Dirt In The Radiator Still After Coolant Flush
07-02-2015, 08:58 PM
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Dirt In The Radiator Still After Coolant Flush Hey Guys,
My car has about 325K miles now. I've only had the car for almost 4 months (on the 15th) and I noticed that each time I checked the radiator the inside is full of dirt. I'm not sure what coolant was used before me owning the car but since the duration of the time me owning the car it always had dirt in the Radiator.
About almost 1 month ago I changed my entire A/C components (all lines, A/C accumulator and condenser). During that time I flushed the coolant (it was ornage) and filled it with dexcool (the green fluid or whatever the name of the brand is) thinking it was going to solve my problem with dirt in the radiator.
Before I did this, I was looking at the radiator and it looks new to me and what's other people told that worked with me underneath the car. I don't know where the dirt is coming from but from what I've read it could be from mixing coolant together. I don't know if the radiator already has corrosion or it could be something else. Each time I changed my oil, it does not appear to have coolant inside (thinking it was the head gasket). I just don't know.
Car is a '99 Trans Am A4.
Any ideas or suggestions is welcomed.
Thank you,
LTX_Alex
My car has about 325K miles now. I've only had the car for almost 4 months (on the 15th) and I noticed that each time I checked the radiator the inside is full of dirt. I'm not sure what coolant was used before me owning the car but since the duration of the time me owning the car it always had dirt in the Radiator.
About almost 1 month ago I changed my entire A/C components (all lines, A/C accumulator and condenser). During that time I flushed the coolant (it was ornage) and filled it with dexcool (the green fluid or whatever the name of the brand is) thinking it was going to solve my problem with dirt in the radiator.
Before I did this, I was looking at the radiator and it looks new to me and what's other people told that worked with me underneath the car. I don't know where the dirt is coming from but from what I've read it could be from mixing coolant together. I don't know if the radiator already has corrosion or it could be something else. Each time I changed my oil, it does not appear to have coolant inside (thinking it was the head gasket). I just don't know.
Car is a '99 Trans Am A4.
Any ideas or suggestions is welcomed.
Thank you,
LTX_Alex
07-03-2015, 11:58 AM
#2
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If the coolant was orange the first time around it was probably DexCool....or it had a lot of rust in it. But if you didn't get all the DexCool out and added the regular green stuff, that could be a problem. When I changed my coolant for the first time I decided to stick with DexCool for that very reason....it already had DexCool in it though it was now a brown rusty color rather than bright orange. And from all the reports I read on here DexCool is fine as long as you maintain it fresh and don't mix other things with it. If mixing different styles of coolant I wouldn't expect dirt to result, but rather some sort of sludge or goo. A head gasket leak would get you sludge or goo as well, not dirt.
With 325K miles there could be all sorts of sources of rust, debris, and other particles in the engine....assuming an original, unbuilt engine. If the coolant reservoir and attaching line is still original that could be pretty caked up with junk and a possible source. I'd be surprised if one of those survived in good condition with 325K miles. It's been a while since I had an A4. Not being an SS/WS6 you shouldn't have the problematic Power Steering cooler...another source of junk in your coolant. I wouldn't think there are many PS coolers on stock '99 A4 Trans Ams.
With 325K miles there could be all sorts of sources of rust, debris, and other particles in the engine....assuming an original, unbuilt engine. If the coolant reservoir and attaching line is still original that could be pretty caked up with junk and a possible source. I'd be surprised if one of those survived in good condition with 325K miles. It's been a while since I had an A4. Not being an SS/WS6 you shouldn't have the problematic Power Steering cooler...another source of junk in your coolant. I wouldn't think there are many PS coolers on stock '99 A4 Trans Ams.
Last edited by Firebrian; 07-03-2015 at 08:58 PM.
07-03-2015, 04:16 PM
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If the coolant was orange the first time around it was probably DexCool....or it had a lot of rust in it. But if you didn't get all the DexCool out and added the regular green stuff, that could be a problem. When I changed my coolant for the first time I decided to stick with DexCool for that very reason....it already had DexCool in it though it was now a brown rusty color rather than bright orange. And from all the reports I read on here DexCool is fine as long as you maintain it fresh and don't mix other things with it. If mixing different styles of coolant I wouldn't expect dirt to result, but rather some sort of sludge or goo. A head gasket leak would get you sludge or goo as well, not dirt.
