This engine had two big problems

#1 Engine requires regular coolant changes and you must use the GM sealing tablets. If you don't know when this was last done do it now! Without proper maintenance water would leak in to the engine and ruin the bearing etc.

#2 Engine was just plain tooo wimpy for the mass it was trying to pull around. These engines had to work hard all the time and this tends to wear them out earlier than you would expect.

Each time I go to the pick and pull I see atleast ten new Cadi's with this engine. Most of them look good inside and out but the engine is toast. Take care of it and drive it like you want it to last and you will probably be ok.

Steve B.

 

I bought a 1982 Cadillac Coupe Deville yesterday for $550 . I just needed a car to drive. I've have a 77 coupe, a 91 sedan, and now an 82 coupe. I have heard a lot of bad stuff about the HT 4100 engine:suspense: . Is it really that bad, and do I need to panic:banghead: . Or with the right maintenance will this car stick like I think it will. Any opinions

Now....let's see....you buy a 22 year old car (that is still running I presume..???) for $550 and you are worried that the engine is no good...????....LOL. First, if the engine was "THAT BAD" then the car wouldn't still be running 22 years later and , second, just what do you expect from a 22 year old, $550 car..????

 

Now....let's see....you buy a 22 year old car (that is still running I presume..???) for $550 and you are worried that the engine is no good...????....LOL. First, if the engine was "THAT BAD" then the car wouldn't still be running 22 years later and , second, just what do you expect from a 22 year old, $550 car..????

my thoughts exactly

 

I bought a 1982 Cadillac Coupe Deville yesterday for $550 . I just needed a car to drive. I've have a 77 coupe, a 91 sedan, and now an 82 coupe. I have heard a lot of bad stuff about the HT 4100 engine:suspense: . Is it really that bad, and do I need to panic:banghead: . Or with the right maintenance will this car stick like I think it will. Any opinions

I have owned a 87 FWD Deville with the 4100 engine for about 5 years now. It was a one owner, the car has the original engine with 146k+ miles on it and it runs real strong. I called Cadillacs Service dept. yesterday for a friends 92' 4.9 and asked Cadillac if they recommended adding the pellet type stop leak or Barrs Leak cooling system sealant and they told me NOT to. I have Never added or used anything but Prestone Anti Freeze to the radiator. Cadillac Service dept said "If it Ain't Broke Don't Fix it" I would keep your oil & Filter changed every 2000 miles, and always let the engine warm up to operating temperature before you drive it, The 4100 has a Aluminum Block with Cast Iron heads. I would try to keep my foot out of it and just Cruise the car and it should last you. If and when you replace the water pump, replace it with a brand NEW one not a remanufactured, and buy a good high quality Thermostat. I personally like Cadillac 4.9 Litre FWD engines and the 5.7 Litre LT1 for the RWD Caddy's. Is your car a FWD or RWD ?

 

#2 Engine was just plain tooo wimpy for the mass it was trying to pull around. These engines had to work hard all the time and this tends to wear them out earlier than you would expect.

I agree with this theory... I bet they would have a better reputation if it was in car that weighed about half of those boats!

 

I have owned a 87 FWD Deville with the 4100 engine for about 5 years now. It was a one owner, the car has the original engine with 146k+ miles on it and it runs real strong. I called Cadillacs Service dept. yesterday for a friends 92' 4.9 and asked Cadillac if they recommended adding the pellet type stop leak or Barrs Leak cooling system sealant and they told me NOT to. I have Never added or used anything but Prestone Anti Freeze to the radiator. Cadillac Service dept said "If it Ain't Broke Don't Fix it" I would keep your oil & Filter changed every 2000 miles, and always let the engine warm up to operating temperature before you drive it, The 4100 has a Aluminum Block with Cast Iron heads. I would try to keep my foot out of it and just Cruise the car and it should last you. If and when you replace the water pump, replace it with a brand NEW one not a remanufactured, and buy a good high quality Thermostat. I personally like Cadillac 4.9 Litre FWD engines and the 5.7 Litre LT1 for the RWD Caddy's. Is your car a FWD or RWD ?

