used in GM's late model Blazer, Jimmy, Olds Bravada, Sonoma, and S10 pickups. As reported in the May 22, 2003 issue of The Columbus Dispatch, GM stated that it "is aware of concerns about Dex-Cool. However, those problems involve customers who ran their cooling systems for an "extended period of time" -- 15,000-20,000 miles - with low coolant levels." GM went on to say that "There are 35 million to 40 million GM vehicles on the road that use Dex-Cool, and the overwhelming majority have experienced no problems with the cooling system."

As stated earlier, we have also identified a problem with a coolant/air interface, and the potential for corrosion as a result. We also know that cooling system performance (when properly filled with a 50% Dex-Cool/distilled water solution) will surpass those using a green silicated ethylene glycol coolant.

I should also point out that since 2003, when the above was written, there has been no significant problem with Dex-Cool when used in the either the GM 6.5L turbodiesel or the Duramax. In fact, I believe there would be more cooling system problems if we were still using the green stuff.

Jim

[Mark Rinker]

No good deed (or in this case, relatively 'new' technology) goes unpunished. If you don't believe me - google all the negative reviews on Windows VISTA, hybrid cars, biodiesel, etc.

There is a large percentage of people that simply don't embrace change, and will resist most attempts for technology to move forward, away from their comfort zone. The whole DexCool thing seems to be more of that, than fact, in my opinion.

[Rabbler]

Not that I'm disagreeing with anything said but NEW doesn't always = BETTER.

[More Power]

Not that I'm disagreeing with anything said but NEW doesn't always = BETTER.

Dex isn't necessarily new - it's been in GM vehicles since 1996. In the case of Dex, it's better than the green stuff because ....

1- it has a longer service life - 5 years or 150,000 miles.
2- it provides a longer water pump seal life.
3- it offers a better coefficient of heat transfer.
4- in most cases, it offers better protection against cooling system corrosion.
5- NARSA (National Automotive Radiator Service Association) recommends its continued use. NARSA is an independent organization that assists the radiator rebuild shops nationwide.

Jim