Brown coolant... Plz help!!
09-05-2006, 06:00 PM
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Brown coolant... Plz help!! ok so i just did a ported TB swap and i lost a bit of coolant. while refilling today, i noticed that there was a brown substance that resembled peanut butter all down the tube of the coolant resivour (or however you spell it). anyway my power steering is going out too and i was wondering if somehow the coolant and power steering were mixing through the PS cooler. but then i remembered hearing that 98s dont have a power steering pump. can anyone shead some light on my situation?
09-06-2006, 07:58 AM
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If you have PS, you have a pump. Suck out the PS fluid with a turkey baster and replace it with new. Run it a while. Repeat several times.
Get your cooling system flushed and refilled.
Get your cooling system flushed and refilled.
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09-06-2006, 11:45 AM
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thanks for the help. ill flush the coolant and see if it comes back. the car is a 98 Camaro Z28 M6. i know if i have power steering that i would have a pump, i meant to say i didn't know if i had a cooler. sorry for the misunderstanding
09-07-2006, 06:23 AM
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the 2 fluids CAN mix.
here's how - the 98 has a power steering cooler that is in the pipe that also makes up the center section of the upper radiator hose. mine leaked and allowed power steering fluid to be lost into the cooling system. besides causing the PS resevoir to run dry, it also contaminated the low coolant sensor in the radiator which then gave a false coolant low light. Cleaning the sensor fixes that.
to test for the leak, just pressurize your radiator with a pressure tester from Autozone (free loaner) and look for the bubbles in the PS resevoir.
its an easy fix - get a new PS cooler pipe from chevy dealer then flush and fill coolant and PS.
I've mentioned this many times but most people don't take the time to realize how obvious it is that this could happen. those that have problems like yours and take the time to listen are thankful they did. If your upper radiator hose has a metal pipe running parrallel with the radiator between the 2 rubber hose ends, that is your PS cooler. If you look, or feel, under the bottom side of the pipe you will see/feel the hoses going to the PS system.
here's how - the 98 has a power steering cooler that is in the pipe that also makes up the center section of the upper radiator hose. mine leaked and allowed power steering fluid to be lost into the cooling system. besides causing the PS resevoir to run dry, it also contaminated the low coolant sensor in the radiator which then gave a false coolant low light. Cleaning the sensor fixes that.
to test for the leak, just pressurize your radiator with a pressure tester from Autozone (free loaner) and look for the bubbles in the PS resevoir.
its an easy fix - get a new PS cooler pipe from chevy dealer then flush and fill coolant and PS.
I've mentioned this many times but most people don't take the time to realize how obvious it is that this could happen. those that have problems like yours and take the time to listen are thankful they did. If your upper radiator hose has a metal pipe running parrallel with the radiator between the 2 rubber hose ends, that is your PS cooler. If you look, or feel, under the bottom side of the pipe you will see/feel the hoses going to the PS system.
09-07-2006, 01:02 PM
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Originally Posted by pjb
the 2 fluids CAN mix.
here's how - the 98 has a power steering cooler that is in the pipe that also makes up the center section of the upper radiator hose. mine leaked and allowed power steering fluid to be lost into the cooling system. besides causing the PS resevoir to run dry, it also contaminated the low coolant sensor in the radiator which then gave a false coolant low light. Cleaning the sensor fixes that.
to test for the leak, just pressurize your radiator with a pressure tester from Autozone (free loaner) and look for the bubbles in the PS resevoir.
its an easy fix - get a new PS cooler pipe from chevy dealer then flush and fill coolant and PS.
I've mentioned this many times but most people don't take the time to realize how obvious it is that this could happen. those that have problems like yours and take the time to listen are thankful they did. If your upper radiator hose has a metal pipe running parrallel with the radiator between the 2 rubber hose ends, that is your PS cooler. If you look, or feel, under the bottom side of the pipe you will see/feel the hoses going to the PS system.
here's how - the 98 has a power steering cooler that is in the pipe that also makes up the center section of the upper radiator hose. mine leaked and allowed power steering fluid to be lost into the cooling system. besides causing the PS resevoir to run dry, it also contaminated the low coolant sensor in the radiator which then gave a false coolant low light. Cleaning the sensor fixes that.
to test for the leak, just pressurize your radiator with a pressure tester from Autozone (free loaner) and look for the bubbles in the PS resevoir.
its an easy fix - get a new PS cooler pipe from chevy dealer then flush and fill coolant and PS.
I've mentioned this many times but most people don't take the time to realize how obvious it is that this could happen. those that have problems like yours and take the time to listen are thankful they did. If your upper radiator hose has a metal pipe running parrallel with the radiator between the 2 rubber hose ends, that is your PS cooler. If you look, or feel, under the bottom side of the pipe you will see/feel the hoses going to the PS system.
Or ALL 98 Z28 & SSs?
09-08-2006, 05:31 AM
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Originally Posted by gun5l1ng3r
For clarification, is this only on the SS (or PS cooler equipped) cars?
Or ALL 98 Z28 & SSs?
Or ALL 98 Z28 & SSs?
I don't know. look for the metal pipe in the upper radiator hose, just behind the radiator, with the small hoses coming out the bottom and going to the PS system. its easy to see if you have it or not.
