Prestone all-vehicle coolant

K3WE wrote:
I know this is going to be fun. The forum is full of book regurgitators, curious (sometimes scientific) rule benders AND "hold me beer, we gonna try somethin' folks...."

I had a leak and realized I was low on coolant...so I went off to Wally World to dutifully buy GM-approved coolant...

I looked hard, and all I saw (not even empty shelves) was "Prestone all-vehicle" and Wally's brand. I didn't see anything that said GM approved or Ford approved.

I can't remember when I last saw green stuff in a car- so I assumed, this would be pink stuff (and I'm not referring to RV winterizing antifreeze).

I open it (it's green) and pour it in....I KNOW that the GM folks are cringing.

I read the now-worthless internet and see lots of strong pontification that this is bad and other’s say "OK"...BUT BETTER YET, I GO TO PRESTONES WEBSITE AND WATCH A VIDEO TELLING ME IT'S OK TO MIX THE ALL-VEHICLE STUFF!

Also, to keep this interesting, I actually mixed stuff LONG ago...drove it a long while with no issues.

Looking forward to anyone with experience commenting. Not looking forward to it, but there will be rule regurtitators. ALWAYS fill the black tank and NO towing with a half ton and be sure to only use N2 in the tires...right?

:-)

So unless your are running a 3800, Vortec 305, Vortec 350, Vortec 454, 3.1 or 3.4. You really have nothing to worry about. I have an 11 second 1/4 mile 2000 Trans Am WS6 (LS1 Dry intake) in the garage with Prestone all makes all models in it for at least 6 years mixed with DEX. Sees Maybe 2,000 miles a year. Clean as whistle no sludge.

The Caprice I daily drive has it mixed in there too. LS based 6.0 runs Mid 12 second 1/4 miles. Did the Cam swap oh 5 years ago now running all makes and all models in that mixed with DEX, I put 10,000 miles on it a year. Clean!

The formula for DEX has changed since the days of the wet intake and plastic gaskets that failed when you ran it low in the engines I mentioned. While the Trans Am isn't a pressurized overflow tank the Caprice is and it makes a difference. The Trans Am doesn't suffer as it has a dry intake. No coolant or oil touches it. The unpressurized system ran low which allowed for the air touch the intake gasket which caused the gasket to fail.

If you run straight up conventional green in there. It will sludge, things will fail. That is bad.

The stuff you used is "sort of green" If you were to compare it to conventional you see it is more yellow.

I have six cars at my house, all registered all drive, all GM...No cringing. :) 3 of the cars have a mix of All makes All models and Dex. The Trans Am, The Caprice and my kids 2005 Buick with the 3800.