So my stupid idiot friend put in the wrong coolant while I was in the shower. He Put GM Dexcool in My Prelude(fugking idiot). I need to go work in an Hour and I need to know if I should risk it and drive it or Drain the coolant which means I'm late for work. I know Mixing wrong coolant will turn it into a jello like substance so is there anything else i need to know?

 

i think you should be fine man

 

Any details to support your answer?

 

you-be-aight

 

how far from work do you live?

 

It's fine.

 

Aww man, God just saved me!

So after deciding to go to work anyway, I went home to go drain my fluid and noticed that it was still green?!? So I checked the little reservoir tank to the side to find out that it was orange! he only put it in there and not the radiator itself....Whew.

But you guys gotta know this kinda stuff b/c it could happen to you or someone you know. Apparently Honda as well as toyota STRONGLY recommend you NOT use Dexcool.

 

Why?

 

why would they recommend you buy another company's product

 

lol idiots

 

Well apparently when it comes to Dexcool, there's a universal fluid that is ok even for Japanese vehicles and then there is the one specified only for GM models.

I have the GM specified one b/c I always fix Chevy trucks and whatever, so it's just sitting there(which would explain why my friend grabbed the wrong one.)

Like I previously stated, the mixing of Coolants could result in some type of gelatinous substance blocking the cooling system. Continued use of any non-honda coolant can result in corrosion, causing the cooling system to malfunction or fail.

Don't quote me b/c I'm just stating facts...

 

Dexcool and other modern long-life coolants are more corrosive. Its perfectly acceptable to switch from dex to green, but not vice versa. Mixing the two as stated above results in big trouble.

I spend all my work day fixing the blunders of people who don't look at what they are pouring in their car. Make sure you flush the system and refill with green as the gelling process takes no time at all to get started.

 

Ahh the more modern coolants as I understand it are LESS corrosive, hence the reason why they are supposed to last 5 years.... VW/Audi was doing this ~10 years ago when the MKIV Jetta/Golf motors came out and they used the G11 (Blue) coolant IIRC, it might even have been like that with the pink (G13) VW/Audi coolant

 

Does that apply to 90's Vehicles though?

 

What do you mean does that apply to 90's vehicles? The modern coolants like dexcool are less corrosive, that doesn't mean that they are only less corrosive on aluminum produced from 1996-onwards, they are just less corrosive....