You got poor advice from "Cadillacs Service dept..."...whoever that is. I assume you talked to a Cadillac dealer service department..??? If whoever you were talking to had bothered to look at the Cadillac Service Manual for any of the FWD cars they would have read the part where the GM Coolant Supplement is REQUIRED for all the 4.1/4.5/4.9 engines and recommended for the Northstars also. That is in the Cadillac service manuals....THAT is the official word...not some jockey answering the phone at a dealer....sorry.

If you have an 87 FWD deville with the 4.1 I would strongly encourage you to add 6 of the GM Coolant Supplement pellets/2 tubes of the BarsLeaks "golden seal" powder to your cooling system to seal the system and guard against internal coolant leaks. Coolant intrusion into the oil of those engines was the common reason for failure. Over time and miles gaskets do start to weaken and breakdown and the 4.1/4.5/4.9 can seep coolant into the oil...much like other engines can. The coolant supplement/stop leak sealer prevents that from happening. It is required and was factory installed into all of those engines and the Northstars. When you change the coolant (excellent maintenance BTW) the sealer is removed and needs to be replenished. The GM Coolant Supplement pellets are made by the same company that markets the BarsLeaks brand and the BarsLeaks "golden seal" powder is the same material as in the GM pellets...just in powder form...and usually very easy to find at WalMarts and other stores.

Keep changing the oil and coolant and the engine should give you long years of service....but adding the cooling system sealer IS required no matter what someone told you.

 

I have heard the Rumors of the coolant additives, and some may be true when it comes to the Northstar engines. (with their head gasket problems) I have been around mechanics all my life> my Dad was an Aviation Mechanic in the Marines. My 87 4100 has more than enough power and keep in mind has 146K+ Miles on the Original engine and Tranny. I think the Big Body RWD Caddy's were the ones that were underpowered for their size and weight. My FWD runs like new, has plenty of power and i have Never seen any anti freeze in the oil and the coolant level stay's the same. If the engine eventually needs a new gasket then i will replace the gasket, but im not putting Barrs leak or any kind of stop leak in my engine. Don't take my word for it call up Cadillac and ask them yourself, heres their toll free #
1-800-264-5511 Talk to the Service Manager like i did and let me know what he tells you.

 

I have heard the Rumors of the coolant additives, and some may be true when it comes to the Northstar engines. (with their head gasket problems) I have been around mechanics all my life> my Dad was an Aviation Mechanic in the Marines. My 87 4100 has more than enough power and keep in mind has 146K+ Miles on the Original engine and Tranny. I think the Big Body RWD Caddy's were the ones that were underpowered for their size and weight. My FWD runs like new, has plenty of power and i have Never seen any anti freeze in the oil and the coolant level stay's the same. If the engine eventually needs a new gasket then i will replace the gasket, but im not putting Barrs leak or any kind of stop leak in my engine. Don't take my word for it call up Cadillac and ask them yourself, heres their toll free #
1-800-264-5511 Talk to the Service Manager like i did and let me know what he tells you.

Dude, they aren't rumors....LOL....Just read the factory service manuals for any of the years from 1984 on.....they all specifically call out the need for the coolant supplement.

Regardless of your life long experience and your dad's (most all of the aviation engines he worked on were air cooled I bet...) the 4.1/4.5/4.9 and the Northstar engines need the coolant system sealer to protect against any coolant leaks due to casting porosity or gasket failure over time. It is very very difficult to identify coolant seeping into the oil as it is invisible and won't even show up on an oil analysis.

The design of the 4.1/4.5/4.9 engines can allow coolant to seep directly into the oil due to adjacent coolant and oil passages. Common in most engine designs...which is why most all manufacturers put the coolant supplement or sealer into the cooling systems at the factory. ALL 4.1/4.5/4.9 engines left the assembly line with 6 of the coolant supplement pellets installed into the cooling system...yep....right at the Cadillac factory it was installed. So much for whoever you talked to....they either never read the service manual or were born after the engines were out of production....LOL. Could be .

