What causes a muddy brown coolant solution?
My lad bought his car about 3 months ago (K reg 1.2 Clio-49k miles) and I'm sure I changed the anti freeze then, but noticed very brown staining of the reservoir bottle. The cold weather made me check his coolant this week and it is OK about 40% strong, but very brown in colour. Hardly clear and blue!!!
Is this a signal for corrosion?
Coolant sludge
Moderator: RichardW
Brown frothy stuff doesn't sound good, but it could be that someone had added something to the system such as a leak stopper.
OAT coolants can sometimes go this way; my BX16V was a victim of this, also did you use a pre mix coolant or a concentrate and filled it with tap water?
Tap waters can contain some very strange chemicals at times that can set off electrolysis and are of dubious ph often. Demineralised or distilled water are usually safer and pre mixed ones usually have the water run through a reverse osmosis process prior to mixing at the factory.
Check this out; it may be of some help in determining the cause if it turns out to be the start of corrosion.
http://www.andyspares.com/discussionfor ... IC_ID=8275
Alan S
OAT coolants can sometimes go this way; my BX16V was a victim of this, also did you use a pre mix coolant or a concentrate and filled it with tap water?
Tap waters can contain some very strange chemicals at times that can set off electrolysis and are of dubious ph often. Demineralised or distilled water are usually safer and pre mixed ones usually have the water run through a reverse osmosis process prior to mixing at the factory.
Check this out; it may be of some help in determining the cause if it turns out to be the start of corrosion.
http://www.andyspares.com/discussionfor ... IC_ID=8275
Alan S
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woodhead722
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The solution is not frothy, but muddy brown. Theres no foaming or anything.
I use decent ethylene glycol mixed to about 35-45%, but with TAP water.
I've always used tap water in Peugeot diesel cars which I've had for last 12 years and have not witnessed this colour before. It's always been clear & blue.
The radiator perhaps looks so clean and bright it MAY be new. Maybe the old one leaked and Radseal (or whatever) was used,and it has not yet been cleaned out. Maybe, maybe, maybe!
What's an OAT coolant Alan?
Thanks for your quick help and suggestions.
I use decent ethylene glycol mixed to about 35-45%, but with TAP water.
I've always used tap water in Peugeot diesel cars which I've had for last 12 years and have not witnessed this colour before. It's always been clear & blue.
The radiator perhaps looks so clean and bright it MAY be new. Maybe the old one leaked and Radseal (or whatever) was used,and it has not yet been cleaned out. Maybe, maybe, maybe!
What's an OAT coolant Alan?
Thanks for your quick help and suggestions.
"OAT" I am told stands for Organic Acid Technology. It is the type of coolants being promoted by those who are opposed to Ethylene Glycol. This is supposedly more environmentally friendly, non toxic and harmless if spilt on the skin etc.
In my case, I had a car (BX16V) off the road for a few weeks awaiting parts and me making time to work on it. I checked all the fluids before starting & noticed a skin on top of the coolant. I picked it out and it was about 3mm thick and was the shape of the coolant filler bottle & fitted across the palm of my hand. It was a brown/beige colour a bit like a disposable rubber glove. I took it to an oil company close by for identification and this was their diagnosis.
Where tap water is so risky, is that it's quality & ph can vary wildly as can the amount of chemicals in it.
I have heard in the past that the "gel" sold by Citroen whilst expensive, more than pays for itself in jobs it saves (such as heater matrix & the like).
Another thing that is often forgotten too, is that when the cooling systems are flushed or changed, a lot of owners forget to open the heaters up and this can leave a fair amount trapped in that part of the system and in the case of differing types of coolants, can cause an unintentional mixing of the two types the first time the heater is used.
Alan S
In my case, I had a car (BX16V) off the road for a few weeks awaiting parts and me making time to work on it. I checked all the fluids before starting & noticed a skin on top of the coolant. I picked it out and it was about 3mm thick and was the shape of the coolant filler bottle & fitted across the palm of my hand. It was a brown/beige colour a bit like a disposable rubber glove. I took it to an oil company close by for identification and this was their diagnosis.
Where tap water is so risky, is that it's quality & ph can vary wildly as can the amount of chemicals in it.
I have heard in the past that the "gel" sold by Citroen whilst expensive, more than pays for itself in jobs it saves (such as heater matrix & the like).
Another thing that is often forgotten too, is that when the cooling systems are flushed or changed, a lot of owners forget to open the heaters up and this can leave a fair amount trapped in that part of the system and in the case of differing types of coolants, can cause an unintentional mixing of the two types the first time the heater is used.
Alan S
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woodhead722
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Thanks all!
I think I will use some flushing solution, maybe a couple of times to try and dilute this brown stuff out, and then start again, even though the mucky solution is strong enough re anti freeze.
Meanwhile any more suggestions would be welcome.
I knew about the 'sweetness' of ethylene glycol thanks, we have a cat!
I think I will use some flushing solution, maybe a couple of times to try and dilute this brown stuff out, and then start again, even though the mucky solution is strong enough re anti freeze.
Meanwhile any more suggestions would be welcome.
I knew about the 'sweetness' of ethylene glycol thanks, we have a cat!
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madasafish
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woodhead722
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- Joined: 30 Oct 2001, 03:57
- Location:
- My Cars:
Madasafish I respect your choice of Halfords 'long life' antifreeze, but in all fairness my own choice would be to change every couple of years.
At least with changes you are reassured that the corrosion inhibitors are up to strength also. My immediate concern however is removing this s*** before replacement.
I am also aware that this s*** won't freeze it's about 40% strong!!
THANKS!
At least with changes you are reassured that the corrosion inhibitors are up to strength also. My immediate concern however is removing this s*** before replacement.
I am also aware that this s*** won't freeze it's about 40% strong!!
THANKS!
I saw a recommendation a while back from someone who reckoned they used a weak solution of vinegar in their cooliong system as a scale remover and claimed it worked a treat.
Has anyone here tried that & if so how successful? If it get s a heads up, this might be worth doing a drain & flush & refill with fresh water & this mix for a few days, followed by another flush before renewing the coolant/anti-freeze.
Alan S
Has anyone here tried that & if so how successful? If it get s a heads up, this might be worth doing a drain & flush & refill with fresh water & this mix for a few days, followed by another flush before renewing the coolant/anti-freeze.
Alan S