With 325K miles there could be all sorts of sources of rust, debris, and other particles in the engine....assuming an original, unbuilt engine. If the coolant reservoir and attaching line is still original that could be pretty caked up with junk and a possible source. I'd be surprised if one of those survived in good condition with 325K miles. It's been a while since I had an A4. Do those have trans coolers? Not being an SS/WS6 you shouldn't have the problematic Power Steering cooler...another source of junk in your coolant.
With 325K miles there could be all sorts of sources of rust, debris, and other particles in the engine....assuming an original, unbuilt engine. If the coolant reservoir and attaching line is still original that could be pretty caked up with junk and a possible source. I'd be surprised if one of those survived in good condition with 325K miles. It's been a while since I had an A4. Do those have trans coolers? Not being an SS/WS6 you shouldn't have the problematic Power Steering cooler...another source of junk in your coolant.
07-03-2015, 08:29 PM
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What it sounds like is the power steering cooler. The thing corrodes and power steering fluid gets into the coolant. It looks brownish and is almost impossible to flush out.
If you have the power steering cooler you can remove it and replace it with a different radiator hose and connect the two power steering lines together.
You'll still catch hell trying to get all that crud out of the system
If you have the power steering cooler you can remove it and replace it with a different radiator hose and connect the two power steering lines together.
You'll still catch hell trying to get all that crud out of the system
07-03-2015, 08:56 PM
#5
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The PS cooler was an extra cost option offered on the 1999 Trans Am. But, I would think most of them never got it, especially the automatics. If you did have it, it would have gone through multiple stock cooler failures in 325K miles. At some point someone would have likely deleted it or installed a more useful aftermarket version.
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07-06-2015, 11:37 PM
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What it sounds like is the power steering cooler. The thing corrodes and power steering fluid gets into the coolant. It looks brownish and is almost impossible to flush out.
If you have the power steering cooler you can remove it and replace it with a different radiator hose and connect the two power steering lines together.
You'll still catch hell trying to get all that crud out of the system
If you have the power steering cooler you can remove it and replace it with a different radiator hose and connect the two power steering lines together.
You'll still catch hell trying to get all that crud out of the system
07-07-2015, 11:49 AM
#11
You need to fill the radiator with degreaser.....let it sit for a few hours. Then rinse it out.
You also need to run degreaser through the entire engine and heads and also let it sit for awhile. You won't ever get the crap all out of the block if you just use water to flush.....
.
You also need to run degreaser through the entire engine and heads and also let it sit for awhile. You won't ever get the crap all out of the block if you just use water to flush.....
.
Last edited by LS6427; 07-07-2015 at 12:14 PM.
07-07-2015, 02:47 PM
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You need to fill the radiator with degreaser.....let it sit for a few hours. Then rinse it out.
You also need to run degreaser through the entire engine and heads and also let it sit for awhile. You won't ever get the crap all out of the block if you just use water to flush.....
.
You also need to run degreaser through the entire engine and heads and also let it sit for awhile. You won't ever get the crap all out of the block if you just use water to flush.....
.
This is what it shows when I open up the radiator cap. So, I don't have a power steering cooler either so any other possible leads?
07-07-2015, 04:23 PM
#13
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I wouldn't call that dirt. Looks like sludge from coolant mixing with something else. My guess would be DexCool (orange) mixed with a non-compatible coolant (green). Wouldn't rule out engine oil either. Not much option but to keep flushing....assuming nothing is actually leaking.
Last edited by Firebrian; 07-07-2015 at 05:13 PM.
07-07-2015, 05:04 PM
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Don't know if I still have a problem as some residue oil still shows up in the overflow bottle after several drives. It's a lot less than before though. Maybe just residual left in the system? Hopefully, it becomes less and less over time....or else the problem never was the trans cooler inside the radiator (2002 V8 Ford with 65K miles). Be careful with jumping on to something as the "source" of the leak w/o plenty of confirmation. I'm starting to wonder if maybe just some "gunk" from somewhere in the coolant system started breaking loose. The color and amount of sludge in the OP's car suggests a big enough problem to be more easily found. The color of the coolant in the photo above reminds me of the DexCool when I first changed mine....it was a nasty brown. Just to be safe I just took a sample on my SS's 3 year old coolant today. It's still the same translucent orange as the brand new stuff. But, just sitting in the radiator it looked more of a murky brown. That was weird.