I don't need to "call up Cadillac".....LOL...I work for them and released a bunch of the parts in your 4.1 back in 1986....including the coolant supplement in the cooling system. That is how I KNOW that it is required.

 

I have heard the Rumors of the coolant additives, QUOTE]

Not rumors. Fact. Sorry if someone on the phone told you different but GM requires the use of the pellets and sell them under their name. They even go so far as putting a warning sticker under the hood telling you to use them and that major engine failure can occur if they are not used.

From the FSM:
"The 4.9 Liter V8 uses a coolant solution and GM collant supplement (sealant) Part #3634621 or equivalent specifically designed for use in aluminum engines. Failure to use the engine coolant suplement (sealant) and teh approved coolant antifreeze could result in major engine damage"

If GM went to the trouble to add the sticker and notation in the FSM I am going to have to trust that more that whichever janitor answered the phone when you called.

Steve B.

 

I have a STP sticker under my hood> does that increase my BHP also?
The (Janitor) as you called him was The Sevice Manager of Cadillac. You must own a Northstar with that sticker :contract: go read your manuals

 

I have a STP sticker under my hood> does that increase my BHP also?
The (Janitor) as you called him was The Sevice Manager of Cadillac. You must own a Northstar with that sticker :contract: go read your manuals

No siree, the HT 4100 definitely requires the coolant sealant tablets. I don't know why you argue so much against it, perhaps the mere mention of the name BarsLeak has reminded you of the "sludge" compound often used to seal leaking radiators that sometimes also plugs internal cooling lines and kills water pumps. The sealant being referenced here is an organic powder that is basically dissolved in the coolant and psoses no such danger as the Bars Leak "sludge". It just so happens that Bars Leak makes this supplement also. But hey, don't add it if you don't want to, but when your engine fails make sure to let us know because we might want to buy some parts off your car before you scrap it!

 

I have a STP sticker under my hood> does that increase my BHP also?
The (Janitor) as you called him was The Sevice Manager of Cadillac. You must own a Northstar with that sticker :contract: go read your manuals

Your "service manager" should go work for Ford with his knowledge of Cadillacs.
I won't bother to say anything else since you're obviously not listening, except (as a 3rd/100,000th voice) to say that it is a true fact that the GM coolant supliment is REQUIRED in 4.1/4.5/4.9 engines.

 

I have a STP sticker under my hood> does that increase my BHP also?
The (Janitor) as you called him was The Sevice Manager of Cadillac. You must own a Northstar with that sticker :contract: go read your manuals

You just don't get it do you...?????

The coolant supplement was REQUIRED for the 4.1/4.5/4.9.

Trust me, you did NOT get the "service manager of Cadillac" on the phone with a 1-800 number.....LOL LOL LOL

If you don't want to use it in your engine, fine, but understand that you are getting good info here from a very solid source....a better source than the "service manager of Cadillac"....trust me.


I WOULD trust a factory sticker put under the hood as a service precaution...if you equate that to your STP sticker then you do need help.

WHO needs to "read the manuals...???" YOU do, obviously. You have obviously never read the service manual for YOUR car or you would know all about the coolant supplement/sealer.

I know this will have little or no impact on you but please stop posting erroneous information that you know little or nothing about as it confuses other people and misleads them.

 

Ok Guy's,
The STP sticker was suppose to be a joke ok, I just called my mechanic who has been a Certified mechanic for over 20 years. I read him all your posts and won't repeat his responce to them But Anyway's The Cadillac Dealership i called last week was located in Madison In. I will call Brown Bros. Cadillac in Louisville Ky. and see what they have to say about the cooling system maintanence on the 4.1, 4.5, 4.9 and the N* engines. Then just to make sure i wasn't talking to "The Janitor" I will go to the Dealership in person and go back to the Service Dept. and speak directly to "The Sevice Manager". I will post those results and depending on the information i get, i might end up buying the supplement and adding it to my cooling system. I just want to do whats right, my 4.1 runs very well and i would like to keep it running well for a long time.

