Why not use the correct product? There really isn't a works with any color coolant. That's Prestone marketing BS.

 

If you go to the parts store, look at the store brand, Peak, Prestone, all manufacturers of coolant and somewhere on the bottle, it will say something like "Compatible with all coolant". And it's all green.

To my knowledge, Prestone is the only one that makes Anti-Freeze with Dex for GM cars and that is the orangish/pinkish stuff.

So I'm not sure how any of this is Prestone marketing....

 

I have read an numerous places that dex cool is very acidic and thats why all these upper and lower intake are going bad cause it eating them away....i got rid of it after re doing those intakes gaskets and new intake.....just my thoughts though.......get rid of it its junk no one has ever complainted about green!!!!!!!

 

Most of the articles I have seen are re-hash from news media paraphrasing the topic, and not backing with any actual research. Early (as in during the 90's) Dex was found to be badly formulated and accelerated the inevitable LIM gasket failures. It has been improved.

Everyone can believe what they want and do what they feel is right, but I feel "fearing Dex" is pointless. I have seen cars that never ran DEX have the same nylon LIM gasket failure. My Grand Am has had the nylon LIM gaskets fail TWICE running pure green stuff, never a drop of DEX in my owner ship. The appearance of those gaskets was 100% identical to the alleged "Dex" failure gaskets. Given some of the issues I've had, it's had fairly regular coolant fluid changes.

I've seen other GM v6 engines suffer the same fate of green coolant. The nylon cannot handle hot fluid directly on it, it was a poor design. Hence why people doing the job are switching to aluminum based gaskets that should hold up a LOT better.

 

Actually that "compatible with all coolant" is an OAT type coolant. Which is similar to Dexcool. It's easy to tell because they say "5 year coolant" or "extended life coolant".

But there really is no one coolant that can mix with any coolant. It's like Prestone making one engine oil that says mixes with all oil weights. It's not possible.

Best thing to do is if you want to go with Dexcool, then stick with Dexcool coolant. If you want green coolant, than get green coolant. If you want G-05, then get G-05. Avoid the "mixes with any coolant."

 

You may want to check the bottles at the parts store. Last time I was deciding on a bottle of coolant, I think all the bottles of green had that notice somewhere in small print.

In my '94 Grand am, my daily, I typically run the cheapest coolant I can get (which is usually the store brand and it says "compatible with any coolant"). I do understand, each manufacturer of anti-freeze has a slightly different formula, so mixing different formulas can yield varied results (like mixing Coke and Pepsi). But I have never had a problem with mixing any brand anti-freeze that is green. Because Dex is different, the cars I have that run Dex I am only giving Dex.

My practice of mixing any brand anti-freeze has not caused me any problems. Just like anything else, flush once in a while, it's all good.

I just feel people are really down on today's Dex when it was a bad gasket design causing the problem.

 

Why do you keep calling that type of "any make any model" coolant "green"? Cause it isn't the green coolant. "Any make any model" is an OAT type coolant. Which means it's a Dexcool clone.

Let me break it down.

Dexcool = OAT "Organic" 5 year coolant
Any make any model = OAT "Organic" 5 year coolant
Green coolant = IAT "Inorganic" 2 year coolant

So, you've been using a Dexcool clone coolant and not the green coolant in your Grand AM. It's pretty obvious right on the bottle as it says "150k, 5 year coolant". The green coolant has never been a 5 year coolant. Look at the bottle of "any make and model" and compare it to a bottle of "Dexcool". Guess what, the ingredients are the same.

It should be pretty obvious you can't have one coolant that can mix with any coolant type.

"Panel call Prestone ads unfounded."

http://www.imakenews.com/lng/e_article000560298.cfm?x=b79gdNq,b2W5q9fm,w

"Honeywell's claim that Prestone can be used in vehicles of 'all makes, all models' was not substantiated."

June 2006, NAD: "Honeywell's claim that Prestone can be used in vehicles of 'all makes, all models' was not substantiated."

"Valvoline Challenges Prestone and Wins!"

http://www.gohtsn.com/printer_198.shtml

 

The answer is simple, I keep calling it "green" because when it comes out of the bottle new, it's green (unlike the "Prestone with Dex" that is orange/pink). I'm calling it as I see it (which is what most of us do).
I found my bottle of Prestone with Dex and two old bottles of "store brand" green coolant. Each bottle of the "green" store brand has a statement compatible with all coolants. Now, the bottle from Advanced Auto Parts, I did not get a chance to read the entire label, since it mentions prestone copyrights, it MIGHT be re-labeled Prestone (not sure). But I did not see a notice like that on the AutoZone bottle.

