coolant color change over? orange to???? which one need help!

[twoolley08]

Well i checked my coolant today it looks pretty bad. Currently its oragne. A buddy of mine was telling me that the orange coolant is bad for motors because it eats up the gaskets quicker, thats why they went to yellow. Is this true? Also would it be bad to change over the coolant from orange to either yellow or green? it not which one should I use?

[Lucky SOB]

If you're going to change from dex-cool to something else, make sure you have the system completely flushed. I've heard if you mix anything besides the Prestone "mix with anything" stuff with dex-cool, it will chemically react and "sludge" up.

Now, if I am wrong and these cars did not come from the factory with dex-cool, then disregard everything above. lol. However, I would still have the system completely flushed, can't hurt.

[1BADAIR]

i think pretty much anything these days from a parts store is mix with anything
I usually drain then fill with water though to help flush. If you do this you will have to add more coolant than water when you refill becuase most will already be water

[phoenix_rising]

We do coolant flushes at my shop. If you are going to make the switch I would definitely have it flushed and switch over to Global 50/50 premix Yellow. It can be mixed with any color safely and does not have the corrosive properties of Dex.

[twoolley08]

Hmmmm I'm thinkin yellow will be the color to go to. Anyone know if they sell it straight and not pre mixed. I'll probley just end up draining the radiator completely then fill it up and it with the plug out till its clear. maybe. Depends on how lazy I am when I do it.

[phoenix_rising]

Yes you can buy Peak Global Full Strength or premixed at any store.

Premix


Full Strength

[nascarnate326]

Why would you switch from dex?

Newer motors have the correct gaskets to withstand it I though?

[twoolley08]

well the coolant is pretty crappy lookin right now, and I just want to put will have the best cooling results in it without any harm to the gaskets. Also has anyone heard of puttin cascade into the coolant to "clean" it out since the orange stuff is kinda oily?

[99SSRhodes]

Orange (dex-cool) is what you want in your engine. the gaskets and engine were designed from the factory to be used with dex-cool.

if the coolant looks bad, what do you mean by bad? it is supposed to look orange in color but if it looks rusty or dirty in any other way its not the coolant that is your problem. that would indicate a problem with a component in the cooling system. check to see i your radiator is rusted, heater core ect....

[twoolley08]

the radiator looks fine but the dip stick just had gunky orange crap built up on it

[Virtue]

you or the previous owner prolly failed to change it when it was suppose to, imo no coolant it 100k mile coolant. the dex is fine. id maybe would change it out of a gm 3400 motor lol or something along those lines which are prone to bad lower intake gaskets,but thats a entirely diff motor

just flush it and pot fresh dex in it you'll be fine. iirc the dex cool is suppose to have better anti corision for the aluminum radiators and intakes

[twoolley08]

well theres only 68k on it, I've maybe put on 1500 miles in the almost 2 yrs ive had it.

[twoolley08]

good thing i came on here to I have nothing to do and forgot I want to flush the crap out. Its probley just a build up on the dipstick since the rad looks perfectly fine. but after seen that I want it change to be safe.

[Virtue]

well theres only 68k on it, I've maybe put on 1500 miles in the almost 2 yrs ive had it.

well thats not bad then,but it is still probably 10 year old coolant

[twoolley08]

most likely it is.