 

Regardless of someone's interpretation in a dealership of what the supplement does or whether it is required or not the FACT is that it IS required and is stated so in the official factory service literature for all the 4.1/4.5/4.9 engines and the Northstar engine up thru about 2001 or so. The factory installation of the coolant supplement was stopped in the very latest years of production but this is NOT retroactive nor should it be interpreted as such....

If your "cadillac certified" mechanic does not know this or thinks otherwise then he really really needs to READ THE SERVICE MANUAL....ask him to check the service manual and then tell you what he thinks. I am really not interested in what a "mechanics" opinion of the sealer or the need for it is....the engineers that designed and developed the engine have specified the sealer...since they did manage to successfully design the engine that was produced in the millions over 13 years of production I would believe them LONG before I would believe a mechanic...all he had to do was figure out how to take it apart and put it back together....LOL.


If ANYONE in a GM or Cadillac dealership or service department says the coolant supplement is not required then ask them to show you the factory service bulletine or service manual that states that.....they are making it up apparently as I can ASSURE you that all the official Cadillac factory literature published for service use on the 4.1/4.5/4.9 SPECIFICALLY states that the cooling system sealer is required. This is actually most critical on the 82-87 year engines as significant engineering improvements went into the sealing systems on the 88 engines and later....the 82-87 4.1 engines are the most "at risk" for internal coolant intrusion.


BTW....thanks for listening and not just clicking off on this thread. The info is really meant to help and is for the best interest of your engine's long life.

If you do ever suspect a coolant seepage or have need to remove/replace the intake manifold there is a factory "re-seal" kit for your engine that incorporates the latest in the sealing and gasketing and fastening changes for retrofitting your engine to provide the maximum protection against any coolant intrusion that could destroy the engine. Get the re-seal kit instead of just plain gaskets if you ever suspect or want to upgrade the sealing on the intake for your engine.

 

I am really not interested in what a "mechanics" opinion of the sealer or the need for it is....the engineers that designed and developed the engine have specified the sealer...since they did manage to successfully design the engine that was produced in the millions over 13 years of production I would believe them LONG before I would believe a mechanic...all he had to do was figure out how to take it apart and put it back together....LOL.

Bbob, I really respect your experience. But the above part of your answer and some of your previous posts seem to indicate that you hold the "blue collar" workers in pretty low regard. Believe it or not there are some that can turn a wrench and think too. Some, both at the same time. Imagine that!
If you're ever in Tampa, I'll introduce you to a degreed ME I work with. Spend the day with him and then decide which of us you would rather have design something for you that absolutely has to work. But since I'm just a Tool maker, all I have to figure out is how to turn the Bridgeport on, right ?
Bob

 

I bought a 1982 Cadillac Coupe Deville yesterday for $550 . I just needed a car to drive. I've have a 77 coupe, a 91 sedan, and now an 82 coupe. I have heard a lot of bad stuff about the HT 4100 engine:suspense: . Is it really that bad, and do I need to panic:banghead: . Or with the right maintenance will this car stick like I think it will. Any opinions

For $550 you got a good price if the car atleast runs. Don't expect too much out of the 4100 as far as power, it is nothing like the 425 or 4.9 in either of your current Caddy's but it will get you where you are going in Cadillac style. I have had my '85 Fleetwood Brougham for 10 years with the 4.1 and it has been running great (my dad got the car dead, he had the engine rebuilt at that time and it is still running knock on wood). I try to take good care of it by changing the oil every 3 months, tune-up, coolent, and trans fluid once a year.

 

I am really not interested in what a "mechanics" opinion of the sealer or the need for it is....the engineers that designed and developed the engine have specified the sealer...since they did manage to successfully design the engine that was produced in the millions over 13 years of production I would believe them LONG before I would believe a mechanic...all he had to do was figure out how to take it apart and put it back together....LOL.

