Both the standard 2.4-liter engine and the optional 3.4-liter engine in the 2001 Oldsmobile Alero used a long-life coolant that was developed to prevent rust. Unfortunately, a later class action lawsuit claimed that this coolant actually damaged components and formed a rusty sludge that led to damage to the cooling system -- General Motors settled the lawsuit in 2008 for $6.1 million and paid an additional $2.2 million in 2011. GM has since reformulated Dex-Cool to eliminated this issue.
The 2001 Oldmobile Alero requires a 50-50 mixture of Dex-Cool and cool, clean water for its engine coolant. This prevents freezing down to temperatures of -34 degrees F and prevents boiling up to 265 degrees F. The Alero's 2.4-liter engine requires 2.8 gallons of the 50-50 mixture, and the 3.4-liter V-6 needs 3.4 gallons of the mixture.
