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Post by JimW on Nov 16, 2004 17:14:54 GMT -6
Tonight when I started up my car at work before leaving for home, my DIC chimed to inform me that my coolant levels were low. I pulled forward half expecting a Dex-Cool puddle but found the parking lot to be dry....good start. The car warmed up normally and evantually warmed up to a cruising temp of about 95 degrees Celsius. I stopped at a nearby service station run by Russian idiots and of course the zit faced kid had NO idea what DexCool was Headed home (not far from work or the station) and checked the DIC again. MONITORED SYSTEMS OK..hrm..alrighty then. Upon my arrival at home I "sniffed" around for burnt DexCool and checked the oil dipstick for "chalky/milky" condition, as understood to happen when oil and coolant mix. The oil is dark but only because I have an oil change slated for Thursday morning (DIC reads Oil Life at 16%). Any ideas, I assume I just need a coolant top up, but does DexCool burn off? Where else could I look for a possible leak? Anyone have a similar experience that would care to share?
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Post by Marc on Nov 16, 2004 18:00:21 GMT -6
Sometimes the DIC will give a false alarm. This has happened on my 2001, but very rarely. The first time the DIC showed "low coolant", I checked the level in the surge tank, and it was at the full line. I started it up again, and this time there was no warning. I have found that if the DIC shows that something is amiss, shut the engine down, wait a few seconds and then start again. If on the restart, no problems are indicated, everything is OK. The only way that Dex Cool could burn off is if the car overheats very badly & all the coolant boils away. ______________ GM!!! BRING BACK OLDS!!!
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Post by JimW on Nov 16, 2004 18:07:36 GMT -6
Thanks Marc, thats what I was thinking.
Now when I got to the service station I opened the overflow tank, and its under pressure, so it hisses a bit, and and some coolant smoke wafted out, I assumed thats normal. However I will get my coolant serviced during my oil change.
Off the top...what indications or symptoms would a blown head gasket show?
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Post by Marc on Nov 16, 2004 18:25:21 GMT -6
A bad head gasket will show up as such: 1.Overheating after appx. 20 minutes of running...I saw this happen on several different cars. 2. The oil will be full of antifreeze. This will show up as little gray globules floating around in the oil. 3. When antifreeze gets into the combustion chamber of time, it will cause the plug electrodes to rust. 4. Compression will be low in the cylinder where the gasket is cracked. 5. You might also see the exhaust emitting some white vapor...that's the remmants of any antifreeze getting into the combustion chamber. 6. And there will be the whitish coating on the dipstick. __________________ GM!!! BRING BACK OLDS!!!
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Post by JimW on Nov 16, 2004 18:30:43 GMT -6
Sounds similar to hydralocking. I'll have an eye on the oil, I doubt its an issue with my car, but never hurts to know.
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Post by JimW on Nov 17, 2004 6:30:06 GMT -6
Update: I checked the overflow tank first thing this morning, and it was nice and full. No warning on the DIC and everything ran ok. Seems like Marc was bang on, DIC error. Also checked the oil and its normal. All systems go!
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Post by Marc on Nov 17, 2004 12:49:32 GMT -6
JimW....I have seen on some rare occasions that the DIC in my 2001 will give some false warnings about other items other than coolant level. This doesn't happen more than once a month, however. ____________ GM!!! BRING BACK OLDS!!!
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Post by JimW on Nov 17, 2004 12:55:16 GMT -6
That concept seems likely, however I rarely get false DIC readings. In some cases when my windshield washer reservoir is less then 1/2 full and I park on an incline, I get a DIC reading informing me of LOW WASHER FLUID....then corrects itself later.
I suppose maybe the overflow tank hadnt received all of its coolant during cool down...*sigh* I dunno, all I do know is things seem ok now.
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Post by stevensolds on Nov 17, 2004 14:48:05 GMT -6
jim, my Aurora did that when the radiator was cracked, but the surge tank was still full. i thought it was just having a brain fart but the rad was split down the middle, almost all to the top and was leaking green stuff. You should get your coolant changed every 30k or 3 years, whichever first. New coolant also has an additive that helps the water pump...giving it extra life.
