Help: Brown Radiator Fluid

1994 Jeep Cherokee Sport 4x4 I6 (automatic)
-bought used
-has roughly 135k miles
-used for a winter (snow) beater car, short 20min trips

Noticed a puddle of GREEN fluid under the Jeep the other day. Here is picture with a rag where the fluid is leaking.
http://www.30th-ta.org/jeep/110_1060.JPG - 1meg JPEG

Pull the radiator cap off just for the heck of it and find this:
http://www.30th-ta.org/jeep/110_1061.JPG - 1meg JPEG
http://www.30th-ta.org/jeep/110_1062.JPG - 1meg JPEG

Definately brown and thicker then normal. Not super thick, but not right. Put the finger in it and gave it a smell, doesn't really smell like oil or trans fluid to me. Checked the oil and tranny dipsticks and it doesn't seem to be on them. Opened the oil cap on the valve cover and peeked inside, didn't see anything that looked dreadful. The clear overflow radiator fluid bottle however is nice and brown also. Funny the puddle under the car isn't this brownish color though, it's a nice antifreeze green.

The coolant system was drained and refilled before last winter by myself and my father. Everything looked pretty normal back there.

Never seen any OVERHEATING temps on the temp guage.

Jeep was running fine up until I noticed this, haven't driven it since.

Any ideas or comments?

The A/C condensor lines appear to run into the radiator, no? Could the oil from the a/c condensor contaminated the radiator? I know tranny lines (auto) run into it? How about that?

Suggestions appreciated.

I planned on draining a bit of oil and tranny fluid from the pans and seeing if I could see/smell anything in them tomorrow first.

Thanks guys!

certainly doesn't look good.
the AC lines don't go into the rad, just the condensor.
the auto trans is a seperate section of the rad, but it would be possible for it to rupture internaly and mix the fluids.
I'd check the oilt and trans fluid like you plan./ If both look good I'd chalk it up to rust/corrosion that caused the leak. Replace the rad and flush the system, call it a day.

start with a good radiator flush...i had that same problem with a comanche i bought. when i flushed it, it took a good 10 minutes to clear all that crap out, but afterwards, it was fine.

Mine looked similar when i flushed about 7k ago....yoohoo came to mind when i flushed the overflow tank out. It runs great though (4.0 w/ 164k).

Well, at least you guys have me feeling a bit better.

Wonder about the leak though. No signs of any anti-freeze leaking till the other day. And the placement of the leak leads me to believe it probably ISN'T the water pump.

Was worried at first sight about MAJOR problems, but like I said, checked the oil/tranny dipsticks and there were no signs of anything. Plan to drain a bit outta of the oil/tranny pans into a cup tomorrow for closer inspection.

Maybe being a '94 with 135k miles and probably an original radiator, I should just replace it for safety sake anyway.

flush and run for a day (if above freezing) with a galon of vinegar and the rest water. next day, drain and flush realy good. refil with choice of coolant and monitor for improvements.

the vinegar will help to remove some of the corrosion/deplosits on the interior of you cooling system.

x2 on the vinegar treatment. It's cheaper and works as good as any chemical mix.

My guess is that you're right. A 1994 with 135k on it has probably already on water pump #2. I'd guess without seeing it that its the radiator or a hose.

I think the biggest problem is your garage is too nice. Any small leak will show up like a BIG problem on a white floor.

I just did a full flush (pulled the t-stat to get an unrestricted back flush) and found most of the crus in the heater core, and the overflow bottle. What was in the bottom looked like the stuff in your rad.

I'd drain the system, then pull/inspect/replace hoses as needed.

Steve

R_Willis said:

Maybe being a '94 with 135k miles and probably an original radiator, I should just replace it for safety sake anyway.

Click to expand...

That's exactly the mileage my '94 had when the radiator sprung a tiny leak in the same spot along that passenger's side seam.