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Cadillac DeVille

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What is this discussion about? Cadillac DeVille, Sedan

Messages Page 233 of 264

#2319 of 2634 Gasket/Piston problemsRe: (New used 2002 Deville) [chetj] by ladymylady

Jun 17, 2007 (11:59 am)

Replying to: chetj (Jun 17, 2007 10:11 am)
WOW and WOW again.
 
I just looked up the lawsuits that Chetj talked about with Dexcool.
 
It's not just the cadillac but many other GM makes using Dexcool!!!! 35 million cars affected !!! Lawyers trying for class action suit.
 
Meanwhile, what to use instead of Dexcool ??????
 
This guy, former owner of the car, (I have all the repair papers) had a piston,rod and rings replaced/blown at 17,000 miles...and "hose,engine coolant, lower replace" at 18000 miles(indicating he was another who has had this problem and I also see a mark on the back leather seat which inicates to me that the battery replacement was not "aired" properly and leaked into the back seat, just as they say it would.....!!!
 
Now I dont know what kind of coolant they have in there and if they ever flushed the radiator before I have this gaskeet problem too !!!!!
 
Anyone want to tell me what I should do and expecially what coolant to use????
 
Sounds to me like it would be cheaper to take it to local Firestone, have them flush the radiator and replace with another coolant...but which one?
 
what do you think?

#2320 of 2634 NEW USED 2002 Deville by zimzam1

Jun 17, 2007 (4:51 pm)

From what I have been reading from bolivar and chetj and I am starting to secong guess myself on getting this Deville...
 
Naaa, no way I am still going to take the chance. I love them so much and I had such good luck with my 98 Deville I dont think I will ever own any other car but a Deville. I guess you just have to watch yourself when choosing a Cadillac. Make sure its certified from a reputable dealer if its used, also do what bolivar says while you test drive the car and really open it up on the highway and get it good and hot while you watch the temperature gauge. And with a little luck, and a warranty, off you go with the most comfortable car that I have ever known. I also really like the whole digital dashboard on the Deville. That is one of my favorite things about these cars. I cant stand the and the digital speedometer on the dashboard. I really like the wood trim on the sreering wheels on the DTS and DHS but then they have to ruin it for me with the dial speedometer. But anyway hopefully by this time Wednesday night I will either have my new used 2002 Deville or my new used 2003 Deville. woohoo!

#2321 of 2634 Re: Zim -Affordable Caddys [ladymylady] by zimzam1

Jun 17, 2007 (5:06 pm)

Replying to: ladymylady (Jun 17, 2007 8:00 am)
Hey lady did you mean go to gmoutlet.com for a warranty or for a car?

#2322 of 2634 Re:Answering Zim -gm outlet [zimzam1] by ladymylady

Jun 17, 2007 (5:24 pm)

Replying to: zimzam1 (Jun 17, 2007 5:06 pm)
Zim,
try them for both - maybe they have the caddy at a reasonable price you're looking for - they do say discount - and that they discount the warrantee.. read their whole site.
 
Meanwhile Bolivar is right about it's being a problem with plastic and aluminum radiator with little copper, and the GM coolant turning to sludge. Look what I found on the Consumer Affairs complaints:
 
"M L of San Rafael CA (08/26/06) *WE'VE FIXED THE PROBLEM(S)!!
And while it's irritating to look back and see how much $$ I've needlessly thrown at my '92 K1500 Chevy Blazer, several radiators, head gasket, heater core, trans cooler lines, uptake gaskets, pretty much everything that has come into contact with cooling fluids has either corroded or slowly disintigrated. All due to what turns out to be a basic electrical design flaw at GM.
 radiator guy hates Dexcool, suspects that perhaps it's the electrolisis that causes the Dexcool to turn to a jelly goop.
 Says the higher the amp reading in the radiator, the more goopy Dexcool seems to be.
 