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Post by JimW on Nov 17, 2004 15:31:43 GMT -6
Thanks for the input Steven, however my radiator was totally replaced last October (2003) and I am not seeing any leaking. Was your rad leaking?
She goes in tomorrow anyway, so, we'll hav a greater look then.
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Post by stevensolds on Nov 17, 2004 16:36:04 GMT -6
yes it eventually all came out, while i was driving. i drove about 20 miles without any coolant and it started inching its way to the red warning zone. eventually as i was getting closer to home it was up at 270 degrees and i got some STOP ENGINE or something from the DIC
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Post by JimW on Nov 18, 2004 8:18:47 GMT -6
Looks like a non issue. Everything checked out ok when I had my winter inspection/oil change. They topped/lubed/inspected everything and its ready for winter. DIC glitch...in the end
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Post by stevensolds on Nov 18, 2004 14:09:40 GMT -6
cool. ;D
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Post by Rocketv8 on Nov 18, 2004 15:32:45 GMT -6
that is so funny, jim...my 97 showed the exact same warning message Monday when i started it...LOW ENGINE COOLANT.....no visible leaks....replaced water pump a year and a half ago....drove to the nearest garage and they checked it out, told me they added some coolant, and its been fine ever since...i cant understand how coolant could get low unless its leaking (or head gasket, my oil looks ok) I never actually "checked" the coolant level sine the water pump was done!!! can it just burn off or evaporate if you dont add a little once in awhile maybe it was just a false message let me know how you make out
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Post by Rocketv8 on Nov 18, 2004 15:38:05 GMT -6
oh by the way, i do not have Dex Cool in my 97...its regular green coolant....it had that in it when i bpught the car in 2002...i have heard the Dex Cool causes problems if you leave it in after so many miles, but i have also heard similar things about green coolant...who do you beleive?
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Post by erw38 on Nov 18, 2004 20:09:05 GMT -6
What is this? Jim, are you cursing all our cars with this "Low Coolant" disease? I got in mine tonight and within a few seconds it too said Low Coolant. Watch what you curse us with Jim!
I think I got some air trapped in the system, but thats besides the point!
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Post by stevensolds on Nov 18, 2004 20:31:30 GMT -6
rocketv8 , you know, your 97 was shipped with Dex Cool and was meant to run properly with that. Maybe that is why you replaced your water pump so soon...Dex Cool has additives that help the water pump anyway (as does green coolant), but dex cool can last 5 years or 150k without needing changed. Green ******* needs to be done every 24 months.
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Post by JimW on Nov 18, 2004 21:37:31 GMT -6
I havent had any issues with DexCool, other then no one knowing what it is...Is it only found in GM cars? Anyhow, I find it funny that all of our DICs decided to read Low Coolant at the same time..hehehe at least we arent experiencing any problems other then a false DIC reading. As for DexCool, I have heard a few horror stories, but like anything on automotive websites, you only hear about the bad...never how good something works (rarely anyway). DexCool is know to last longer, becomes less acidic (the green coolant) gets very acidic in a short amount of time and I cant imagine is too good for rubber hoses and plastic radiators...anyway, it does have additives to protect the water pump and other components found in the car so I leave it in. It does stink pretty bad though.
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Post by stevensolds on Nov 19, 2004 5:25:41 GMT -6
acidic...damn, probably why my radiator cracked so early. also the fact that the coolant hadnt even been changed before, stupid ppl. i hate ppl that dont take care of their cars, especially if i own one of them. damn.
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dred98
Aurora Driver
Posts: 470
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Post by dred98 on Nov 19, 2004 7:11:42 GMT -6
Wasn't dex-cool designed specifically for the Northstar? I read somewhere - I can't remember where - that it's better for aluminum engines than the regular stuff.
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Post by JimW on Nov 19, 2004 7:15:44 GMT -6
Not anymore Howard, that may have been true however, I was looking at the new Chevys at my dealership while the oil was being changed and all the engines had reserviors with DexCool orange coolant.