Ingriedients per the back of the bottles:
Dex: ethylene glycol, sodium 2-ethyl hexanoate and sodium neodecanoate
Non-Dex (Advanced Auto): Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol, Sodium 2-ethyl and Sodium neodecanoate
Non-Dex (AutoZone): Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol, Water, Proprietary Ingredient (nice that it must be "top secret")
From Peak's website:
Straight up, non-extended life, regular anti-freeze, original Blue Bottle:
http://www.peakauto.com/pdf/specs-pe...ze_coolant.pdf
http://www.peakauto.com/pdf/msds-pea...ze_coolant.pdf
- PEAK Antifreeze & Coolant: Compatible with all conventional green antifreeze
Ingriedients per the MSDS sheet: Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol and Dipotassium Phosphate
PEAK Long Life Antifreeze & Coolant
http://www.peakauto.com/pdf/specs-peak_long_life.pdf
http://www.peakauto.com/pdf/msds-peak_long_life.pdf
- Features a phosphate-free and silicate-free formula
- PEAK Long Life® Antifreeze & Coolant features a new coolant technology that is compatible for
use in all automobiles and light duty trucks, regardless of make, model, year or original antifreeze color.
- Provides 150,000 miles or 5 years of maximum protection when a complete cooling system flush and fill
is performed
- Yellow color will not change the current antifreeze color when used for topping-off
Ingriedients: Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol, hydrated inorganic acid, organic acid salts, water

No matter where I look, all coolants are stating "compatible with" on it (granted, PEAK makes clear on the "original blue bottle" that it is "Compatible with all conventional GREEN antifreeze"). But if you follow the ingriedents, it's basically all the same with slight differences (one I noticed, was the peak "original blue bottle" has Dipotassium Phosphate and their "Long Life" coolant has a few others mixed in).

Unless I am missing something (as I am not a chemist), bottom line, it appears all non-extended life coolant is about the same as far as what's in it. If the stuff I call "green" because it is "green" in color out of the bottle is truly not green, what should one be buying that is truly "green" anymore??

 

I'd avoid the stuff that says mixes with any color coolant. Or the any make any model stuff. It's been a while since I've messed with green coolant. As I converted the cars that ran on green to G-05 coolant a while back.

I believe Peak and Zerex may still make the conventional green coolant that should work in the older cars. Or as close as you'll be able to find. I think they've been messing with the formula as most now say low silicate formula. If I was getting green coolant, I'd get the stuff that says it's green coolant with no mention of any make any model or the mixes with any color coolant. I know there are ingredients you can look for to make sure it isn't the Dexcool clone stuff. But usually the Dexcool clone stuff says any make any model, or mixes with any color.

 

Well, last time I checked, ALL coolant on the shelves at the parts stores I buy coolant from have that blurb "Compatible with all anti-freeze".
I just checked the web-site for the Zerex G-05 you use and could not find that claim. And accordin to the MSDS sheet, it contains:
Ethylene Glycol, Diethylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium Tetraborate Anhydrous
I also just stumbled upon ShellZone DEX-Cool Extended Life Anti-Freeze, it contains Ethylene Glycol, Proprietary Additives, Deionized Water.

I also noticed Prestone clearly states on their antifreeze with DEX is "Compatible with other DEX-COOL® approved coolants" (notice, they specifically call out DEX-COOL, not all coolants).

Again, I'm not a chemist, but I think the reason all (or now almost all) coolant products say "Compatible with all antifreeze" is because they are all the same two base chemeicals (Ethylene Glycol and Diethylene Glycol), the other "stuff" is a matter of corrosion protection and lubrication. Even products advertised as DEX (and even those that should be Dex free, such as your example of G-05) all have those two base chemicals.

Personally, I don't believe that ANY of these products that are "green" in color are true Dex or have Dex. If they did, with the amount of legal issues formed from original formula DEX (90's era), I think these companies would have other legal issues infront of them. Plus, too many of them/all/most of them state "compatible with all anti-freeze". It would also seem a little odd Prestone sells both a green Anti-Freeze and Anti-Freeze with DEX if they are one in the same. Heck, now I'm I'm not even sure "Prestone with Dex" is Dex when I read this on there site:
Prestone<SUP>®</SUP> Dex-Cool<SUP>®</SUP> Approved Antifreeze/Coolant has been approved by General Motors to be licensed as a DEX-COOL(r) product under the GM 6277M specification. Is it just that it meets a compatibility and durabilty requirement with what is filled into the car from GM.

Also, isn't it odd with Dex having such a corrosive reputation, it's always nylon LIM gaskets going bad? I never hear of issues with hoses, radiator plastic/nylon side tanks, overflow bottles or hundreds of other things that could actively be affected by a corrosive product falling pray to Dex, just LIM gaskets (which I feel is not a Dex issue, just bad gasket material).

I will admit, I can be stubborn when I stick my heals in and feel I'm right, so I hope you are taking this as friendly discussion/debate (as that's what I've been taking it as and intending it to be). I have tried to search equally to prove my case or learn something new to prove yours. But I think there is too much scattered information, that without being a true chemist and without knowing what chemicals are used to create Dex-Cool, this debate can never be 100% resolved.

Also, I understand you switched to G-05, I assume a loyalty to a product that has served you well for many years. I can certainly appreciate that and have no opinion other then, stick with what works. I know when I find a product I truly like, I form a loyalty that is challenging to gewt me to leave.
I think at this point, we will have to agree to disagree on the matter of what does and does not have Dex.