Have a GM with Dexcool?

[mooseracing]

Get a reimbursemant for that crappy coolant wrecking your intake gasket.

Yes I hate GM. Anyway here is a link to the Class Action Lawsuit agreement and claim form.

http://www.girardgibbs.com/dexcool.html

 

[weeber]

OMG, thanks so much for this info.

I have a 2001 Monte Carlo with the 3.4 and Dexcool. My lower intake manifold gasket just started leaking at 85,000 miles and my oil and coolant are just starting to mix (not much though). I'm taking my car in next week to get everything fixed, flushed, and replaced. My car is still under the extended warranty, but maybe I can submit the deductible costs and necessary cost for the coolant and oil change (which aren't covered by the warranty). This is really good info, thanks; hopefully others will find it useful.

 

[overst33r]

So if the car isn't leaking coolant and hasn't had this issue fixed, it isn't eligible?

My parents have an 02 3.4L Impala that isn't showing any symptoms yet, although it has had some work on the cooling system, but I'm pretty sure the intake manifold gasket is original.


If I go to a shop and have preventative maintenance done for the gasket, GM will cover up to $800 of the cost?

 

[radioouman]

Hmmmmm. I have a 2002 Saturn with an Ecotec 2.2 liter and Dexcool, but I haven't had any problems. Looks like the Ecotec isn't covered under this.

 

[Mxylplyx]

That sucks. Original owners only. My 2000 Jimmy just had the intake manifold gasket replaced a few months ago, but I bought it used with 12K miles on it.

nevermind, it does cover more than the original owner.

 

[mooseracing]

I hate intake leaks that result to coolant getting in the internal parts of the engine, quickly destroys bearings and cam lobes. Even if found quickly it still makes me nervous. Good luck to all those that have had this happen.

 

[Shawn]

Do these cars "require" Dexcool?

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Do these cars "require" Dexcool?

I don't think so... It's just what they were originally filled with.

 

[bruceb]

No they do not. Dexcool was intended as a Long Life coolant, as a lot of people
ignore the cooling system. Regular antifreeze should be flushed & filled with new
every 1 - 2 years at most. Dexcool was supposed to be 5 years / 100K but in real
use, it doesn't last that long. Stick with the 2 year max between flush & refill. As
to why they had trouble, on some cars, the Gasket & the Intake Manifold were made
of a Plastic to "reduce weight & cost" .. On affected GM cars, the EGR also goes thru
the Intake Manifold and because of that extra heat, gasket & manifold fail. GM Dexcool
is also very prone to sludge build up & this is caused when air gets into the coolant.
A revised, better sealing radiator cap has been issued in the last year by GM.
On newer GM cars, they went back to a metal intake manifold & you can also buy that
type in the aftermarket. As to that class action suit, while my car did have trouble, it
was in Sept 2005 & car was bought new Mar 1999 ... it failed at 141K .. I could file,
but at that point, most I would get is about $100 ... not worth it.

Note: Anyone that wants to change from Dexcool to normal Prestone Antifreeze,
the only thing you Must Do is be absolutely sure All of the Dexcool has been
flushed out of the entire coolant system. The two types Do Not work together.
So a through flush is needed.

 

[mooseracing]

Yea great desing of the EGR goign through the plastic. My sis's bonneville had that and she hydro locked her motor. Luckily no damage besides a starter and flexplate,then some new rod and main bearings since they got wiped.

I can't say much though as Ford had the same kinda issue on their V8's with plastic intakes except they added aluminum crossover into it to handle heat better.

 

[DougK62]

This is not Dexcool's fault. The intake gasket setup was just a poor design.

 

[bruceb]

It was a combination of both. After all, Dexcool is a combination of chemicals
and obviously, some overpaid chemical engineer at GM or at whoever actually
makes Dexcool did not throughly test for incompatability with various plastics.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: bruceb
It was a combination of both. After all, Dexcool is a combination of chemicals
and obviously, some overpaid chemical engineer at GM or at whoever actually
makes Dexcool did not throughly test for incompatability with various plastics.

Probably a chemist, not a chemical engineer. The chemist designs the stuff, the chemical engineer scales up the production process to make industrial quantities.

 

[bruceb]

Perhaps my nomenclature was in error. But it just goes to show
what happens when companies try to rush things into production
or otherwise cut corners in an attempt to save $$ or a few ¢¢¢¢

 

[BUTCH1]

Originally posted by: bruceb
No they do not. Dexcool was intended as a Long Life coolant, as a lot of people
ignore the cooling system. Regular antifreeze should be flushed & filled with new
every 1 - 2 years at most. Dexcool was supposed to be 5 years / 100K but in real
use, it doesn't last that long. Stick with the 2 year max between flush & refill. As
to why they had trouble, on some cars, the Gasket & the Intake Manifold were made
of a Plastic to "reduce weight & cost" .. On affected GM cars, the EGR also goes thru
the Intake Manifold and because of that extra heat, gasket & manifold fail. GM Dexcool
is also very prone to sludge build up & this is caused when air gets into the coolant.
A revised, better sealing radiator cap has been issued in the last year by GM.
On newer GM cars, they went back to a metal intake manifold & you can also buy that
type in the aftermarket. As to that class action suit, while my car did have trouble, it
was in Sept 2005 & car was bought new Mar 1999 ... it failed at 141K .. I could file,
but at that point, most I would get is about $100 ... not worth it.

Note: Anyone that wants to change from Dexcool to normal Prestone Antifreeze,
the only thing you Must Do is be absolutely sure All of the Dexcool has been
flushed out of the entire coolant system. The two types Do Not work together.
So a through flush is needed.

It's not that they won't "work" together, if you mix Dex-cool and traditional anti-freeze
it would no longer have the Dex-cool's extended life. I'm with you though, when my '05 'bu
hits 30K it's getting a total flush, trying to get 100K out of the original coolant is asking
for trouble, Dex-cool or not. Another annoying oddity is the lack of a tranny dipstick..
owners manual states "if you notice fluid leaking, take it to the dealer"...nice..

 

[pstylesss]

Thanks for the info. I have a Bonneville I had to do repairs on. I have a friend with 2 other bonne's that had to have work done also. Such a pain in the ass.

 

[lupi]

How easy is it to get money for this? My 96 pontiac was quoted for about 900 in repairs while I only paid 40 for the heater core and 10 for stop leak and the intake manifold. [Friend changed out the heater core for free and has cursed doing it since. ]