Bbob, I really respect your experience. But the above part of your answer and some of your previous posts seem to indicate that you hold the "blue collar" workers in pretty low regard. Believe it or not there are some that can turn a wrench and think too. Some, both at the same time. Imagine that!
If you're ever in Tampa, I'll introduce you to a degreed ME I work with. Spend the day with him and then decide which of us you would rather have design something for you that absolutely has to work. But since I'm just a Tool maker, all I have to figure out is how to turn the Bridgeport on, right ?
Bob

I am not slamming anyone in general. There are good techs and useless ones....as well as good engineers and useless ones. I know excellent engine designers and engineers that couldn't change their own oil...each person has a speciality and understanding and using their specialty is the key.

If you read the posts complete and take my comments in the context of the posts I was referring to someone telling the engineers that designed the system and specifications that a mechanic in a dealer ship indicated that the instructions and info provided was wrong. You are correct in assuming that I do not think much of that particular mechanic.....

Engineers love to blame the techs and the techs love to blame the engineers....everyone has to respect each others' strengths and knowlege. The inescapable fact is that no matter what you might think of "engineers" they did manage to design, manufacture and assemble the engine that was fairly successful and produced at the rate of 1200 per day and is in the market place in the millions. I suspect they know what the engine needs and that the coolant supplement was not specified for fun or because they didn't know what else to do. If a mechanic questions why it is needed I am more than happy to provide the information from the engineering standpoint....but I'm not going to waste any time on a mechanic that just blows off teh factory recommendations assuming he knows more or laughs off good information without understanding what the requirements are.

I see an awful lot of situations where techs and mechanics do procedures wrong and follow the wrong procedures and ignore the factory service information and basically just do things their own way. When the repair or work is then not successful, they obviously blame the engine or engineers as "they" cannot be wrong. This is partly why I make some of the comments that I do. I guess this is a pet peeve of mine so I am sorry it shows thru in some of my comments and opinions.


BTW...how do you turn a Bridgeport on.....LOL....just kidding

 

Thanks for the response Bbob, I just wondered where you stood on all that. It's kind of refreshing to have an engineer say it works both ways for a change. Spending a good third of my time correcting his mistakes gives me a rash. Here's a good one, on the rare occasions we get a drawing it always comes with "I'll leave the numbers up to you."
Wow, thanks. I can tell you didn't go to the same school he did. Either that or you had an actual interest in learning your job.
Here's a related serious question though. Is the oily brown Bars-leak worthless ? I was asked if it can be used if need be, and I don't know. I'm not sure if it may cause other problems. It's obviouslt not the same though.
Anyway, as for how to turn on a Bridgeport. I usually start by telling it how nice it looks, and how much I've missed it. Before long, it's at full speed.
Bob

 

The BarsLeaks in the jar with the brown liquid is OK in a pinch...I would drain off the brown liquid myself as much as possible. That seems to be a throwback to the good ole days when (apparently) water pumps needed to be "lubricated"....I don't know what they were lubricating...???...maybe the seal or something?? The brown liquid is a soluable oil that is pretty harmless and benign except for the fact that I have seen it cause foaming problems in systems that have very high flow water pumps with high circulation rates. Since a Northstar has a very high capacity water pump with high circulation rates I would stay away from the brown soluable oil as much as possible. The small pellets in the jar with the soluable oil are the same material as the BarsLeaks "golden seal" powder or the GM coolant supplement pellets or the BarsLeaks in pellet form....just smaller "rabbit food sized" pellets in the soluable oil....so they pour in with the oil I suppose.



So once you get the Bridgeport turned on what do you do with it....LOL....I would hate to start something with a large, spinning machining center with lots of sharp tools that I couldn't finish.....if you catch my drift....