 My story: The original radiator in my '92 Chevy lasted a good while (hint: older radiators had A LOT more copper in them). The trouble really all started and in a big way, after replacing the original radiator. I did pay the $500.00 for the new GM radiator. (hint: the newer made radiators have little to no copper in them. They are mostly aluminum and steel) Within a couple months, I started having to dump money into my K1500 Blazer, LOTS of it!
When radiator #3 started leaking, I got fed up with my mechanic, who kept saying, it's a high milage vehicle. I should expect this. Not thinking it was even slightly odd that everything seemed to be connected to the cooling system or somehow come into contact with it, even though nearly every repair seemed to require draining the radiator?? So, I looked for the oldest, greasiest, busiest, radiator shop in my area. First thing the guy did, after hearing the list of repairs I'd made, was to drop a probe in the radiator to check for a charge, in other words, electrolysis. An acceptable reading is .03 amps. I was running at .38 amps!! Turning the engine off it would only drop it to .27 amps.
So, he replaced leaking radiator #3, and rechecked it,.. .58 amps!! It went up! He shrugged and said, new one must have even less copper than the last one. I've seen a lot of these GM's with this crap going on. I've been doing this thing that seems to fix this problem. Then an off-duty local cop pulled in with his Blazer, newer than mine. We got to talking, he'd had most of the same problems and this radiator guy fixed it for him 3 years ago, and hadn't had a problem since.
Here's what my guy did...
#1 - Attached three, braided ground cables, randomly to the radiator and the block, and grounded them.
#2 - Then took a piece of copper pipeing aprox 3 long, with the same hollow as the heater-core hose, soddered a copper ground wire to the side of it. Midpoint on the hose running from the radiator to the heatercore, he spliced this small copper pipe into the line using hose clamps. Then using the ground wire he had soddered to it, grounded it to the engine block.
#3 - Drained and refilled the cooling system with DISTILLED water and GREEN coolant. Dexcool in his experance is CRAP, and I quote him. He did all this very quickly, then dropped the probe into the radiator and poof .02 amps! It cost me $100. He has me come in to recheck the amps once a month. And still 6 months later, .02 amps, and no new problems. I was averaging 1 problem per month, a leak here, a suspicious gasket there. Now nothing. So, it seems to me that there are really two problems. One affecting the other. A cooling system grounding problem, electrolysis resulting in corrosion and dissintigration of parts and gaskets. And then Dexcool which is unstable in an electrically charged enviroment and turns to goop. Maybe I'm wrong but my '92 K1500 Blazer now has 212K miles on the original engine"

#2323 of 2634 Re: DEXCOOL AND THE GASKETS & HEADS by ladymylady

Jun 17, 2007 (5:32 pm)

Replying to: bolivar (Jun 17, 2007 11:46 am)
Too bad I didn't read all of this before I purchased the car - I would have still purchased but demanded they check these things for damage already done, flush the radiator and change to a different coolant.
 
Look what I found among all the consumer complaints about the GM cars using Dexcool:
 
"M L of San Rafael CA (08/26/06) *WE'VE FIXED THE PROBLEM(S)!!
And while it's irritating to look back and see how much $$ I've needlessly thrown at my '92 K1500 Chevy Blazer, several radiators, head gasket, heater core, trans cooler lines, uptake gaskets, pretty much everything that has come into contact with cooling fluids has either corroded or slowly disintigrated. All due to what turns out to be a basic electrical design flaw at GM.
 radiator guy hates Dexcool, suspects that perhaps it's the electrolisis that causes the Dexcool to turn to a jelly goop.
 Says the higher the amp reading in the radiator, the more goopy Dexcool seems to be.
 
 My story: The original radiator in my '92 Chevy lasted a good while (hint: older radiators had A LOT more copper in them). The trouble really all started and in a big way, after replacing the original radiator. I did pay the $500.00 for the new GM radiator. (hint: the newer made radiators have little to no copper in them. They are mostly aluminum and steel) Within a couple months, I started having to dump money into my K1500 Blazer, LOTS of it!
When radiator #3 started leaking, I got fed up with my mechanic, who kept saying, it's a high milage vehicle. I should expect this. Not thinking it was even slightly odd that everything seemed to be connected to the cooling system or somehow come into contact with it, even though nearly every repair seemed to require draining the radiator?? So, I looked for the oldest, greasiest, busiest, radiator shop in my area. First thing the guy did, after hearing the list of repairs I'd made, was to drop a probe in the radiator to check for a charge, in other words, electrolysis. An acceptable reading is .03 amps. I was running at .38 amps!! Turning the engine off it would only drop it to .27 amps.
So, he replaced leaking radiator #3, and rechecked it,.. .58 amps!! It went up! He shrugged and said, new one must have even less copper than the last one. I've seen a lot of these GM's with this crap going on. I've been doing this thing that seems to fix this problem. Then an off-duty local cop pulled in with his Blazer, newer than mine. We got to talking, he'd had most of the same problems and this radiator guy fixed it for him 3 years ago, and hadn't had a problem since.
Here's what my guy did...
#1 - Attached three, braided ground cables, randomly to the radiator and the block, and grounded them.
#2 - Then took a piece of copper pipeing aprox 3 long, with the same hollow as the heater-core hose, soddered a copper ground wire to the side of it. Midpoint on the hose running from the radiator to the heatercore, he spliced this small copper pipe into the line using hose clamps. Then using the ground wire he had soddered to it, grounded it to the engine block.
#3 - Drained and refilled the cooling system with DISTILLED water and GREEN coolant. Dexcool in his experance is CRAP, and I quote him. He did all this very quickly, then dropped the probe into the radiator and poof .02 amps! It cost me $100. He has me come in to recheck the amps once a month. And still 6 months later, .02 amps, and no new problems. I was averaging 1 problem per month, a leak here, a suspicious gasket there. Now nothing. So, it seems to me that there are really two problems. One affecting the other. A cooling system grounding problem, electrolysis resulting in corrosion and dissintigration of parts and gaskets. And then Dexcool which is unstable in an electrically charged enviroment and turns to goop. Maybe I'm wrong but my '92 K1500 Blazer now has 212K miles on the original engine"

#2324 of 2634 Dexcool by bolivar

Jun 18, 2007 (3:27 am)

Talking about problems with a 1992 auto? 15 years old? I didn't even read all that, and I'm sure not going to discuss it.
 
