What's this in the coolant?

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bfdfix
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What's this in the coolant?

Post by bfdfix »

Hi everyone I'm looking at a prospective car to buy, this is abroad and getting anything decent at a cheap price is a struggle to say the least...

The best car an old 306, owned from new, clean, clearly well cared for, tight to drive etc, but has this in it 🤣

I don't reckon it's k seal, but maybe one of the other brands, or is it some kind of reminant of something not so sinister?

The car is a pretty good price and only 195k km so I'd be tempted to buy even if the head gasket needed replacing..
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white exec
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Re: What's this in the coolant?

Post by white exec »

Could be a leak sealant, but maybe also the result of running the cooling system on tapwater (calcium drop-out), tinged rusty because of no corrosion inhibitor.
If that's the only issue with the car, probably worth taking the gamble.

Best to do a complete system drain-down (bottom rad hose off, etc) to see what comes out.
I'd recommend LiquiMoly radiator/cooling system cleaner, ref.21309, for a thorough clean-out after flushing through with a hosepipe. You just need 1 × 300ml can, and follow the instructions on it.
Chris
bfdfix
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Joined: 25 Sep 2020, 13:19
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Re: What's this in the coolant?

Post by bfdfix »

Hi thanks very much for the reply... Unless it's the liquid glass sort of system sealer which I don't know how it looks when in the car, I also think it's probably from using normal tap water....

With the system cleaner I'm really cautious of using them to be honest, unless it really is gentle, and actually removed corrosion etc...

I've always just used a hose pipe, but I've probably never had a car used without coolant fluid!

Thanks
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white exec
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Joined: 21 Dec 2015, 12:46
Location: Sayalonga, Malaga, Spain
My Cars: 1996 XM 2.5TD Exclusive hatch RHD
1992 BX19D Millesime hatch LHD
previously 1989 BX19RD, 1998 ZX 1.9D auto, 2001 Xantia 1.8i auto
and lots of Rovers before that: 1935 Ten, 1947 Sixteen, 1960 P5 3-litre, 1966 P6 2000, 1972 P6 2000TC, and 1975 P6B 3500S
x 1752

Re: What's this in the coolant?

Post by white exec »

The LiquiMoly cleaner is quite safe to use, and will not damage the system or the engine block.
It is designed to remove oil/grease residues, as well as calc build-up.
I have used it twice on our XM, after two failures of the oil-water heat exchanger.
Chris
bfdfix
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My Cars: Peugeot 306 1.9xrd

Re: What's this in the coolant?

Post by bfdfix »

No problem thanks very much, I guess after probably a long time with tap water and no coolant, a cleaner would be good!
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Re: What's this in the coolant?

Post by Gibbo2286 »

That looks like the left overs of this stuff:
https://www.lsengineers.co.uk/bars-seal ... -25g.html
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bfdfix
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Joined: 25 Sep 2020, 13:19
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Re: What's this in the coolant?

Post by bfdfix »

Gibbo2286 wrote: 25 Sep 2020, 19:23 That looks like the left overs of this stuff:
https://www.lsengineers.co.uk/bars-seal ... -25g.html
Thanks, I've never seen that stuff to be honest, tried to take a look online but struggling to see it when in header tanks etc...
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Re: What's this in the coolant?

Post by CitroJim »

It may have been put in to try and cure a leaky heater matrix... A not uncommon issue on PSA vehicles of the 90s...

The only approved cooling system sealant (by Valeo) for PSA vehicles of that age is Forte Stop Leak. I can attest to how well it works...

Some rad sealant products have been known to weld the heater matrix union/joint together and make replacement of same a 'mare...

Another risk, although no applicable here, is blockage of the automatic gearbox cooler. I had a V6 Xantia where just that had happened and it severely damaged the gearbox. All because of a leaky heater matrix...
Jim

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