Big T
Well-Known Member
What's the coolant capacity? Headed to Walmart to get some DexCool, not the premix. Thought like 3 gallons plus 3 gallons distilled water. Sound about right?
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Radiator Leak
- Thread starter Big T
- Start date
MrMarty51
Well-Known Member
Oh crap, I’m late. I just looked that up. I think it is right at 22 quarts.
ak diesel driver
6.5 driver
Probably won't take anywhere near that much unless it's completely empty
Big T
Well-Known Member
That's 5.5 gallons. I bought 3 gallons of the concentrate. Walmart did not have distilled water. Shelves were empty.
MrMarty51
Well-Known Member
Oh My, that just sucks. Any open grocery stores near by ?
I got two jugs of water wetter too. The jugs said XXX ounces to a quart of coolant. It was just shy of being two full jugs so I givver the whole nine yards.
No one in town had the Red Line brand of water wetter so I went with some other brand, dont remember the brand name but, it was red colored so I thought, close enough.
I had not totally drained the cooling system so I just dumped in the wetter stuff and topped it up with prestone.
I have had the truck in the garage for quite a while and have not started it since dumping in the water wetter and topping it with prestone. I hope that it will be okay.
I got two jugs of water wetter too. The jugs said XXX ounces to a quart of coolant. It was just shy of being two full jugs so I givver the whole nine yards.
No one in town had the Red Line brand of water wetter so I went with some other brand, dont remember the brand name but, it was red colored so I thought, close enough.
I had not totally drained the cooling system so I just dumped in the wetter stuff and topped it up with prestone.
I have had the truck in the garage for quite a while and have not started it since dumping in the water wetter and topping it with prestone. I hope that it will be okay.
Big T
Well-Known Member
Oh My, that just sucks. Any open grocery stores near by ?
I got two jugs of water wetter too. The jugs said XXX ounces to a quart of coolant. It was just shy of being two full jugs so I givver the whole nine yards.
No one in town had the Red Line brand of water wetter so I went with some other brand, dont remember the brand name but, it was red colored so I thought, close enough.
I had not totally drained the cooling system so I just dumped in the wetter stuff and topped it up with prestone.
I have had the truck in the garage for quite a while and have not started it since dumping in the water wetter and topping it with prestone. I hope that it will be okay.
I've tried the water wetter.....no difference.
Jaryd
Extremely Deplorable
I had to go to Walgreens to get distilled water last weekend. No grocery stores or dollar stores around here has had any in a couple weeks. Not even Walmart
Will L.
Well-Known Member
If ya have a clothing steamer- easy way for distilled water. Doing the water in the pot thing takes long time to get a couple gallons.
dex cool...SMH.
dex cool...SMH.
Big T
Well-Known Member
Dexcool is the the manufacturer recommendation and I have had no issues with it. Many of you also recommend water wetter which I have found to be ineffective, it did nothing.
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Your truck, your choice.
Just so you understand where it’s coming from.
Dexcool is owned by GM. when you buy it anywhere GM gets profit from each sale. The patent on the chemical composition ends and they have to change it every so many years. All antifreeze companies together don't match the lawsuits as any one of the different compositions under dexcool name. If it really was the proper chemical for the engine- why did it start with the regular green in the 6.2 from factory. Also why did they come up with the 4 or 5 different versions.
Water Wetter is much like good oil additive. The driver doesn’t always see the effects until parts are disassembled or if the cooling system is well monitored before and after. Top temperature would still be the same, it is how well the heat leaves the metal of the engine into the coolant and leaves the coolant into the radiator. How fast it goes from high heat load to normal temp is what gets seen by driver.
Remember the warning to not use the “diesel” water wetter with our engine but use the gasoline one? This is because of the high nitrites. If you run high nitrites in this engine, the metal of the engine is going to be so coated- the water wetter isn’t going to work. When you open up that engine, the nitrates that dropped out of suspension will be seen on the metal. Once the engine metal is all coated, it will stick to the radiator next. Since you are swapping your radiator- cut it open and check out the inside for a red/brown muddy material with a really fine grit to it.
No matter which you run, I suggest a block flush before the new radiator goes in.
Then once new radiator is in, do an electrolysis test.
Just so you understand where it’s coming from.
Dexcool is owned by GM. when you buy it anywhere GM gets profit from each sale. The patent on the chemical composition ends and they have to change it every so many years. All antifreeze companies together don't match the lawsuits as any one of the different compositions under dexcool name. If it really was the proper chemical for the engine- why did it start with the regular green in the 6.2 from factory. Also why did they come up with the 4 or 5 different versions.
Water Wetter is much like good oil additive. The driver doesn’t always see the effects until parts are disassembled or if the cooling system is well monitored before and after. Top temperature would still be the same, it is how well the heat leaves the metal of the engine into the coolant and leaves the coolant into the radiator. How fast it goes from high heat load to normal temp is what gets seen by driver.
Remember the warning to not use the “diesel” water wetter with our engine but use the gasoline one? This is because of the high nitrites. If you run high nitrites in this engine, the metal of the engine is going to be so coated- the water wetter isn’t going to work. When you open up that engine, the nitrates that dropped out of suspension will be seen on the metal. Once the engine metal is all coated, it will stick to the radiator next. Since you are swapping your radiator- cut it open and check out the inside for a red/brown muddy material with a really fine grit to it.