Last edited by Firebrian; 07-07-2015 at 05:15 PM.
07-07-2015, 05:17 PM
#16
Just went through a tranny cooler to radiator leak in my daily driver (not an LS-1). There would be droplets of reddish brown oil floating on the top of bright green coolant in the overflow tank (no radiator cap in this car). It wasn't a whole lot but enough to see it. I'd wipe it out with a paper towel after each drive and the next time I looked it would be back. There were no signs of coolant in the trans or engine oil samples. And no signs of anything else in the coolant. There was no drop in fluid levels either. A 3 day pressure check showed the radiator to be leaking slightly. Replaced the radiator and flushed out the system.
Don't know if I still have a problem as some residue oil still shows up in the overflow bottle after several drives. It's a lot less than before though. Maybe just residual left in the system? Hopefully, it becomes less and less over time....or else the problem never was the trans cooler inside the radiator (2002 V8 Ford with 65K miles). Be careful with jumping on to something as the "source" of the leak w/o plenty of confirmation. I'm starting to wonder if maybe just some "gunk" from somewhere in the coolant system started breaking loose. The color and amount of sludge in the OP's car suggests a big enough problem to be more easily found. The color of the coolant in the photo above reminds me of the DexCool when I first changed mine....it was a nasty brown. Just to be safe I just took a sample on my SS's 3 year old coolant today. It's still the same translucent orange as the brand new stuff. But, just sitting in the radiator it looked more of a murky brown. That was weird.
Don't know if I still have a problem as some residue oil still shows up in the overflow bottle after several drives. It's a lot less than before though. Maybe just residual left in the system? Hopefully, it becomes less and less over time....or else the problem never was the trans cooler inside the radiator (2002 V8 Ford with 65K miles). Be careful with jumping on to something as the "source" of the leak w/o plenty of confirmation. I'm starting to wonder if maybe just some "gunk" from somewhere in the coolant system started breaking loose. The color and amount of sludge in the OP's car suggests a big enough problem to be more easily found. The color of the coolant in the photo above reminds me of the DexCool when I first changed mine....it was a nasty brown. Just to be safe I just took a sample on my SS's 3 year old coolant today. It's still the same translucent orange as the brand new stuff. But, just sitting in the radiator it looked more of a murky brown. That was weird.
The degreaser is the best idea because it breaks it all up and then it must flow out. Formula 88 is a good one to use. Pour about half gallon into the radiator with the t-stat removed and the t-stat housing bolted back up. Let it idle for 15 minutes and get a little warm. Let it sit for a few hours....overnight is good too. Then drain the radiator. Fill the radiator back up with just water and run it for 5 minutes. Drain radiator again. Fill with water again and run it for 5 minutes.
Keep doing this until the water is clear.......
.
Last edited by LS6427; 07-07-2015 at 05:25 PM.
07-07-2015, 07:07 PM
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How can I check to verify? From what I've seen in my engine bay at least but I have a regular upper radiator hose. Plus, where is the factory tranny cooler located? Is it literally within the radiator it's self?
07-07-2015, 09:59 PM
#18
GREAT NEWS.....lol
The factory Transmission fluid cooler is inside the black plastic tank on the passengers side of the radiator. You will see the two lines connected to the back of that black plastic tank. If the metal lines and/or cooling vanes inside that tank have ruptured or sprung a leak....you will get coolant into your tranny fluid....and tranny fluid into your coolant.
See if your tranny fluid looks dark......it should be reddish in color and clean.......
BUT....if there is no dark color in your tranny fluid....there still could be tranny fluid in the coolant. I believe the tranny pressure is somewhere around 30psi.....might be wrong.....so the tranny fluid would win the battle and leak into the cooing system.......and the coolant would have a tough time going into the tranny system. But I would think that some coolant would make it into the tranny.....
.
07-08-2015, 02:34 PM
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I didn't think about the transmission cooler, but that is definitely oil in the coolant.
07-08-2015, 09:46 PM
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