I just picked up 4 gallons of dexra cool compatible coolant for my car. it was the only stuff Auto Zone had besides that no name other crap. It is orange in color, Can this be used in our cars? I also mixed it with 1 gallon of the regulaor green coolant that was already in the radiator. the container does say is it compatibe with older GM cars but what is all the hype on this stuff?

 

For info on dexcool do a search. Theres tons of posts on this website. As far as the coolant compatibility, it is probably alright. I would look for it to say something like ethlene glycol compatible to be 100% sure.

 

You don't mix dexcol (orange) and other coolant (green) both are different. You use one or the other but not mixed together.

 

Both are ethylene glycol based, so you CAN mix the two coolants. BUT you reduce the long-life properties of the Dex Cool by doing so.

Keep a close eye on the coolant while running Dex Cool. For some people it works trouble-free. For others it has created nightmares.

Dex Cool offers better protection for the metal parts, but it can go haywire. The biggest issue is that it can start leaving an orange "mud" in the cooling system and gum things up.

The exact cause of this is unknown, but some have suggested that if air gets in the system (due to a leak or running the coolant low) that the Dex Cool will have the adverse reaction.

Also, some experts recommend changing Dex Cool every 2yrs./30,000 miles like traditional coolant. It appears the 5yr./150,000 mile promise doesn't always hold true.

I ran Dex Cool for a few years, but recently switched back to traditional green after noticing a tiny amount of the orange deposit in the overflow bottle. Prestone also recently released a new "universal" coolant that is compatible with ANY type of coolant – green, Dex Cool ...etc.