Had to post this, Onehundred 80 has posted some info that may be overlooked by casual readers.

I was so moved that I wanted to take his posted info to the top so all can see whats up even though I was late .....

Look this over and dont forget to SEE THE PHOTOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dex-cool Contamination

Original thread:
https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ch-funk-2.html

Heres your sign. Woody

OBTW Iam still a prestone man green-yellow in all my coolers

Off to work.

 

+1

As a former owner of a GM product, I can attest to the Dex-Cool problem. Our van lost intake and head gaskets, requiring a complete overhaul. Thousands of GM 3.4 liter motors had similar issues. It took the threat of a class actions suit for GM to even recognize there was a problem.

GM placed the blame for the epidemic of gasket failure on everything but Dex-Cool. And there certainly may have been myriad contributing factors. But Dex-Cool will destroy your engine. Perhaps it is by design.

 

I have been aware of the Dex Cool problem as it is all over the internet. Oledoc2u mentioned it and I had to answer at once.

Dex Cool is the automotive equivalent of Jim Jones giving you Kool Aid.

Dex Cool



Mopar Coolant (per JHM2K)

 

HA! Well said! I wished I'd known about in in 1997 when I bought our Venture....

 

Definitely something to be on the lookout for.

I'm quite confused though, because last night Steve and I drained the coolant from my car and put it in clear plastic bottles. The color of the fluid was orangeish-pink (like transparent red grapefruit juice). Definitely not as orange as it appeared in the reservoir. Go figure. Fluid was clean and clear -- no gunk, grit, or sea creatures.

Upon opening the Mopar fluid, we noted the color to be damn-near identical to what came out of the car... a neon pinkish-red while being poured, but once in the bottle, it had that same red grapefruit color.

My untrained eye had issues differentiating between the two. And to be quite frank, the link Woody posted has a picture of fresh Dex-cool in a jug. If you can imagine a slightly redder hue, that's what the Mopar fluid looks like when it's poured into a clear jug.

So not only am I completely confused, but I'm also under the impression that the PO had the correct fluid in there to begin with.

As for the gunk on the inside of my manis/intercooler, I'm thinking that's a buildup over time. From the date I purchased the car, the reservoir was within 1" of the top. As of a few days ago, I topped it off with 100% distilled water (I knew I was going to change it anyways) and it took just shy of a half-gallon to bring the level up.

Steve and I pulled the manis at the ~44K mark and they had the usual oily film, but no slurry. So, sometime in the last 8,000 miles is when the leak developed.

Assuming the worst, the intercooler dumped a half-gallon in 8,000 miles. But there's no way to prove that.

I plan on pulling the IAT sensor tonight to inspect for additional misting since the intercooler was replaced.

As it is now, the car has fresh coolant and a "new" intercooler. Problem solved? Time will tell.

 

After some research, looks like early G-05 was orange. G-05 is the approved HOAT coolant for this motor. So, that being the case, I should be safe.

Red Anitfreeze????? [Archive] - Moparchat - Home of MOPAR enthusiasts worldwide!

BTW, I found a photo online of the Mopar stuff in a jug -- matches my description perfectly.

Woody, I plan on sending you the intercooler next week. Are you doing a full tear-down, or a pressure test?

 

I plan on doing a flow test on the air side, then clean the core, then do a flow test again to see how much it was restricted.

I plan on doing the same on the water side.

I plan on doing a pressure test with freon and a leak checker and bubble check to see the site(s) of the leak.

Depending on the above, I may open it up to see the construction as I have a few thoughts on that also, whats new. Corrosion is a concern.

Wdy Engineers you know.

 

I read this article early on. They have worked on the problem....I didn't use that type, but I am pretty sure they have a handle on the problem according to my local Chevy rep. My neighbor owns a dealership nearby...so I talked to a few of his guys.... He stated, they are having problems with just about all of the anti freeze that comes into the used car department. So, they just empty, flush and put in new for all the used cars with warranty... He said it isn't worth the risk for no more that it costs...