Extended Life Antifreeze Question

[LGSCHMIDTJR]

Extended Life Antifreeze/Thermostat Question

Hello
I recently purchased a 95 Cobra and noticed it has the orange/entended life antifreeze. Is anyone else using this? I have a friend that used to wrench at a Chevy dealership and he said he saw some cars coming in with gummed up waterpumps due to this anitifreeze. I am hoping the technology has improved and was wondering if enyone here has any input. If this stuff is no good i want to change it out and use the standard green antifreeze.
Additionally, what thermostat comes in the Cobra? My old 88GT had a 192 and i swapped it out for a 180. If this is the case with the Cobra i would like to replace with a 180 also.

Thanks
Laurence

 

[COBRASVT]

I just had my radiator repaired....I told the guy that I was going to flush my system and run the extended life and he said "NO!".

He said that same thing that it would gum up the system. He also said that GM was about to stop using it.

Just stick with the green...flush the system...make sure you have the heater on to get it all out...then go with a 50/50 solution w/distilled water. Hell, most of the stuff you buy now is 50/50 already and it wont take more than 3 gallons at the most.

If you ever need a radiator, I have a nearly new one from Ford that I got for my old 95. They are rated at 600HP, so don't let anyone talk you into an expensive aftermarket.

 

[John97DOHC]

Why change the thermosdat what will an aftermarket do that the stock cant?

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Extended life, (orange) has differemt corrosion inhibitors than the old green stuff, it's main reason is the fact that most cars have aluminum radiators and motors which the old green stuff is not compatible with.
The orange will work in older vehicals but not the other way around. Don't switch. It is the best stuff out there.
however even though it's called extended life, you still cannot neglect it as those people must have.

 

[STAMPEDE3]

GM is the one that came up with the stuff and it has worked great for years, Dexcool (GM's product) has been in use since the 90's. They are not switching unless something new and better comes out.

 

[LGSCHMIDTJR]

Thanks for the replies.
COBRASVT and STAMPEDE: I guess i will hold out for more info and if the orange stuff is bad i will drain/flush the system and go with the green.

John97: If the car comes with a 195 and if i flush the system i would then install a 180. I am in Texas and it gets hot here and i would like the thermostat to open a little earlier.

Laurence

 

[STAMPEDE3]

Some research for you.

http://autorepair.about.com/library/weekly/aa052601a.htm

http://www.wivb.com/global/story.asp?s=1366511

some bad, however I studied some of the cases and they had problems in 2 months to 1year. a problem in 2 months time looks like something else to me. but you know this sue happy country.
http://www.cwcd.com/CM/ClassActions/ClassActions35.asp

If you search you'll find the people who had trouble didn't keep the system full or mixed it with green which is a big no.no.

I've never had a problem, but you must keep in full, My old man retired from Texaco, my brothers work for Exxon and I also work in a chemical plant, I see this day in and day out.

But to add some real life experience, I also own a small trucking company, 13 like the one in my avitar, Some of the older ones have the green stuff, most have dexcool, I can tell you after cleaning the radiators every 100,000 to 150,00 miles I'll take Dexcool any day.
The problem is changing to the green stuff, There's almost NO way to get all the Dexcool out and mixing is one thing to avoid at all cost.

 

[Shake&Bake]

All GM's come with Dexcool, and while its supposed to last up to 100,000 miles most mechanics will tell you different. Dexcool, if not changed every 60,000 miles will start to eat at your gaskets and gum up. It literally looks like mud when it starts to get old. My daily driver, 99 Grand AM GT has the Dexcool and I change it every 60,000 miles due to so maybe bad stuff I hear about Dexcool. I would just switch back to the Green stuff personally, thats what I run in my 98 Cobra.

-Chris

 

[Snaketamer]

My mechanic was talking to me about a friend of his who did some research into antifreezes. He said the friend came down to the conclusion that Honda's antifreeze was the best out there. Something having to do with having zero silica. Anyway, my mechanic recommended when I do a change to use Honda's antifreeze.

Anyone know about this?

 

[STAMPEDE3]

http://webpages.charter.net/baldy/rialta/vw/images/dex-cool.pdf

Dex-cool has no silica.
Trust me guys, the thing that will kill any cooling system is contaminates.

USE DISTILLED OR DIONIZED WATER. The antifreeze is not the problem, it's the things you mix with the antifreeze.

Do a yahoo or google search, and read.


Going throw my ASE certifications in the garbage, no one listens anyway. LOL

 

[STAMPEDE3]

One last post, Don't mix them, Use good water,and use whatever came in the car, as much as I don't like engineers,(I deal with them everyday) they engineer the system for certain things, don't mess with it.
If it came green leave it green and vice-versa.

 

[LGSCHMIDTJR]

Originally posted by STAMPEDE3
One last post, Don't mix them, Use good water,and use whatever came in the car, as much as I don't like engineers,(I deal with them everyday) they engineer the system for certain things, don't mess with it.
If it came green leave it green and vice-versa.

Stampede
I could not agree more with your last statement. I guess the previous owner thought the exyended life was the way to go. I just thought I would get some input on the topic from some fellow cobra owners.

Laurence