Use your nose.Ĭhange the coolant if it smells burned. If the coolant does not feel slippery then it has lost its lubricity (the lubricating and rust inhibiting agents have deteriorated) and the system is at risk for rust and scale buildup, as well as water pump wear. If it feels gritty, the coolant is dirty and should be flushed and replaced with a fresh 50/50 mix. The engine coolant should feel slippery to the touch and smooth (like the engine oil). Address the probleFrim immediately! Slippery coolant is a sign of good coolant. This is a deadly mix that will kill an engine or transmission in short order. This is not good it usually means that a head gasket, intake manifold, or transmission oil cooler is leaking oil or transmission fluid into the engine coolant. The system must be cleaned/flushed and a fresh 50/50 mix of coolant installed to restore integrity.Ī milky color indicates the presence of oil in the system. A rusty color indicates that the rust inhibitor in the coolant has broken down and it can no longer control rust and scale buildup. The color of healthy engine coolant is green (for ethylene glycol) or orange (for Dexcool). These actions will avert the problems associated with Dexcool or any other coolant product. In addition, completely flush and refill the system every two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. Whether you are running Dexcool (the orange stuff) or ethylene glycol (the green stuff), inspect the coolant level and the condition/protection of the coolant at every oil change. Here's the bottom line when it comes to cooling system maintenance. So what are the guidelines on maintaining engine coolant? There were class action suits against GM on this issue, and GM reached settlement agreements with some owners beginning in 2008. Overall, numerous cooling system problems have been attributed to the use of this controversial product, although GM firmly stands behind it. Rust builds up in the system, inhibiting coolant flow, which causes overheating. The acid eats away at head gaskets and intake gaskets. Cooling systems that use Dexcool exhibit more acid buildup and rust in the system when the coolant level gets low and oxygen is allowed to enter the system. It's supposed to last 5 years or 150,000 miles, but there have been problems with this coolant. In the 1990s, GM introduced an engine coolant called Dexcool. GM suggests flushing Dexcool for the first time at 150,000 miles. If I have Dexcool in my car, can I leave it in for the life of the car? Head gaskets blow, heads warp, and the engine suffers major damage. The water pump overheats and fails due to a lack of lubricant in the coolant. The coolant stops flowing through the system, clogs up coolant passageways and water jackets, radiators, and heater cores. The coolants chemically react and form a gel rather than a liquid. What exactly happens when these coolants are mixed? To guard against major engine failure, read on. There are some coolants that claim compatibility with Dexcool, but I would rather err conservatively and add what the system is supposed to take rather than gamble. When mixed together they form a gel-like substance that stops coolant flow, and consequently, the engine overheats. The green and orange coolants do not mix. This is one of those questions usually asked after the fact, and usually engine damage has already occurred.
Can I mix green coolant with orange coolant? What is coolant?Ĭoolant (sometimes referred to as antifreeze or radiator fluid) is used to regulate your engine temperature and prevent it from overheating. And in mixing any antifreeze with water for a 50/50 mix, the use of distilled water is highly recommended. On GM's own consumer site, the debate regarding its Dexcool antifreeze continues.
Does orange coolant turn pink how to#
Orange vs green: coolant basics you need to know Understand the difference between coolants, and how to look for problemsĮditor's Note: This article was originally posted in 2009.
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