Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

[lakelover]

I got wind of this here http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=249114 and now the deadlines are passed, the litigation is settled and checks are going out.

I've had intake manifolds replaced: Once in a 98 Lumina, twice in a 96 Lumina and once in an 02 Impala, costing anywhere from $500+ to $900+ for each. I was within the time limits and deadlines only for the 02 and just got a $400 check from GM.

I believe they have redesigned the gaskets and I got one of the new sets the second time around in the 96, and had them put the green coolant in (not Dexcool). It's still holding up and not losing a drop. Now I think I need a second one in the 02 Impala because I keep losing coolant and it's not going on the ground.

Oh well, at least I've got $400 to put toward it!

Anyone else join the suit?

 

[sportsmanphil]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

Dexacool didnt cause the intake leaks, the techs that installed them are. The lower intake torque is around 14 foot lbs. While working for GM, i have watched hundreds of them get the smack down by an air ratchet, which produce over 50foot lbs easily.

Factory and aftermarket gaskets were plastic with either a silicon based sealing ring. Over torque caused the plastic to crack or pushed the silicon ring out of its seat.

The biggest issue with dexcool was people mixing it with ethylene glycol or mixing dexcool with well water. It caused the early dexcool to gel and clog radiators.

Heads up to anyone here. If you top off your radiator or drain/fill your own system with dexcool, use a gallon of drinking/distilled water.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

Phil, you are partially right. GM had two engineering mistakes, not just one. DexCool is junk, and the gaskets weren't the greatest. But indeed the DexCool did cause the gasket failure, or at least hastened it's failure. That's what GM finally had to admit in the settlement.

I did not get my paperwork turned in in time for the one in my 03 Impala, and now my 99 Montana just started leaking, so it's too late. Oh well, FelPro makes a gasket that doesn't fail, so I'll go with that.

 

[sportsmanphil]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

Phil, you are partially right. GM had two engineering mistakes, not just one. DexCool is junk, and the gaskets weren't the greatest. But indeed the DexCool did cause the gasket failure, or at least hastened it's failure. That's what GM finally had to admit in the settlement.

I did not get my paperwork turned in in time for the one in my 03 Impala, and now my 99 Montana just started leaking, so it's too late. Oh well, FelPro makes a gasket that doesn't fail, so I'll go with that.

My old 96 Limina (Luminator) had the 3.1, great motor! I put one lower intake on it in 185K miles. But I did have to replace the radiator because the dexcool gelled and clogged about 40%. That was really my fault as I flushed it and used water out of the tap, but that was back in 98 or so, before the TSB on the use of distilled water came out.

I have no issues with dexcool but it is finicky when any contamination happens, rather that be an internal trans cooler leak, emissions in the coolant or tap water.

Dexcool is also hard on cat converters. If any leakage happens at the head gasket, its a good sign you will have to replace the cat soon.

But if nothing of the such happens, its nice to only have to flush your radiator once every 150K miles.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

We had a new car with Death-Cool once. After 3 years of reading horror stories about it, I had it changed out for the green stuff.

I've often wondered if part of the problem was the way it was marketed. GM loved to brag that the cooling system didn't need to be flushed until 5 years or 150,000 miles, whichever came first. Some people took that to mean the system didn't need to be checked for 5 years or 150,000 miles (mother-in-law comes to mind). Normal evaporation would occur. Air gets in the system. Dex-Cool hates air. Sludge would form. Components clogged.

My thinking now is I probably could have left the Dex-Cool in the system had I kept an eye on the fluid level and changed it out every 3 years or 50,000 miles, but who knows for sure?

 

[lowkee]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

Wait, now I'm really paranoid! I just began smelling coolant on my 03 Blazer, yet haven't seen a drop hit the ground. Until now I've put it off as a weird smell at startup (never owned a GM before this), but this is making me wonder. How do I get rid of the pink crap? Can I simply drain the radiator and refill with green stuff? What gasket are we talking about, here?

 

[briguy2817]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

Can I simply drain the radiator and refill with green stuff? What gasket are we talking about, here?

If you are smelling anti-freeze, you more than likely have a leak staarting somewhere. Just putting the green stuff in won't fix it, and please don't cause yourself more trouble by putting a stop leak product in the radiator either.

Take a real good look at the block to manifold areas. You may see either a wet spot, a puddle or just some white powdery residue. Another good place to look at is both the bypass hose connector(this is an aluminum fitting that has the heater hose plugged into it). Also, look at the thermostat housing, G.M.'s leak there after a period of time. These are the most common sites for a leak to develop that I have found. Of course, don't forget the obvious like the heater core and radiator. If you really want to do it right, get yourself a pressure tester and find it that way.

I've done about 30 intake gaskets since January at work(I work for a fleet), and of the 42 G.M.'s in my garage, only 12 haven't started leaking. The other day I backed out my Astro and noticed a small puddle on the ground, well lo and behold, now my van is leaking. Guess what I'm doing this weekend.

Brian

 

[lowkee]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

How is this not a recall item? Is GM just trying to save money by getting sued instead of issuing a recall?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

How is this not a recall item? Is GM just trying to save money by getting sued instead of issuing a recall?

Lowkee,If you need help finding the leak let me know.
The coolant smell is the first sign....been there on my Chevy..
Just send me a PM if you need help..

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Anyone else benefit from the GM Dexcool class action settlement?

How is this not a recall item? Is GM just trying to save money by getting sued instead of issuing a recall?

It's not a recall item, cause GM blamed owners and mechanics for the DexCool issue. And I am sure they saved money (or at least delayed the payments) by being sued, not recalling the cars.


Navy, you are right about chaning the DexCool every three years or 50k miles, would have solved the problem. But since it was marketed and sold as an "Extended Life" coolant that didn't need replaced for 100k miles, don't you think it should have lasted that long???

The 3.1 V6s did not use the same lower intake manifold gaskets as the cars that were affected. GM changed the gasket just after they changed to DexCool. So they had two unproven items in all the cars, and when they started failing, they blamed everyone else. I love GM products, but their actions in this case are deplorable.