*coolant Question!*(help)

Got a '97 burb--uses DexCool, that pinkish stuff anti-freeze. Had a new h2o pump put on 12-27-04, appears to be a small leak again in the same place. Dude is going to check it out Thurs, says it may be an intake gasket; seems to me to be the pump gasket/pump. Thinking about getting everything flushed and having the green stuff replace the DexCool; dud esays it won't do any harm...any advice before I go to the green? Gracias!

***Also heard that the pinkish stuff will eventually eat up gaskets...any truth to that? :confused:

I think the orange stuff is bad for brass/copper radiators ok for alum.
Popular Mechanics (http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/sub_care_sat/1272436.html)

Thanks dude! Will check to see the type radiator I got and go from there. Googled up GM Dex-Cool; seems peeps w/ Blazers have the most trouble, judging from the cane raising posts viewed. Guess if you got the Dex-Cool, one should get a flush every 30K miles...

Your radiator is aluminum.

Dexcool is supposed to last 100,000 miles. I have it in my '96 Impala SS with 130K miles on it. No problems. I'd leave the Dexcool in it. If you think you need to switch, use the prestone yellow stuff. It's supposed to be compatible with everything.

Thanks OFH! Just talked to the radiator shop dude; he said most of the peeps w/ probs had the Blazer and S10 trucks, '97/'98 models I believe. He suggested I go ahead and exchange, and will be using the Prestone extended life yellow. Seems flushing every 2-3 yrs. is a major step in preventing probs, and especially keeping the stuff at the proper levels. Best part is, this latest monthly catastrophic incident has just about convinced her to OK the purchase of an extended cab 'Yota... :eek:

Had a 98 s-10 blazer with the funky stuff in it, pretty sure it was dex-cool, it absolutely ate the gaskets, freeze plugs, pump etc. Cost me a ton of $$. WOund up getyting rid of the blazer before its time. IMO put the time proven green in if you can.

From what I have read the only time you have any issues with Dexcool is if cooling system gets air in it for an extended period.
If you have Dexcool and you develop a leak you should get it repaired ASAP and make sure the system is bleed properly and keep the coolant full.
The nicest part about dexcool is the length of time you can wait between changes, 5 years.
I don't know anything about the new Prestone antifreeze but it sounds like a good product.

If you have a mid-nineties GM vehicle with a 5.7L(350) engine you should plan on replacing the intake manifold gasket if it has not already been replaced. This is a common failure for this engine during those years.

Looks like it is the intake gasket. After careful debate, and 2 hrs. worth of reading both sides of the issue and talking to some local peeps w/ the same probs, guess I'll be going green. Coolant dude sez it was my call, but he'd go green, thus the decision to go Lucky Charms. :p If'n this doesn't pan out, looks like it'll be a pint 'o garse and a kitchen match! ;)