Dexcool does not have a problem. Modern cooling systems are semi-closed systems and are supposed to have no air in them. Under these conditions Dexcool works fine. I say semi-closed because when coolant gets hot it expands into the expansion collector, and when it cool off, coolant is pulled back into the system.
 
If the system leaks and is allowed to run low on coolant and get air into the system, then Dexcool has had some problems in some vehicles. It's my understanding the problem comes from Dexcool interacting with cast iron and air, and then does sludge up.
 
If the system is maintained, with full charge of Dexcool and no air in the system, there are no problems.
 
Personally, I will not run my vehicles 7 years and/or 100,000 miles, or whatever the maintenance calls for, before changing my coolant. I would think 4 years and/or 50,000 would be a good time to drain the old coolant and refill with new. Serviced like this, and checking the system for leaks and is topped up - you should have no problems. After 5-7 years, you might develop leaks in the radiator and need a new one. Things wear out.

#2325 of 2634 Re: Dexcool [bolivar] by hotel1

Jun 18, 2007 (6:05 am)

Replying to: bolivar (Jun 18, 2007 3:27 am)
1992 truck with deathcool???????????????
 
 GM started using "Deathcool" in 1996 !!!!!
From found article: Dexcool is a formulated antifreeze/coolant used in over thirty-four million vehicles sold by General Motors. Used by GM since 1996 in most car and light truck models, Dexcool is manufactured and distributed by ChevronTexaco, Equilon and ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants.
 
More info: http://www.imcool.com/articles/antifreeze-coolant/dexcool-macs2001.htm

#2326 of 2634 Dexcool by ladymylady

Jun 18, 2007 (8:30 am)

Very interesting post on the sludge corrosion problems caused by Dexcool.
 
Bolivar, I only re-printed that fellow's solution for users of dexcool.
 
It doesnt matter whether people are using it in a 1992 car or a 2006 car. They are all ending up with leaking coolant, needing new gaskets, water pumps, and in many cases new engines as the coolant "corrodes" whatever it touches as it runs through the engine.
 
Not only are 28 "states suing GM for dexcool, but GM itself sued Dupont for dexcool. Missouri got class action status - other states have not. That says there is something seriously wrong with dexcool speaking from a legal point of view, because lawyers dont go before federal judges without the facts and a very good provable case for class actions.
 
My car already had the problem at 17000 miles with piston and rings blown and replaced as well as hoses. other cars have had it at 15,000 miles. That is not normal. If you go over and read consumer complaints you will see again and again, technicians saying that have piled up corroded head gaskets - that dexcool eats them up ----
 
since I'm over the 5 year warranty - I want that CRAP out of my car and to check how much damage has been done already.
 
 I'd rather be safe than have to put in a new engine. This car has already had 35 visits and many replacements at the dealer before 35,000 miles !!! And I dont think that's normal.
 
the reports of people who took out the dexcool and went to regular green antifreeze after a good flushing - and thereafter had no problems is also very telling...and there are many of those.
 
Alhough I certainly respect your knowledge, The facts on dexcool are not agreeing with you, except to say that there is a problem with dexcool eating up the plastic parts and hoses in a car with an aluminum radiator.

#2327 of 2634 Pics of dexcool results in Hotel1's post by ladymylady

Jun 18, 2007 (1:58 pm)

I've had an MG, a Thunderbird, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and a cadillac previously and in all of those cars, even though a woman, I have always checked the dipstick/oil and refilled/topped off antifreeze myself with regular, usually Prestone (green)antifreeze. I've been driving since I was 18.
 
I have never never ever seen anything like what was shown on those caps or in the overflow from dexcool !.

#2328 of 2634 Re: Dexcool [ladymylady] by bolivar

Jun 18, 2007 (5:09 pm)

Replying to: ladymylady (Jun 18, 2007 8:30 am)
Lawyers love to sue companys.
 
Class action lawsuits are gold mines for the lawyers. They make millions and millions and millions and a stupid judge gives a coupon to the consumer for reduced price to buy more of the service/item sued about.
 
The other poster quoted 34 million vehicles with Dexcool. Do you see the sides of the roads littered with dead GM (and many other vehicles use Dexcool or Dexcool type coolant) cars, all with blown head gaskets, rotted hose, and leaky radiators caused by Dexcool? I don't think so.
 
From my understanding, as I said, Dexcool has had some sludging problems when air is allowed into the system.
 
Rotting hoses, head gasket failure, radiator leaks - these all seem to me to be design problems in these items, not something caused by the coolant running in then.
 
In my new 1978 Chevy, I changed drained and refilled coolant after 2 years. In the 3rd year, the radiator leaked. The radiator repairman said "They just don't make radiators like they used to do." This would have been in about 1981. They've probably only gotten worse and worse since then....

Messages Page 233 of 264

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