 

Ok Engineers, I went to Brown Brothers Cadillac Today and sat down in the "Sevice Managers" office, Dennis Woods> and we had a conversation about all this Coolant Additive issue. The Bulliten came out in 1985 by the way.
The 1st thing he recommended was buying some PH Test strips and checking the current PH levels in my cooling system. IF the PH levels were HIGH which would mean it was also "Corrosive" the system would need to be "Power Flushed" first. This would "Neutralize" the Acidity in the Aluminum of the engine block. Now if you don't Power Flush the system and just drain the radiator and add the Tablets, and your heater core or radiator is already partially clogged, then the tablets could stop it up completely.
The Cooling system Has to be Power Flushed 1st, Then you fill the radiator 1/2 full and start the engine.Then after the thermostat opens up you then "Crush" the Cooling additive tablets up in a Powder form and add 6 of them to the radiator. You only use the Tablets every 30,000 miles or every 2 years which ever comes first, and ONLY if the PH Level is too Corrosive.
He also told me that Cadillac Does NOT use the additive in the Northstar Engines. Only in the 4.1, 4.5, and 4.9 engines.
You can contact Dennis Woods by phone if you like at Brown Bros. Cadillac.
(502) 583-9771 http://www.brownbroscad.com

 

Now....let's see....you buy a 22 year old car (that is still running I presume..???) for $550 and you are worried that the engine is no good...????....LOL. First, if the engine was "THAT BAD" then the car wouldn't still be running 22 years later and , second, just what do you expect from a 22 year old, $550 car..????

Question number 1 Is the engine in general as bad as people often describe it or are these exagerations. Question number 2 should I panic, meaning should I not even bother or will the engine work like it is supposed to. Basically what I was asking is rather or not this 1982 coupe deville will be okay, with the proper maintenence and upkeep. I bought a 22 year old car that runs better than the car you drive probably, I have no concern about the engine being good, I want to know if there are precautions I should take while I have this car since a lot of things I have read have been about engine failure. To answer your second question, since you know about cars you know about mechanics. I am not a mechanic, but I have a Doctorate degree in Mechanical engineering. With that in mind, a 22 year old machine, which is what a car is, can have the same performance as a 6 month old machine, what changes is the technology, not the machanics of the machine. Cars that are 22 years old are built, and perform, the same as cars built now. I don't expect a thing, but as a Mechanical Engineer, I have the ability to make a old machine work like a new one. I expect for the car to run longer than it would have when I got it because I know machines. I don't expect you to be a JERK, nor do I expect for you to understand that your answer is not the answer to the question I asked . How bad is the engine itself, should I panic, will it work with proper maint.. That's it. But your sarcasum is amusing. Thank you.

I'll send you a picture of my 22 year old car worth 550 if you would like. I do thank you for your other advise, even though I already knew it. PEACE.

 

Sorry, didn't mean to offend you. As a mechanical engineer you would understand the fact that "father time" takes his toll on gaskets and seals and that corrosion wreaks havoc so that any 22 year old car is a crap shoot at best due to unknown maintenance and use history. The basic mechanics may be the same but the engines of today run much cleaner/better/more fuel efficiently than a 22 year old car. There are significant advances in the materials, seals, combustion technology, etc. No way will even a brand spanking new 4.1 out of a time machine run as good as a modern engine of today. Not even close in any repect.

Precautions....change the coolant frequently and use the coolant supplement religiously despite the ongoing debate with "soundadvantage". The single biggest reason for failure of those engines was internal coolant intrusion into the oil as gaskets and seals aged. Use the Delo/Delvac/Rotella heavy duty SL oil in the engine for extra wear protection.

Your 22 year old 4.1 will NEVER run better than my car....LOL LOL...NEVER

 

Ok Engineers, I went to Brown Brothers Cadillac Today and sat down in the "Sevice Managers" office, Dennis Woods> and we had a conversation about all this Coolant Additive issue. The Bulliten came out in 1985 by the way.
The 1st thing he recommended was buying some PH Test strips and checking the current PH levels in my cooling system. IF the PH levels were HIGH which would mean it was also "Corrosive" the system would need to be "Power Flushed" first. This would "Neutralize" the Acidity in the Aluminum of the engine block. Now if you don't Power Flush the system and just drain the radiator and add the Tablets, and your heater core or radiator is already partially clogged, then the tablets could stop it up completely.
The Cooling system Has to be Power Flushed 1st, Then you fill the radiator 1/2 full and start the engine.Then after the thermostat opens up you then "Crush" the Cooling additive tablets up in a Powder form and add 6 of them to the radiator. You only use the Tablets every 30,000 miles or every 2 years which ever comes first, and ONLY if the PH Level is too Corrosive.
He also told me that Cadillac Does NOT use the additive in the Northstar Engines. Only in the 4.1, 4.5, and 4.9 engines.
You can contact Dennis Woods by phone if you like at Brown Bros. Cadillac.
(502) 583-9771 http://www.brownbroscad.com

