• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Recurrent brown coolant...ideas?

N

nosajwp

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Winston-Salem, NC
Ok, when I bought my '01 last October, it had 58K on it. It now has 72K. When I bought it, a new radiator had been installed. About 6K miles later, the coolant looked like mud, so I had it changed. Today, I was getting my A/C recharged, and the coolant looked like mud again. I know the green stuff gets nasty when it's old, but do you guys have any idea why mine would be getting so nasty in such a short period of time?
 
You need to drain it, install the prestone back flush kit and refill with water, then flush it and back flush it, drain it and refill. For good measure I'd add the prestone 7 hour flush and drive it a day or two to reach the 7 hour mark. Then drain, back flush and refill with anti-freeze and DISTILLED water...
 
nosajwp said:
I don't add water. The level never drops. It just goes from green to brown. This is my second dealership power flush.
Click to expand...
I would say the stealership in doing a poor job of neturalizing your system then after the flush.
If there's any cleaning chemicals left in the system after the flush the acid will cause the antifreeze to turn color. Do what was said above flush, flush, and flush again with good water, then drain and fill with 50/50 antifreeze and distilled water.
 
Any oil consumption problems? Any tempterature problems? Anything beside nasty coolant that might lead one to believe there is a blown head gasket? You can probably have the dealership do a quick test if you have them flush it again. They can look for combustion gases in the coolant, which hints to a blown head gasket.
 
You stated that there was a new radiator installed before you bought it, maybe someone added that nasty bars leaks junk to the system trying to avoid buying it. That junk wont come out with power flushes for a long time and is really bad for radiator coolant flow. your new coolant could be just slowly cleaning up the mess left behind making the gravy look a good thing. Id get the prestone 7 hour like was before mentioned and see if that ends the cycle
 
Have the dealership or someone do a hydrocarbon test on the radiator. You might have a bad head gasket.
 
I don't think flushes are a good idea
It's more time consuming but I simply remove my lower rad hose when the engines cooled down and re-fill with distilled water, run for a couple days drop the hose again.
I do this about 4 times till everything looks good and clear, fill with a 70/30 Mopar coolant mix and go
btw, did you consider maybe they put the red mopar coolant in :wierd:
 
Last edited:
ive seen somthing like this happen on a freinds blazer with a 4.3L. the coolent was brown and looked like dirt was in it. it also had overheating problems. next time i see him i'll ask what ended up happening with it.
 
redsand187 said:
Any oil consumption problems? Any tempterature problems? Anything beside nasty coolant that might lead one to believe there is a blown head gasket? You can probably have the dealership do a quick test if you have them flush it again. They can look for combustion gases in the coolant, which hints to a blown head gasket.
Click to expand...

mine did just that today. blew out in 2 spots and brown goo all over the ground. had a really bad day at work yesterday and on my way home today stop to get gas and surprise, surprise.

the hits just keep on comin.
 
DO a search on the word "Vinegar" in this forum. I recall that a person added nothing but white vinegar in their cooling system. After a few days they drained it and eveything that a flush didn't catch, came tumbling out.
I was thinking of trying this myself, but I just backflushed the entire system 2 months ago and my stuff still looks nice and green. BUt I am definatly going to do this to the wifes Mazda.
 
No oil consumption, no temperature problems (other than running a little warm when it's hot outside and the A/C is on - but when the aux. fan comes on, everything is OK).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Issues flushing dirty coolant
2
Replies
29
Views
4K
fenns7
F
O
Rear Brake Noise Question and Hepl Please
Replies
5
Views
372
asymptonic
A
M
Coolant Temp Sensor
Replies
3
Views
2K
Unclewolverine
U
J
XJ coolant overflow after engine is shut off
2 3
Replies
45
Views
7K
XJI6191
X
U
Overheating? Quick help please.
Replies
9
Views
2K
75SV1
7
Back
Top