Quick coolant question
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 715
Likes: 7
From: Houston
Quick coolant question Hey all,
I thought I might have a slight coolant leak, so I pulled the coolant dipstick to check the level and this is what I saw:
http://www.anycities.com/user/trpltongue/coolant.html
Is this normal? None of my other cars have had this brown deposit on the radiator or the coolant dipstick.
Thanks for the feedback.
Russell
I thought I might have a slight coolant leak, so I pulled the coolant dipstick to check the level and this is what I saw:
http://www.anycities.com/user/trpltongue/coolant.html
Is this normal? None of my other cars have had this brown deposit on the radiator or the coolant dipstick.
Thanks for the feedback.
Russell
TECH Regular
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
From: Deployed
Depends on how bad the leak is, normally easier to tell by looking at the coolant. You can see the oil floating on top. when your looking at the oil it will look kinda like a milkshake. Really dont think it is a blown head gasket you would have other problems along with that. Flush and fill your coolant and take a look at your oil if it loks like normal oil should then you will be alright
My coolant dipstick looks similar to that and I don't have a leak and my coolant has been changed once so far a couple years ago (still have less than 18k miles on the car currently).
Might just be the nature of Dexcool maybe.
Might just be the nature of Dexcool maybe.
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 715
Likes: 7
From: Houston
8-pack,
Yeah, I figured if it was a head gasket I'd have known by now. I'll definitely inspect the coolant and oil very carefully.
LS1LT1,
Good to hear that it's normal looking. I'm going to take a look at my friends GTP this afternoon to see if his is the same.
The minor leak that I had, seems to have stopped now ??? Maybe it was the really cold weather or something?
Russell
Yeah, I figured if it was a head gasket I'd have known by now. I'll definitely inspect the coolant and oil very carefully.
LS1LT1,
Good to hear that it's normal looking. I'm going to take a look at my friends GTP this afternoon to see if his is the same.
The minor leak that I had, seems to have stopped now ??? Maybe it was the really cold weather or something?
Russell
What that is is dex-cool after being contaminated by the air. Dex-cool will actually gel up and look like that. It is something to get checked ASAP. Could be something as simple as a bad radiator cap or a little more serious like a waterpump. Whatever it is it needs to be checked as it will get worse. Sometimes fixing the leak and a flush will be good enough. On some cars we have had in our shop it has chewed the impellars in waterpumps, ruined thermostats, and plugged radiators.
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Mine had that brown sludge, not quite that bad, on the coolant dipstick but not anywhere else in the system. And I don't have any leaks or blown head gaskets. I think it's just the environment of the overflow jug and nothing to worry about. I cleaned it off a year ago and it still looks good. I've changed out the antifreeze twice so far since the car was new. Make sure you pull the overflow jug and clean it when doing an antifreeze change.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: ohio
ls1 doc is right about the air contamination but you cant really keep air out of the coolant bottle now can you? If the bottle is the only place the sludge is then drain it, flush it out with a garden hose and refill it. Its all part of having dex-crud. 
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 715
Likes: 7
From: Houston
So far the bottle is the only place I've seen it. However I did/do have a slight leak around the water pump somewhere. I've tried to pinpoint the leak area but it's been difficult so far. I'll definitely check everything that I can see for sludge buildup.
Thanks all,
Russell
Thanks all,
Russell
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
From: Denton, TX
Mine looked like that when it was time for a flush/fill. I'd check into the Prestone flush and fill kit they sell at the auto parts store. Like someone already posted, go to work with the garden hose and some coolant sytem flush.