If the radiator/heater core is partially clogged it is clogged. The clog will collect the supplement and make it LOOK like the supplement caused the problem ... but the problem was the gelled coolant, silicate particulation and other sediment clogging the unit from lack of maintenance fo the cooling system. The coolant supplement will NOT clog heater cores or radiators.

The supplement material is actually ground up ginger root...an organic product. It works by the small ground up fibers of ginger root that will travel thru the coolant system suspened in the coolant gathering in a leak and knitting or clotting if you will as the leak "filters" them out of the coolant. The ginger root expands when it sees oxygen...so the air from the backside of the leak (the atmospheric side) casues it to swell and plug the leak. This is why it will not clog heater cores....there is no air on the other side of the orifice or restriciton. Congealed coolant and coolant depositing silicates will clog heater cores. And....aluminum deposited in the radiator is what clogs radiators....aluminum from the block that is transported to the radiator due to the block corroding because of depleted coolant.

If a system is completely un-maintained and full of ancient coolant then flushing might be desireable....but...if the coolant has been changed frequently it is totally unnecessary to flush or anything before adding the supplement. If you changed the coolant the original supplement was largely removed from the system when you drained it...so adding new is not adding MORE..it is just replacing what you removed.


The PH levels can be very misleading and most often say that there is a problem when there is none. Forget it. They do creat a lot of work for shops so they like to show the car owner that the system "needs work". Just drain and fill occasionally to keep the system refreshed and forget the PH strips. They don't work at all in DexCool, by the way ,as DexCool is naturally very acidic (the corrosion inhibitor is an organic acid...).

You do NOT need to crush the pellets. You can prove this yourself. Spend a few bucks, buy some pellets from the GM dealer and pop them into a cup of 50/50 coolant and water. Swish them around. They will be mush in seconds. Crushing is in the directions because the full size pellets will not fit into the radiator of some of the packages....physically there is not enough room in the end tank for the full size pellet because of the large plate cooler for the engine oil inside the tank. Crushing is just recommended to allow easy installation....not to aid dissolving or anything... Trust me, millions of full size pellets of the coolant supplement have been installed into the cooling systems of cars by virutally every auto manufacturer over the years...and none of them are crushed.

Your buddy is WRONG WRONG WRONG about the Northstar. All Northstar engines from 1993 thru 2001 got 3 of the full size pellets in the cooling system at the factory, and, once again, it is in the service manual for the Northstar vehciles to USE THE COOLANT SUPPLEMENT. It is no arguement or anything...just a fact. He has obviously never read the service manual or done his homework. You should have asked him for a later model Northstar service manual and showed him.


There is ABSOLUTELY no correlation between using the coolant supplement and the PH level of the cooling system. This is complete BS . The coolant supplement is a stop leak or sealer....NOTHING in it has ANYTHING to do with PH or corrosion or anything else. It is in the system as a leak or seepage preventative. It does not stop corrosion or anything else...nor will it change the PH of the system. Possibly he is thinking that it is required only if there is a known combustion leakage causing a (supposed) PH change in the coolant. That is why the PH changes, combustion gases getting into the system. That happens at the fire ring seal. We aren't worried about that. The thing to worry about is a gasket seepage at teh crank case interface so that coolant gets into the oil. THAT sort of "head gasket" leak will NOT change the PH level of the coolant so if you wait for that indicator it will be way too late. His advice is poor and wrong.


