Topic: What is the 2003 Anti-Freeze?

[TexasAVY]

Trying to determine what the antifreeze in the Avy is.  Have been reading a lot of negative about Dex-Cool.    I don't see any place in the owner manual, after market Haynes manual or on the radiator or coolant bottle that indicates Dex-Cool.  What about ya'll? Any ideas on this?  The current antifreeze looks yellow, not the rrange or red that the articles say indicates Dex-Cool, but it definitely isn't green either.   

[oHIobellboy]

I'd say if it isn't green, it's Dex-cool. There were many issues when that first came out as far as gaskets and such but it's been around so long they have most of those issues taken care of. My '99 burb should have came with it. When I bought it, someone had already put the green stuff back in it. Should have been a warning to me then but I didn't know any better at the time. You don't want the green stuff put in the newer engines without replacing a bunch of gaskets first.

[TexasAVY]

I'd say if it isn't green, it's Dex-cool. There were many issues when that first came out as far as gaskets and such but it's been around so long they have most of those issues taken care of. My '99 burb should have came with it. When I bought it, someone had already put the green stuff back in it. Should have been a warning to me then but I didn't know any better at the time. You don't want the green stuff put in the newer engines without replacing a bunch of gaskets first.

That's what I was wondering about.  Is the Dex-Cool as bad as some articles claim?  Some claim the Dex-Cool basically ate up the aluminum in the interior of the engines.  I would assume that if the Avy came what Dex-Cool from the plant, seven model years later, it should be safe.  Would this be a safe assumption?  I am not having any troubles, just was reading some of the horror stories on the net.

[oHIobellboy]

That's what I was wondering about.  Is the Dex-Cool as bad as some articles claim?  Some claim the Dex-Cool basically ate up the aluminum in the interior of the engines.  I would assume that if the Avy came what Dex-Cool from the plant, seven model years later, it should be safe.  Would this be a safe assumption?  I am not having any troubles, just was reading some of the horror stories on the net.

I go by the factory maintainence chart on that stuff. If it say change it at 75k then I change it. I know there's lots of reading material out there on it but it's been around a while now. Any "growing pains" should have been addressed a long time ago.

[TexasAVY]

I go by the factory maintainence chart on that stuff. If it say change it at 75k then I change it. I know there's lots of reading material out there on it but it's been around a while now. Any "growing pains" should have been addressed a long time ago.

That kind of the conclusion I also came to, but I thought I would throw it up here and see what the "experts" thought. 

[oHIobellboy]

That kind of the conclusion I also came to, but I thought I would throw it up here and see what the "experts" thought. 

Hell, I never shoulda opened my mouth then. Not an expert on it. Just personal experience with the burb and stuff I've read.

[TexasAVY]

Hell, I never shoulda opened my mouth then. Not an expert on it. Just personal experience with the burb and stuff I've read.

Works for me, Mike.  After only having my Avy for less than two years, anyone longer than that is an expert. 

[Main One]

Since I'm an original 03 owner, I guess I'm an expert.

The 03's came with the Dex-cool.  I did some reading on the problems with Dex-cool several years ago.  From what I recall from memory, there were some materials in gaskets or other items which did not get along with the the coolant.  Those types of gaskets, etc., were not used in the 5.3 motors - either by happenstance or probably more likely GM figured out the problem before the 5.3s went into production.  I've got 201,000 miles on my 7 year old engine which has never seen the green coolant.

You can use the Dex-cool without problem.

M1

[TexasAVY]

Since I'm an original 03 owner, I guess I'm an expert.

The 03's came with the Dex-cool.  I did some reading on the problems with Dex-cool several years ago.  From what I recall from memory, there were some materials in gaskets or other items which did not get along with the the coolant.  Those types of gaskets, etc., were not used in the 5.3 motors - either by happenstance or probably more likely GM figured out the problem before the 5.3s went into production.  I've got 201,000 miles on my 7 year old engine which has never seen the green coolant.

You can use the Dex-cool without problem.

M1

Thanks, Main One.  Between you and Mike (OBB), I feel gretly more comfortable with the Dex-Cool. My '03 has a little over 80k now, show it's probably due to be flushed and refilled in the near future.

[MyBigToy]

I'll add my .

I ran Dexcool in our 92 Grand Caravan after the first flush at 2 years old. 12-1/2 years later it was still running with Dexcool when we got rid of it. We had no issues whatsoever. I think the biggest issues were that people didn't adhere to the service schedule - at that time it was a 3 year flush/refill. I've run it in my Av since it was purchased new in June 2002 with no issues. I'm due for a flush this year so it will get done when the cam goes in the week between Christmas and New Years.

I've only got 62K on the truck so there's not a ton of miles; however, it's now 7-1/2 years old so I've got 20 years experience with Dexcool with no issues. Keep in mind that 2/3 of that was in a vehicle that was not originally designed to run Dexcool. I don't think you have any worries running it.

Edit: Let's see......June 2002-December 2009 does NOT equal 6-1/2 years. I didn't invent any new math so I guess that means the post gets edited to show 7-1/2 years and 20 years!