Again, there is nothing wrong with Dexcool. Dexcool works perfectly fine. Like any other fluid in your vehicle, it needs to be maintained. THe problem comes in, being an OAT type coolant, is the extended change intervals. Couple that with people who follow the letter of the law, and don't change it for 100k, is when problems come up.

GM won't admit anything. It is still used today in EVERY vehicle they sell. It is used in the engine cooling systems, as well as their intercooler systems on their supercharged vehicles.

I don't think it has the thermal efficiency that regular old Ethylene-Glycol (the old green stuff), but it isn't anything that you're going to notice in day to day operations. In order to convert from Dexcool to Ethylene-Glycol, requires a complete bleed down of the entire cooling system. It's up to you whether or not you determine it's worth it. I don't think it is. And I've worked on 1,000's of GM vehicles including my own, which I have never converted.

The conversion to Ethylene-Glycol is done based on a fear that Dexcool CAUSES UIM and LIM failures. The fluid itself does not. It is when air is present in the system that problems arise. Problems will arise with either choice in coolant. So we're right back to square one.

With that said, it now is 17 years old, has 142k and it's done so on Dexcool. If something would've failed, it would've failed by now!

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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

OK thanks, sorry to be a bother, but that was very helpful. Unless my mechanic suggests otherwise, I'll leave it as it is and stop obsessing over it....

Now, what about the transmission?

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Hmmm, here's a list of cars I've owned: Fiat Panda; Fiat Strada Cabriolet (on the list of the ten worst Italian cars ever); Subaru Legacy (biggest money pit ever placed on to wheels); Hyundai Accent; Hyundai Elantra; Hyundai Sonata; 2xKia Sportage; Honda Element; Nissan Sentra; Buick Rendezvous (blew engine, had it replaced, got t-boned a month later); Kia Rondo (blew engine, replaced under warranty, still going 'strong'); Eagle Talon TSi AWD 5spd (most fun I've ever had behind the wheel); Toyota Solara (RIP, another engine toasted) and now Pontiac Bonneville! I think that is it.

You're not being a bother. Just put it in perspective. The car is 17/18 years old (based on in-service date), with over 100k on it with Dexcool.

Unless you feel something is wrong with the trans, be it shifting between gears as you accelerate, or other whacky things, again, Just make sure it all checks out.

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Right. Part of me wishes I could have wandered into a dealer and purchased a new (or at least much newer) car. I test drove a Mitsubishi Mirage though, and not many parts of me wanted to pay 12K for one of those!



Nothing whacky so far! It's going in for a check up tomorrow, so I'll report back with what (if anything) I'm told should be done to it...

Once again, thanks for the welcome and for the time you've put in to sharing your knowledge.

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Hmmm, here's a list of cars I've owned: Fiat Panda; Fiat Strada Cabriolet (on the list of the ten worst Italian cars ever); Subaru Legacy (biggest money pit ever placed on to wheels); Hyundai Accent; Hyundai Elantra; Hyundai Sonata; 2xKia Sportage; Honda Element; Nissan Sentra; Buick Rendezvous (blew engine, had it replaced, got t-boned a month later); Kia Rondo (blew engine, replaced under warranty, still going 'strong'); Eagle Talon TSi AWD 5spd (most fun I've ever had behind the wheel); Toyota Solara (RIP, another engine toasted) and now Pontiac Bonneville! I think that is it.