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well i started to notice a strange activity with my temperature guage in my 96 blazer


when I start it up and start driving.....the temperature steadily climbs to the far right side (210)
And it will stay in there for a few miles. Then it will suddenly drop down into the normal temperature range (<160)

So i tried to check out the antifreeze by opening up the covering just before the radiator....i could turn it but not get it off. I thought maybe thats the way it was supposed to be, just to vent it

So i checked out the resuvoir. It had a gunky buildup around the outside and the coolant looked to be a dark brown (i KNOW that wasnt a good sign)

So I took it in for a coolant flush (and also got an oil change )
HOLY SHIT....what awaited me there was quite shocking

THe inside around the cap was crusted over with a brown sludge. THe radiator had brown sludge on it......

The attendant told me that my vehicle takes Dex Coolant and it should be an orange color. So as they are setting up to flush it... I start to talk to them and ask about it. Why in the hell would it become sludge like that. They told me it could be of two reasons

1- When dex cool levels are low, it could turn into the sludge
2- When dex cool is mixed with traditional green antifreeze/coolant, it could turn into sludge


So as they are flushing the system...they told me about how another woman came in with a similar problem...but it was so far along that traditional flushing didnt work and she had to spend around $2000 to get it powerflushed (much stronger systems)

So the system is flushed now....and i havnt noticed any problems with the temperature guage. I will check again tomorrow.

But I am still nervous. I hope the flush fixed it. I dont really have another 2000 to spend to get it powerflushed if its still a problem


Anyone else have dex cooled systems? Anyone else know any more info about it?

she had to spend around $2000 to get it powerflushed (much stronger systems

dam were you take it to that bull shit !
that place sounds like a rip off joint !!!!
even if they r&r the heater core and radiator and flushed the automatic trans fluid it wouldnt cost that much !
except if had a blown head gasket !
and water and oil will make a brown goo color and feel !
and a simple cyclinder pressure test will confurm if the head gasket got a tear or rip in it or leak to mix the fluids also check your oil to make sure its not over full and milky looking !
pull the dip stick out and check it !

i had it done at jiffy lube

sometimes that radiator stop leak shit will give you a nasty goo as well... the 96 Mercury Mystique we bought the thermostat was sticking closed in it... when i took it out there was a lot of shit in the system so it got a complete flush. I just filled it back up with water and some water wetter for now and its already churned up a lot more junk. gonna drain it again this weekend and fill it up. once hte stuff stays the same color i'll put antifreeze back in it...

hey i work at jiffylube. What they do is called a "power purge". Basically sucks all the coolant out and refills it with new coolant. Power flush? Umm...i dont think so. You probably have a blown head gasket. Take it to your mechanic and have them to a compression test.

Originally posted by CaterpillarAssassin
hey i work at jiffylube. What they do is called a "power purge". Basically sucks all the coolant out and refills it with new coolant. Power flush? Umm...i dont think so. You probably have a blown head gasket. Take it to your mechanic and have them to a compression test.

i fully agree on this one or it could of had (bars leak ) added to the system ~ but better safe then sorry

Jiffy Lube. Enough said.


I can't beleive they charge 2K for a flush. Bring it to my house. I will flush it for 1K.

If you have never changed the coolant or flushed the system, you may just be seeing normal crud build up. All coolants have a finite life and the anti-corrosives in them only last so long.

I would be wary of a blown head gasket and check, as someone advised above, for traces of coolant in your oil. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about it and I would not blame Dex cool. Sludge happens, even in brake fluid, if you go long enough without changing the liquid.

Anybody else notice this is kind of moldy? eGo

Originally posted by Lmandrake
I would not blame Dex cool.

http://www.geocities.com/b_gillie/dexcool_problems.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/newslett ... 30407.html
http://www.automotiveforums.com/t123489.html

I would blame it. I am gonna check out about getting my system completly flushed and switching it over to the green.