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Post by omegaic on Nov 19, 2004 11:03:27 GMT -6
I think it's all about longevity. I remember a couple years ago I was watching the idiot box, and I saw a caddy commercial. I remember it saying 100,000 mile service intervals. I guess old people love not having to maintain their vehicles? (Marc being the exception of course...)
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Post by Marc on Nov 19, 2004 13:12:52 GMT -6
I guess old people love not having to maintain their vehicles? (Marc being the exception of course...) That's right! Keeping up with maintenance enabled me to run the car I had prior to my Aurora, a 1972 442 W-25, for 29 years. _____________ GM!!! BRING BACK OLDS!!!
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Post by JimW on Nov 26, 2004 12:51:00 GMT -6
Happened again today....lotsa coolant in there, *sigh* DIC glitch I guess or the coolant level sensor is on the fritz.
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Post by Letitroll98 on Nov 26, 2004 18:34:45 GMT -6
The Dex Cool beotch is mainly with engines using an iron block and aluminium heads. The Dex Cool can cause a galvonic action between the two disimilar metals. The resulting electrical current eats away at both metals in a very destructive way. This electro chemical reaction is well known among boaters and in fact we have sacraficial zinc anodes mounted on our engines and drive units that eat away before the engine and lower unit metals. We inspect and replace these regularly. No one seems to be forthcoming about what begins the process in GM engines, but I believe it to be a combination of aging fluid and gases (air) in the closed loop system. The reaction would be cascading, i.e. the more it corrodes the faster it corrodes. In all aluminium engines like Premium V-8s, the only down side to Dex Cool is sludge build up from not changing it at the 5 year/50,000 mile service point. There's only one metal so no galvonic reaction. Woopee! Better living thru chemistry (and metalurgy). P.S. If my low coolant light comes on tonite I will hunt you all down like dogs.
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Post by JimW on Nov 27, 2004 0:51:34 GMT -6
Informative stuff there...thanx! never realized the metallurical story behind the DexCool problem.
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Post by Letitroll98 on Nov 29, 2004 21:52:22 GMT -6
Informative stuff there...thanx! never realized the metallurical story behind the DexCool problem. Yeah, I didn't know it either. Everyone kept saying DexCool, no DexCool, DexCool, no DexCool. So I began some spider searches and almost every complaint is aluminium heads on iron blocks. Almost every complaint is about corrosive attack, some almost total engine disentegration. Almost every complaint centered on gaskets and water passages around the top end of the engine. Then some guys who know way more than me answered some of the posts. Almost all of the answers centered around different theories of galvonic action. I chipped in with my pea brain knowledge of boats. ;D And ya know, almost no credible complaints from people who owned all aluminium engines, Caddies, Auroras (just some sludge issues). Thus my ad hoc answer, Dex Cool is A Ok for Aurori across the USA and Canada. But that's just my opinion.
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Post by erw38 on Dec 2, 2004 17:28:09 GMT -6
Drained and flushed the radiator this past weekend and it appeared to work like a champ! Only think that came out of the whole ordeal is the black plastic splash/wind screet on the bottom of the radiator.
Anyone know the part number for that? ;D
I am not going to replace it anytime soon because I have other things that I have to do with my money ;D
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Post by JimW on Dec 7, 2004 17:26:14 GMT -6
Update on this item I stopped into the dealer for a coolant top up tonight, the level was a little bit low, but there was enough in the system to keep the engine temperature nominal. Free top up. However, if the coolant level sensor goes kaput on a Classic Aurora, be prepared to have the coolant overflow reservoir replaced as well. We looked under the car (at the dealership tonight) to look for possible leaking of DexCool, but it was dry underneath. However I did notice some minor beads of oil at the oil cooler lines right on the metal crimps, according to the service manager thats normal, but to just maintain regular service on my car (which I do anyway)
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Post by stevensolds on Dec 7, 2004 17:57:12 GMT -6
motor oil on the lines ?
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