Hello folks!!
My normal haunt is over at the first gen forum, but I wanted to get you opinions in the second gen area as well!!
The daughter has just acquired a new-to-her 7th gen N-body (94' Skylark) with 3100 V6. I've did some homework and read lots of coolant related issues this engine has a reputation for. Planning on doing a coolant replacement on this buggy when the weather caves in to springtime soon! I pondered which way to go with the coolant itself and the light came on - all the wonderful experience and opinions out here in J-Body Land!! :-)
My personal thoughts are, that aluminum has been used in engine components going way way back - from intake manifolds to heads and now even blocks. Haven't read much of any improvement in engine gaskets lasting any longer since the DexCool came along. Seems as if manifold and head gaskets are as trouble prone now as ever , so drain , rinse and replacement with the green stuff will work just fine.
Since our J-Bodies have been Aluminum headed since 1987, and the 2-8 /3.1 are more reliable cousins , I'm betting my boots that everyone out here has something to add, and I'd Love to listen!! I'm hoping to learn a thing or 2 in the process!!
Also this car has a closed cooling system, the recovery tank is dirty, but the coolant inside is a pretty green color .
Thanks to everyone here, in advance for the input!!
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Once the "use in all types" stuff came out, I switched and never went back. I've never had any issues with it.
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Dexcool is a good coolant, but it's not nearly as "long-life" as they claim and needs to be changed maintained just like any other.
The problems seem to arrive from letting your long-life coolant live a long life in your system.
Green is pretty solid overall though, but don't be afraid of Dexcool, just change it every 3-5 years.
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1995 Corsica and a bunch of trucks too...
Orlen Brown wrote:My personal thoughts are, that aluminum has been used in engine components going way way back - from intake manifolds to heads and now even blocks. Haven't read much of any improvement in engine gaskets lasting any longer since the DexCool came along. Seems as if manifold and head gaskets are as trouble prone now as ever , so drain , rinse and replacement with the green stuff will work just fine.
Off the top of my head..... the Dex-Cool alleged to be a gasket eater. IIRC, it was a long life coolant, back when the green stuff was supposed to be changed every other year. The green stuff is now long life (5 years +),so longevity is no longer an issue. As you say, I believe the going wisdom now is to flush and replace with universal green.
BTW, I have had several cars with aluminum heads, and have never had a gasket failure with the green stuff unless there was an overheat. I did have a lower intake manifold gasket fail on a 3.1L Buick running dexcool at about 125k -130k.
