Hello everyone. I have a 96 Camaro 3800 that has dex-cool sludge all in it. I replaced the radiator (because it cracked, somehow) that was horribly sludged and clogged. Now, I am wanting to get rid of the dex for good and switch to the green stuff, but i have read that it is a definite no-no to mix the 2 together. No matter how many times I flush the system it still drains out horribly brown stained dexcool water and I dont think that I can ever get it all out of the system. Does anyone have any suggestions, or am I just stuck with with dexcool? I need to do something pretty soon because the temps are getting near freezing at night here now.

 

just keep flushing it, it will come out clear eventually. Also why do you want to get rid of the dex?.... If its brown its probably rust/iron whoever previously owned the car probably ran either just water or more water than coolant. The dex-cool isn't what is making it sludge though, the "green stuff" would do the exact same thing if the cooling system is neglected and not maintained as needed.

 

I dont know much about dex honestly, just the horrible things ive read about it online, and what ive seen in my own system. I bought the car used about 2 yrs ago and it was already sludged up pretty good when I got it.

What would the proper way to flush it be, get some kind of kit that hooks up to a water hose, or just use the little bottles of radiator flush (thats what ive been using).

 

you need to use dexcool! that engine was designed to use dexcool, only older cars use the green antifreeze, new engines if you use the green stuff it will actually corode and oxidize the aluminum in the heads/block!Just flush the dexcool out and put new dexcool in.Dexcool is not bad at all, but if you mix two different types of coolant and mix it together it will turn into sludge, also if you dont change the coolant every 2 years it will do that.Periodic maintenence is not an option if you want your stuff to last.

 

http://www.dexcoolsettlement.com/

Oh and Ford aluminum must be different that Chevy aluminum, since Ford uses the green stuff. Never had problems with antifreeze eating through the heads on my Mustang, just everything else on the car was falling apart.

 

Most of the reason, as I see it, why Dexcool got a bad rap is because people never changed/flushed their system. Dexcool is a "long life" coolant. But that doesn't mean you can drive forever without a flush. Rust and sludge can still form and build up. That would be like using a long life oil (synthetic) in the engine and never changing it.
Use the Dexcool, and maintain the cooling system regularly.

 

we changed out the dexcool in all of our delivery trucks because we were finding that it would clog heater cores. green stuff is all we use now. but i will agree...if you take care of the system and maintain it you shouldn't have too many problems

 

Dexcool is all that has went in mine and it is changed every 10000 miles... No problems here...