With this level of misunderstanging and mis-information out there do you understand why I get a little short with some techs and dealer personnel and other supposed experts......LOL...no LOL

 

If the radiator/heater core is partially clogged it is clogged. The clog will collect the supplement and make it LOOK like the supplement caused the problem ... but the problem was the gelled coolant, silicate particulation and other sediment clogging the unit from lack of maintenance fo the cooling system. The coolant supplement will NOT clog heater cores or radiators.

The supplement material is actually ground up ginger root...an organic product. It works by the small ground up fibers of ginger root that will travel thru the coolant system suspened in the coolant gathering in a leak and knitting or clotting if you will as the leak "filters" them out of the coolant. The ginger root expands when it sees oxygen...so the air from the backside of the leak (the atmospheric side) casues it to swell and plug the leak. This is why it will not clog heater cores....there is no air on the other side of the orifice or restriciton. Congealed coolant and coolant depositing silicates will clog heater cores. And....aluminum deposited in the radiator is what clogs radiators....aluminum from the block that is transported to the radiator due to the block corroding because of depleted coolant.

If a system is completely un-maintained and full of ancient coolant then flushing might be desireable....but...if the coolant has been changed frequently it is totally unnecessary to flush or anything before adding the supplement. If you changed the coolant the original supplement was largely removed from the system when you drained it...so adding new is not adding MORE..it is just replacing what you removed.


The PH levels can be very misleading and most often say that there is a problem when there is none. Forget it. They do creat a lot of work for shops so they like to show the car owner that the system "needs work". Just drain and fill occasionally to keep the system refreshed and forget the PH strips. They don't work at all in DexCool, by the way ,as DexCool is naturally very acidic (the corrosion inhibitor is an organic acid...).

You do NOT need to crush the pellets. You can prove this yourself. Spend a few bucks, buy some pellets from the GM dealer and pop them into a cup of 50/50 coolant and water. Swish them around. They will be mush in seconds. Crushing is in the directions because the full size pellets will not fit into the radiator of some of the packages....physically there is not enough room in the end tank for the full size pellet because of the large plate cooler for the engine oil inside the tank. Crushing is just recommended to allow easy installation....not to aid dissolving or anything... Trust me, millions of full size pellets of the coolant supplement have been installed into the cooling systems of cars by virutally every auto manufacturer over the years...and none of them are crushed.

Your buddy is WRONG WRONG WRONG about the Northstar. All Northstar engines from 1993 thru 2001 got 3 of the full size pellets in the cooling system at the factory, and, once again, it is in the service manual for the Northstar vehciles to USE THE COOLANT SUPPLEMENT. It is no arguement or anything...just a fact. He has obviously never read the service manual or done his homework. You should have asked him for a later model Northstar service manual and showed him.


There is ABSOLUTELY no correlation between using the coolant supplement and the PH level of the cooling system. This is complete BS . The coolant supplement is a stop leak or sealer....NOTHING in it has ANYTHING to do with PH or corrosion or anything else. It is in the system as a leak or seepage preventative. It does not stop corrosion or anything else...nor will it change the PH of the system. Possibly he is thinking that it is required only if there is a known combustion leakage causing a (supposed) PH change in the coolant. That is why the PH changes, combustion gases getting into the system. That happens at the fire ring seal. We aren't worried about that. The thing to worry about is a gasket seepage at teh crank case interface so that coolant gets into the oil. THAT sort of "head gasket" leak will NOT change the PH level of the coolant so if you wait for that indicator it will be way too late. His advice is poor and wrong.


With this level of misunderstanging and mis-information out there do you understand why I get a little short with some techs and dealer personnel and other supposed experts......LOL...no LOL

Haha, dexcool, I'm sure this made sense back when you posted it but it's funny to look back on because dexcool permanently screwed my 03 blazer and was a disaster in general. Maybe the PH thing had some merit?

 

Not offended and I thank you for your advise. I hope that I can bring my questions about my car again.

You are right your car probably is better. LOL. Mine isn't a real junker though, I caught a good deal. On an old mans car. One owner, only sitting one week. Routine maint. from the cadillac dealer at that, plus a paint job. $550. I thought it was a steal.