antifreeze question

[bluebeast]

so if I drain all the antifreeze out of my 97 grand am,what should I replace it with.The tag says to use dexcool,but I"ve read it"s crap.Is prestone the a suitable replacement?.By the way how do you get all the coolant out of a engine block? Your help is greatly appreciated

 

[melsg5]

As long as you use the Prestone version of Dexcool. You have to remove the plugs on the side of the block but most people dont bother.

 

[bluebeast]

Thanks for the info,this is getting confusing with all this antifreeze and types

 

[No Tyme]

Thanks for the info,this is getting confusing with all this antifreeze and types

I just had my Grand Prix changed out last week. I had a good flush done and then put in Preston. The Grand AM I purchased about 2 weeks ago had this done and I had no idea about the issue with Dexcool until I talked with its owner.
The problem, as I understand it, is not the Dexcool itself, but the fact that GM says its good for a 100,000 mile before you need to change it. That is the problem, as my 02 Grand Prix has only 92,000 but after reading all the info I could find, I had it flushed. My level sensor was plugged up and needed replaced and the system had a load of crap. I was advised to have it flushed again, maybe in the spring and new coolant added again.
The problem is when the Dexcool is not change often enough. If you run Dexcool change it every 2 years and you should not have an issue... or so I understand from internet searching.

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[mwagner863]

ive heard the dexcool is to abrassive in the engine that it is a good idea to swap your coolant to 50/50 green antifreeze its good for 100k miles but only 5 years where dexcool is suppose to be 100k miles and or 10 years thats really the only difference they now make antifreeze that is interchangable with all colors all makes the problem use to be that when green antifreeze was mixed with dexcool it would gel inside the radiator and the block now the newer antifreeze is made so that supposedly wont happen.