Just for your knowledge when a Dealer changes your Antifreeze they mix it with tap water. I have called and spoke to 7 different dealers in the Los Angeles area and all stated the same. I also called Dodge and they said that the dealers should be using Distilled Water and not tap, but they can't control that. I didn't like the answer but I thought I'd pass on the information.

 

Good to know, i was contemplating getting the stealership to do a coolant flush so i dont have to deal with the leftover but i may have to change my mind on that one.

 

Yup. I would wager very few places actually use distilled water.

I replaced the block plugs on my 12 valve and went ahead and filled it with distilled water and Fleet Charge antifreeze, but I had to bring my own water in (I did it at work).

 

Yup. Unless you get the pre-mixed 50/50 antifreeze/coolant, you should use distilled water to cut the full strength coolant, and here's why; As told to me by an ASE Certified technicion who actually attended a seminar on antifreeze/coolant and modern engines:
Most of todays engines have a mix of dis-similar metals which come in close contact with each other (ie; steel blocks w/aluminum heads etc.). When a liquid such as water and antifreeze/coolant pass through, a chemical reaction starts and corrosion begins to build eventually leading to leaks or gasket failure.
GM was the first to figure this out and developed its Dex-Cool antifreeze which has enzymes to slow or stop the corrosion process. The other antifreeze/coolant manufacturers soon came out with their version of "universal type" antifreeze/coolant that can be mixed with any color or type of other manufacturers antifreeze/coolant.
Now for the catch. If you buy a gallon of straight antifreeze/coolant and want to get 2 gallons and mix it with well water (minerals, iron & other contaminants) or treated (city water w/chlorine etc.) you will kill the enzymes and other corrosion inhibitors that were engineered into that gallon of straight antifreeze/coolant.

P.S. Now I know why when a few years back I was flushing the cooling system on my Chevy Lumina and wondered what all the dark brown "slime" was that was coming out and was all over the inside of the coolant resovoir. It was apparently "dead" enzymes from the Dex-Cool that someone (before I owned it) had either added regular water or mixed new Dex-Cool with regular water.

Hope this helps prevent some issues in the future.

 

ASE Certified Technician

No more knowledgeable than "Monkey Spanking Technician"

Seriously. It's just like every other industry's circle-jerk certifications. Welders have them, real estate agents have them, pretty much every one has them. All the certification means is that you paid some money and "you" passed a test.

 

Must I say it....Another reason why my truck only ever see's my garage that way I know the work is done right. They should call them stealerhalfassships hahaha

 

It's not just dealers, it's nearly every shop out there.