No matter which you run, I suggest a block flush before the new radiator goes in.
Then once new radiator is in, do an electrolysis test.
- Staff
- #31
I have no problems with dexcool, I run it in both of mine. Many imports run it as well now. As to the trans cooler lines, most radiators have coolers in them for 5/16" lines, starting in 97 for the 4l80e, they changed the cooler circuit which increased the flow through the cooler, so they went to 3/8" lines. The aftermarket still uses the smaller cooler which makes no sense when it would be better to use the larger cooler and adapt down to the smaller lines.
MrMarty51
Well-Known Member
Guess I’ll have to see if the transmission temp runs any warmer than it used to before installing the new radiator with the smaller fittings. I hope not.
also, I could not get the Red Line water wetter over here, off the store shelves. There was some other brand red colored fluid so I got that. The parts counter man started in about their NAPA cool stuff, told Him no way, My engine did not require the Nitrate stuff.
So, if anyone does go to a NAPA store, DO NOT GET THE NAPA COOL stuff. It is more for the cummins engines.
The NAPA COOL is a purple colored coolaid looking stuff, so, if You use any other brand of water wetter and it is purple colored, it most likely is the same stuff as NAPA COOL and I would advise not using it.
also, I could not get the Red Line water wetter over here, off the store shelves. There was some other brand red colored fluid so I got that. The parts counter man started in about their NAPA cool stuff, told Him no way, My engine did not require the Nitrate stuff.
So, if anyone does go to a NAPA store, DO NOT GET THE NAPA COOL stuff. It is more for the cummins engines.
The NAPA COOL is a purple colored coolaid looking stuff, so, if You use any other brand of water wetter and it is purple colored, it most likely is the same stuff as NAPA COOL and I would advise not using it.
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ak diesel driver
6.5 driver
I don't think it's so much about temps but about flow/lubrication
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Is that pump moving the fluid from through the cooler a constant velocity pump? Meaning the same exact amount of volume gets pumped regardless of restrictions or rpm?
Or is it a pressure regulated pump that the pressure it has to push it will always be pushing against a relief valve to keep pressure the same regardless of volume or rpm?
You cant have both one system. Most pumps don’t have either and can vary volume and pressure by engine rpm. It has been too long since I played with the trans to remember it.
But if the pump pushes more volume or more pressure by revving engine up- I can’t see how the restriction that returns to normal size would affect it greatly.
If it is regulated-
if volume regulated and controlled on output side;
or pressure regulated on the return side:
Yeah that is not good for it.
Or is it a pressure regulated pump that the pressure it has to push it will always be pushing against a relief valve to keep pressure the same regardless of volume or rpm?
You cant have both one system. Most pumps don’t have either and can vary volume and pressure by engine rpm. It has been too long since I played with the trans to remember it.
But if the pump pushes more volume or more pressure by revving engine up- I can’t see how the restriction that returns to normal size would affect it greatly.
If it is regulated-
if volume regulated and controlled on output side;
or pressure regulated on the return side:
Yeah that is not good for it.
snarl95
Well-Known Member
Big T
Well-Known Member
Yes
snarl95
Well-Known Member
Champion says to only run the green stuff (ethylene glycol).
Big T
Well-Known Member
Chris "Twisted Steel" what say you? Is this determined by the radiator? the engine block?
I have had no issues with DexCool. Truck has gone 21 years and 230K miles on DexCool.
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MrMarty51
Well-Known Member
The wifey had a 2000 Buick, dont recall the model, it had dexcool in it from the factory. Before 25,000 miles, coolant pump, by pass hose, heater core and intake manifold all sprung leaks. Installed the new coolant pump, a week later the bypass hose sprung a pin hole leak. About six months later she says that coming home from Billings, a weird smell in the car and the windshield fogged over.
Before I got a chance to check that out, I took a trip over to Everett Washington. Got over by Butte and she calls and asks if it would be safe for her to take the car to Billings to see her son. Told her I didnt know. She then wants to take the old GMC that was having some problems. NO, not my truck. I called the dealership over here. Set up a deal with them for a newer car. Called wifey, told her to take the car to the dealership and they will check out the Buick and give You a loaner. I had told the sales rep to tell Her to be sure she chose one with all the bells and whistles that she would want in her own car. I got back to town, the intake manifold on the Buick was also leaking. I paid them for a one year old Malibu LTZ that had under 10,000 miles on it. Have not had one problem with that car except for the tire monitor system and the door lock system. Almost 80,000 miles on it. I guess I should change Dexcool in it.
Before I got a chance to check that out, I took a trip over to Everett Washington. Got over by Butte and she calls and asks if it would be safe for her to take the car to Billings to see her son. Told her I didnt know. She then wants to take the old GMC that was having some problems. NO, not my truck. I called the dealership over here. Set up a deal with them for a newer car. Called wifey, told her to take the car to the dealership and they will check out the Buick and give You a loaner. I had told the sales rep to tell Her to be sure she chose one with all the bells and whistles that she would want in her own car. I got back to town, the intake manifold on the Buick was also leaking. I paid them for a one year old Malibu LTZ that had under 10,000 miles on it. Have not had one problem with that car except for the tire monitor system and the door lock system. Almost 80,000 miles on it. I guess I should change Dexcool in it.
Big T
Well-Known Member
I think I read that early on GM models using Dexcool had leak issues, then they changed formulation of the seals. But the damage was done and the stories and legends persist.