I know the instructions manual say to use DEX-COOL (silicate-free) coolant but we do not have Dex Cool coolant here in northern Europe

Does silicate-free mean that the coolant is silicone free?

Also should i use coolant that is made for aluminum blocks and heads?

I think i have left some regular blue colored coolant that i used on my Corvette C2 coupe but this coolant i not for aluminum heads i think

It took me 1 and a half hour to get the radiator cap off last night because it was stuck because of dirt.
I had to clean the top of the radiator where the cap is placed and the hole for the hose that goes to the expansion tank looked to be glogged so i had to open it and clean that inside as well

The liitle coolant that is left in the expansion tank(only just covers the bottom in the tank)i so dark in color and this is because of dirt.
I have checked so i know it is dirt so i have to take off the expansion tank and clean it

Should i clean the whole coolant system before i put on new coolant?
The heater core as well?

But most important do i need to use coolant that is not etching the aluminium? What type of coolant do mmy fellow forum member reckomend?

The picture below is of DEX-COOL (silicate-free) which we do not have here in northern Europe

 

Without knowing what you have available where you live, I will say that if you do a complete and thorough cooling system flush, you may use whatever type of coolant you have. Just be certain you have cleaned out any residual gunk from the system before filling the new coolant.

Of course, use a new radiator cap and a pressure check would wouldn't, either.

Here is a short article on coolants that has a couple of paragraphs regarding coolants used in Europe. Click the link.

 

One problem with DexCool, which is what GM put in the 1996 and newer vehicles in the US, is it is not compatible with the old style green coolant. So if your SUV ever had Dex Cool in it, you must flush out all the old Dex Cool completely. This includes not only the radiator, but the reservoir tank, and the engine block. As rriddle said, a complete flush of the entire cooling system. Any remnants of Dex Cool will mix with the old green coolant and cause a brown sludge. So look for a coolant like the one Prestone makes that says compatible with any make coolant and you will be safe. Here's a Prestone product that is pre-diluted. 50 coolant/50 with water. It says it is guaranteed compatible with 'American, Asian, and European vehicles'. So therefore , reaction with any DexCool should not be a problem.
Prestone Antifreeze/Coolant - Choose your region | Prestone®

 

Thanks for the reply and help
I am sure that it must have been Dex Cool antifreeze on my car and for what i know some owner before me may have added some other type of antifreeze because of the dirt stuck on the underside of the radioator cap on the radiator fill neck

I will for sure flush the coolant system on my car but i have always been a bit aftaid to use radiator cleaner thinking it may cause a leak but i will use radiator cleaner this time
I will fill first flush the system with water and after that i will fill up the coolant system on my car including putting on the heather to max so i can flush the heater core as well

After that i will drain the system and fill it up with red antifreeze that can be used on all cars


I spoke to someone that sells car parts for US made cars only and he told me that he knows of some that have used a dish washer tablet to clean the coolant system of their car with a great result
This because the dish washer tablet/soap does not foam much

Because of the water pump broke i can check why the the Webasto heater that is monted on the plate under the engine stops working sometimes as well.

 

Prestone makes a small bottle of radiator flush that you put in the radiator and run for a short while then drain and flush with clear water. Just follow directions on the bottle.

 

Yep, use Red. It's the European equivalent to Dexcool and is supposed to work in old stuff too. Both European Red and Dexcool are silicate free and use organic acids as additives. Red meets tons of different coolant specifications prescribed for different vehicles, important for compatibility with water pump seals and other materials. Use with confidence, but flush out old system completely or the coolant lifetime will be reduced.

Brown sludge happens when old organic acids react with air and impurities in the hot cooling system. So change it when you are suppose to, use distilled water for dilution, and keep it full.

 

Yes, i will use red Valvoline Max Life
Thanks for the help