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Producing
this epic took hours, days, weeks and months of reading, talking to DEX
and cooling system experts and users, writing, rewriting and then starting the whole procedure over again. It has
consumed more than 8 months of my life. (Yes, a lot more than it should have due to health problems.)
Frankly, the difficulty was finding any one person who could factually layout the
"whole" picture. I've not yet spoken to any single individual who is either able or willing to share it
"all."
Certainly there are plenty of engineers at GM who could. But with class action
lawsuits eminent, they'll not speak to Mole, me, or any other
independent automotive writer. There are also independent cooling system engineers,
maybe past GM employees or venders, who could put most of the pieces
together. But most of them are contracted up with the attorneys for the plaintiffs; they'll not speak to me either.
The other major problem in sizing up the whole DEX corrosion, rust, sludge, low coolant level (sometimes right from the factory), incorrect radiator cap
part and location on radiator tank, undersized overflow bottle design and incorrect placement,
deteriorating intake manifold gasket thing is just that: a darn story
about umpteen components and systems with counteracting, interrelated events,
including service shops and vehicle owners not knowing exactly what
services to perform,
and all this taking place at the same time together, or not!
But, after reading through the (almost) finished project, I fear the multitude of details might be covering up the more important "Big Picture." Consequently, here's a collection of bottom line facts and opinions that hopefully highlights the import of the entire topic, while somewhat
summarizing the piece as well.
1. Opinion. First of all, upfront: I have no idea whether or not General Motors breached the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, or violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act, or broke any other laws through the level of support they chose to apply to the problems associated with DEX.
The juries will ultimately make that decision. Frankly, I'll support it
either way.
But I do believe GM's method for handling (or lack of) the resulting vehicular problems was certainly not in the best possible customer service manner. I wouldn't doubt if it
helped give rise to the enhanced sales of Toyotas as well as other "import"
vehicles. In addition, there's plenty of GM vehicle owners out there right now who wouldn't put DEX back in their machines if GM delivered jugs of
the stuff free of charge to their front porch. And you know those owners
are "expressing their discontent" to all their friends,
family and other customers sitting in the barber shop.
2. Opinion. Ignoring the paragraph above, DEX-COOL is a fine, long-life, quality, coolant. This assumes that all of the engine and cooling system components that come in contact with it are designed to withstand the plasticizing affects of the 2EH
contained in its inhibitor package. For certain affected (vulnerable) vehicles, if a better designed and built IMG is installed during a changeover, there's no reason to switch to green antifreeze.
3. Intake manifold gaskets made with a Nylon 6,6 carrier that comes in contact with DEX, at least on the 3.1L and 3.4L V6s (and probably many others), will not keep up with DEX's planned 150,000 mile service life. Even GM's own internal docs say they're failing as early as 20,000 miles.
The saga ain't over. In the last two weeks I've heard of two 2003 vehicles, one a Chevy Venture van, that both needed IMG replacements at about 60,000 miles. Sounds to me like GM has a continuing design problem with that series of gasket.
4. The S/T Blazer 4.3L sludge problem is a different makeup than sludge associated with 3.1L/3.4L engines. The Blazer's radcap/overflow bottle size and location problems are not seen in the 3.1L/3.4L series. Again, even GM's internal memos admit that the composition of the sludge is not the same.
5. It's the new guy's fault. The radical coolant color changeover in
1995-96 (the very familiar green replaced so quickly by the fluorescent, bright red-orange
DEX-COOL) made it easy for everyone to pounce on DEX as the culprit for all the engine overheats and cooling system sludge-fouling that started popping up across the country. (I won't bore you with the various renaming jobs that some disgruntled vehicle owners
and mechanics chose to call it.) In any case, I stand by #2 above.
Now start in with Part 1, and please feel free to call or write with your comments, corrections and questions.
Thanks,
John and Mole.
PS Be sure to bookmark this page as I claim the right to keep this document
"open." I know I'll think of more mini-summations tomorrow or the next
day, etc. Feel free to stop back any time. (This is another advantage that
web-based docs have over those of ink and paper.)
If
you have similar stories but maybe with differing details and outcomes,
and would like to share them with Cool Profit$ Magazine's readers,
please call me at 800-883-8929. Click
here to email your story.$$$
My dad suggested I relay this story/question on to you. In my 2003 Grand Prix I am showing slight signs of an intake manifold gasket leak. I am considering just doing a flush and fill for now and have been hearing different opinions about whether to put Dex Cool (or equivalent) back in it or to replace it with conventional anti-freeze.
What is your opinion? Which is better?
Thank you very much for any info you can offer.
Have a great day,
Kelly Duclos
Reply to kelly duclos
CPMJohn – Petaluma, CA
January 26, 2008 - 11:13
Subject:
Hi Kelly,
Based on speaking with experienced coolant test and manufacturing specialists, DEX offers equivalent or better, and significantly longer corrosion protection for engine and cooling system components than conventional antifreeze (traditional green chemistry).
Problems that GM had introducing DEX into "certain" (not all) of their 1996 and later models are mostly attributable to either improper (material and design) intake manifold gaskets or an improperly located radiator cap. In addition, it appears that certain factories may have sent new cars out with very low levels of coolant. Overheating was common and sludge was produced by rapid rusting of the upper iron parts of the engine (heads, upper block, etc.). From there things just got worse.
Ask yourself one question: If DEX was bad, or even worse than the "green stuff," why is GM still installing it in all of their brand new vehicles? They wouldn't; it's working quite well in literally millions of vehicles.
John Peterson – Los Angeles, California
September 07, 2007 - 17:34
Subject:
I drive a 2001 Buick Lesabre since new. After reading what was said about Dex-Cool it got me worried about the condition of my Buick's cooling system. I never changed the coolant since new nearly 7 years.
I removed the radiator cap for the first time since the car was new, and it was clean with just a deep impression in the rubber gasket. I found no sludge or rust. The plastic overfill container had a light brownish film at the coolant line. I removed the coolant tank and washed it out using a bottle brush. I put new hoses on and a new thermostat rubber seal. I filled the radiator with 5 quarts of Dex-Cool and the balance with distilled water.
I do not know what all the fuss is with Dex-Cool it served me well through the years, and my cooling system checked out to be still in excellent shape, only adding a very small amount of water once a year to the coolant tank.
Reply to John Peterson
John Hess – Petaluma, CA
September 09, 2007 - 12:42
Subject: Most have good protection from DEX
Thanks, John, for your comments.
Yes, most users get good service from DEX. If not, GM surely would have dropped the product by now.
The real question is what engine do you have?
If it's either the 3.1 or 3.4 V6 and went that long, you were indeed blessed. It's those Intake Manifold Gaskets that seem to be flawed.
CPMJohn
