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Coolant Change

If you look on Baldwins web site they have some good information on coolants types. If you mix one of the "compatible" coolants (non Dexcool) with Dexcool you will lose whatever long term properties the Dex gives you. yes, they are comaptible.... but mixing them makes the end result back to a standard coolant instead of a long life coolant.
I have converted other gas trucks I owned back to green coolant and then monitored it with test strips and added balancer if needed. With Dexcool you cannot use balancer, it must be replaced when at the end of its service life. At one time I thought that dex was bad but the more I read and studied the more I came to the conclusion that it wasnt bad, it just didnt last as long as GM wanted you to believe it did.
 
Pepperidge said:
Is that yours Jeff? did you make that? is that a kit?
I like the location, but I may be remote mounting my ficm there...
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Yes Paul. I wasn't going to use that location, so I made the aluminum bracket and mounted it there. The Baldwin filters are good for 75K before changing. Many have mounted the filter under the right front fender, on the frame rail.
 
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WilliamBos said:
It was an Organic acid type before, correct?? Now it is Ethylene glycol.
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My understanding is that it is still an Organic acid type coolant and considered long life, mixing it with green coolant reverts it all back to the change interval of the green instead of long life.
 
bigdisneydaddy said:
My understanding is that it is still an Organic acid type coolant and considered long life, mixing it with green coolant reverts it all back to the change interval of the green instead of long life.
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I have a new jug in the garage, ethylene glycol is the main ingredient, but still long life. Maybe they found a new way of making it long life.
 
RI Chevy Silveradoman said:
Excuse me for asking, but is one better than the other? Organic Acid verses ethylene glycol?
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Honestly, the longer life is what I would prefer. But all the bitching by all of the maintenance impaired people, the same ones who bitched rear discs off the 1500(thank god for the Max trailer option, that is what I will be getting next.) is the reason why GM switched formulas.
 
I was going to change the coolant today by doing a simple drain at the drain fitting, do the double flush with distilled then refill.
Unfortunately there is no drain as I had been lead to believe. I'll have to pull the lower hose to drain it. That's not gonna happen indoors. So I'm not sure when I'll get to it...
 
There should be a drain plug on the bottom of the radiator on the passenger side .Take another look.
 
A lot of manufacturers are deleting the radiator drains to make it hard on the owner and encourage them to bring the vehicle to the dealer for service.

Gee Mike how about just adding a bit of sulfites, di sodium phosphate, and maybe a little tri:hihi::eek:
 
Well, your sense of humor is still intact!!:biggrinjester:

I spent about 7 hrs changing out the power steering line from the hydo booster to the steering great. It was leaking just like the stinking trans cooler lines, bad crimp. Bought a new one from NAPA with a lifetime guarantee for $60. What a Bit$# to install. Had to remove the inner fender well and charged air piping on the drivers side to get at the gear end fitting. Darn, that was more difficult than trans cooler lines. Seems the more senior I get the more incompetent I get. Do you Think???

I was looking at the charged air cooler line and see what they mean by replacing it with an aftermarket one and getting a 75 cfm air flow increase.
 
Stupid question, but is the red coolant the long life coolant? My truck came with red coolant. I've had good luck with it, so I will be replacing it with the same red coolant. Probably the ZEREX red coolant.
 
Red is the current formulation of Dex. I haven't heard of any dex specific issues on the Duramax's, so we'll keep it as well. Might have the dealer do a full flush of the cooling system soon.
 
There are some long life diesel coolants that are red, Dexcool is more of an orange color. As long as you buy "dexcool" you are all set, dont buy the "works in everything" coolants they void the long life properties of the Dexcool.
 
Thank you for the updates. Now that I look at it is is more orange than red. :thumbsup: I will stay away from the green. ;)
 
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