antifreeze eating intake gaskets

[timswi]

How has the Dex-cool held up in the newer modular V8 engines?

I'm a little concerned, now as I have topped off my coolant a couple times (over the 5 years I've owned the truck) on my 04 with a mix of dex-cool and tap water. All together, I may have added a quart or two to the system. Currently I have the coolant about a 1/2 inch above the mid point in the tank, which is a little over the full point. I can see the coolant level better when filled to this point as the seam in the tank obscures the level line.

As far as I can tell, I have no leaks, and no internal leaks (the level does not change) with 125,000 miles on the truck. I plan on replacing the coolant, hoses and thermostat this summer. Should I do this sooner?

I wouldn't loose sleep over it..Change it on your schedule. I had an intake gasket blow in my last truck (5.7) at 160k..Can't really complain about that.

I've had 2 5.3's since, neither has had an issue. The Tahoe had 110k when I sold it and replaced it with an H3 (SHMBO wanted one)..Never did anything to it beyond maintenance.

The pickup has 80k and beyond changing the tranny fluid ever 30k, no other repairs on it either.

The GM bashing everywhere on TBN is pretty discouraging. Every manufacturer has their quirks. My BIL's have Dodges and Fords. Honestly, they've had more problems over the years than I have. Just sayin.

 

[workinallthetime]

How has the Dex-cool held up in the newer modular V8 engines?

I'm a little concerned, now as I have topped off my coolant a couple times (over the 5 years I've owned the truck) on my 04 with a mix of dex-cool and tap water. All together, I may have added a quart or two to the system. Currently I have the coolant about a 1/2 inch above the mid point in the tank, which is a little over the full point. I can see the coolant level better when filled to this point as the seam in the tank obscures the level line.

As far as I can tell, I have no leaks, and no internal leaks (the level does not change) with 125,000 miles on the truck. I plan on replacing the coolant, hoses and thermostat this summer. Should I do this sooner?

the 5.3's dont have any coolant going through the intake, we hardly ever have issues with those intakes, some have atually warped over time but that has nothing to do with coolant. Only coolant issues i ever see on 5.3"s is leaking water pumps.

 

[Wis Bang]

Back when I was having the 3.4 in my 99 Grand Am repaired I did some looking online. The one thing I read that was the Dex-Cool testing was done w/ rental cars which are serviced sooner and more regularly than most private autos. It was stated that you can't let air into the cooling system, letting the dex-cool get low and introduce air made the coolant more corosive to gasket materials.

Over 100,000 miles after the Grand Am repairs [while using green coolant] my daughter cracked a head! I ended up getting a junkyard takout installed near her college since it died 170 miles away from home while she was doing her student teaching.

I'm glad to see the dates for the updated gaskets as we just purchased an '06 Impala w/ the 3.5L engine that is based on the old 60 degree 2.8L design that GM brought out for the Citation, it's first transverse engine front wheel drive. Tankfully the '06 was a local lease serviced by the dealer I brought it from. I went thru his carfax line by line seeing all the maintenace that was done. So far I'm leaving the dex-cool in it.

 

[mjncad]

I'm glad to see the dates for the updated gaskets as we just purchased an '06 Impala w/ the 3.5L engine that is based on the old 60 degree 2.8L design that GM brought out for the Citation, it's first transverse engine front wheel drive. Tankfully the '06 was a local lease serviced by the dealer I brought it from. I went thru his carfax line by line seeing all the maintenace that was done. So far I'm leaving the dex-cool in it.

I had a 2.8L-V6 in my S-10 pickup and it was the worst engine in the worst vehicle I ever owned, and yet GM kept boring and stroking this lemon motor out to 3.5L as late as 2006! Good grief, talk about a bonehead corporate decision, and it's no wonder GM went belly up.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I had a 2.8L-V6 in my S-10 pickup and it was the worst engine in the worst vehicle I ever owned, and yet GM kept boring and stroking this lemon motor out to 3.5L as late as 2006! Good grief, talk about a bonehead corporate decision, and it's no wonder GM went belly up.

I had the same experience with a 4.3L in a S-10 Blazer. Never again.

Chris

 

[mjncad]

Never again.

Chris

That's what I say too regarding GM products after that S-10 lemon that I called the 'Vega Incarnate' amongst many other things.

 

[workinallthetime]

Yep horible design on those engines, dad drove his 2.8 s10 to 230k miles, parts manager has over 400k on his 4.3 S-15, and cant count the customers driving 3.1's i see in here everyday with over 150k on theirs. Guess it all depends on how well you take care of it?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Yep horible design on those engines, dad drove his 2.8 s10 to 230k miles, parts manager has over 400k on his 4.3 S-15, and cant count the customers driving 3.1's i see in here everyday with over 150k on theirs. Guess it all depends on how well you take care of it?

I have to agree with Workinallthetime on this one, and I pretty much despise GM. Well maybe not on the 2.8L. I never knew one of them to make it much past 80,000 without some issues. And I blew my 4.3 with 30,000 on the clock but that was a rare occurrence because most 4.3L engines I know of went for years and years and have been a reliable engine in the boating world.

As for the 4.3, 3.8, and 3.1 those engines seemed like the best thing to come out of GM since the 350. Yes, they have a few issues but they are minor. With proper car they will outlast the vehicles they are put into.

Chris

 

[mjncad]

My 2.8 lasted 100,000 miles before it threw a rod. I changed the oil and filter every 5,000 miles. The manual called for oil changes every 7,500 miles and filter changes every 15,000 miles. My mechanic was surprised I got 100,000 out of it since a lot of 2.8's blew up around 30,000 to 40,000 miles. A number of coworkers at the time had that happen to them with premature engine failure. I now change oil and filter every 3,000 miles on my vehicles, or every 6 months.

The 2.8 V6 was a crap engine from a crap company. Never again will I let a GM product despoil my garage unless it's a '55 Chevy Bel-Air convertible, or a 66' or '67 'vette. Give my current financial situation, that isn't likely to happen.