What kind of coolant does a 2004 Chevy Impala take?

Prestone 50/50 Coolant/Antifreeze.

What type of coolant is Dex-cool?

ACDelco GM OE Dex-Cool Antifreeze Extended Life Coolant Concentrate is an orange, silicate and phosphate free, premium-grade coolant/antifreeze that is formulated with a chemical composition that minimizes breakdown of metal components in contact with the fluid.

Is Dex-Cool compatible with other coolants?

Can you mix other coolants with Dex-Cool? Technically, you can mix coolant types, but before you go ahead and do it, let’s cover some things. Firstly, Dex-Cool and traditional anti-freeze don’t mix well. Currently, many coolant producers make solutions that aren’t Dex-Cool but are safe to mix with Dex-Cool.

What does Dex-Cool mean for antifreeze?

ACDelco DEX-COOL® is an ethylene glycol based fluid that provides maintenance-free protection against freezing and boiling but also against corrosion. Extended coolant life, often for the whole life of the engine or vehicle, is obtained through the use of virtually non-depleting corrosion inhibitors.

Why is DexCool bad?

Ten years after General Motors began using Dex-Cool as an antifreeze in most of its cars and light trucks, GM car and truck owners continue to complain that the coolant corrodes and clogs radiators and radiator caps, erodes water pumps, rots radiator hoses, causes chronic overheating and engine damage while leading to …

Can you put water in a Dex-Cool system?

On GM’s own consumer site, the debate regarding its Dexcool antifreeze continues. And in mixing any antifreeze with water for a 50/50 mix, the use of distilled water is highly recommended.

What happens if you dont use Dex cool?

The coolant stops flowing through the system, clogs up coolant passageways and water jackets, radiators, and heater cores. The water pump overheats and fails due to a lack of lubricant in the coolant. Head gaskets blow, heads warp, and the engine suffers major damage.

What happens if you use the wrong color antifreeze?

Mixing different engine coolants or using the wrong coolant can impair the performance of the special additive packages; this can result in increased corrosion to the radiator. Using the wrong engine coolant can gradually lead to corrosion and damage to the water pump, radiator, radiator hoses and cylinder gasket.

Is DexCool bad for your engine?

Do I put coolant in the radiator or reservoir?

If the coolant level is low, add the correct coolant to the reservoir (not the radiator itself). You can use diluted coolant by itself, or a 50/50 mixture of concentrated coolant and distilled water. When the coolant rises to the cold fill line, replace the cap and tighten it until you feel it click. Close the hood.

Can I put water in my car instead of coolant?

Even though many people choose to simply put water into their radiators instead of coolant, it is not really a good idea. While water does help to keep your engine cool, it does not work nearly as well as coolant does. First of all, water boils faster and at a lower temperature than coolant.

What kind of coolant is used in a Chevy Impala?

During the repair, Dexcool sludge was discovered as the cause – eating away the gasket and pitting the manifold. A “universal” high performance coolant was used in place of Dexcool upon completion of the repair.

Do you have to use DEX COOL on your car?

If your car or truck came from the factory with Dex-Cool, you should continue to use that coolant both as replacement and to top off the radiator, the mechanics say. Last but not least, if your car came from the factory with standard “green” antifreeze, don’t switch to Dex-Cool.

What was the problem with the Dex coolant?

Samuel in Bellville, Ohio experienced a similar problem with sludge in the cooling system of his car. “I have sludge in my coolant caused by Dex-Cool,’ he wrote. “GM demands that the coolant be used. So far it’s just the gasket that has to be replaced.

What kind of sludge is in my 2004 Impala?

Bought 2004 impala used. Has had brown sludge/build up in the radiator since day one of ownership. Have had the radiator flushed twice, sludge keeps coming back. I drive long distances. Only fix is to manually clean sludge from top of radiator and cap.