Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: SportF]
#2853300
11/30/20 12:29 PM
11/30/20 12:29 PM
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Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,105 Md.
carnut68
master
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master
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,105
Md.
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Fresh motor, iron block and heads, stock radiator. Anti-freeze put in, cam broke in. Took car around the block and parked it. 6 months later (or maybe immediately) the stuff is the color of strong strong coffee. Never seen that before? This is not rust colored at all. As I said, looks like coffee, real strong coffee.
Any ideas? Seems to test for -35 ok. Did you use staight anti freeze or a mix? I noticed with anti freeze and tap water it always turned dirty. Started using distilled water and it was much better looking.
America First!
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: carnut68]
#2853303
11/30/20 12:31 PM
11/30/20 12:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,206 Minn
SportF
OP
pro stock
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OP
pro stock
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,206
Minn
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I used tap water. Well, its from our well. But, never had this happen before when using tap water. 50% is what you gotta use here in Minnesota.
I could say it "can" get cold here. But I should say, it "does" get cold here.
Last edited by SportF; 11/30/20 12:33 PM.
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: SportF]
#2853306
11/30/20 12:37 PM
11/30/20 12:37 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,667 North Dakota
6PakBee
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,667
North Dakota
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Take a sample to a heavy equipment dealer (Cat for example) and have them run an acidity on the antifreeze. That happened to me once and it turned out to be a leaking head gasket.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: 6PakBee]
#2853552
11/30/20 08:37 PM
11/30/20 08:37 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,396 Central Pa
moparjim79
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,396
Central Pa
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Do a simple flush first ( youtube Chris fixx coolant flush), I know its fresh, but follow the way he does it. Use distilled water, not your wells'.
If its still acting up, have it tested or get yourself a combustible gas tester as mentioned before.
If its a head gasket, doing a simple compression test should answer that
Last edited by moparjim79; 11/30/20 08:38 PM.
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: TJP]
#2853569
11/30/20 09:38 PM
11/30/20 09:38 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,396 Central Pa
moparjim79
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,396
Central Pa
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If its still acting up, have it tested or get yourself a combustible gas tester as mentioned before. If its a head gasket, doing a simple compression test should answer that
I'll agrees with the first two suggestions, but not the third. if it's leaking bad enough to show up on a compression test there wouldn't be a question or need for the first two as it would be pretty obvious due to loss of coolant, overheating, missing etc. I disagree, there's head gaskets that catastrophically fail and ones that fail but only act up when full operating temp is reached, repeating this many times when brought to temp but not bucking/carrying on for quite a while, then it $hits the bed all together. Heres another kinda easy test, put a borescope down the plug tube and tell us what the piston tops look like. Keeping in mind now, 1 of your 3 criteria is already met.
Last edited by moparjim79; 12/01/20 07:58 AM.
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: SportF]
#2853618
11/30/20 11:26 PM
11/30/20 11:26 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,396 Central Pa
moparjim79
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,396
Central Pa
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Well, here is what is wrong with the head gasket theory, it isn't blowing bubbles in the radiator. That doesn't always happen. Thats why I made mention of the test kit
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: dvw]
#2853710
12/01/20 10:06 AM
12/01/20 10:06 AM
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RWG75
Unregistered
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RWG75
Unregistered
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Run it for several heat cycles, check the bottom of your overflow jug for sediment. If it's rust from the iron block, there will be a layer of silt in the jug [eventually]. One of my 440s does it and I recall more silt when changing a block freeze plug. A/F is much more green than brown. When it starts getting too dark, I back flush it with the block plugs out and clean the jug then start again.
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: dvw]
#2853755
12/01/20 11:56 AM
12/01/20 11:56 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,997 Salem
Grizzly
Moparts Proctologist
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Moparts Proctologist
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,997
Salem
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When working as a dealer tech I changed brown nasty coolant many times. Flush well and replace. That fixes it. There is nothing the matter with the head gaskets. Doug x2
Mo' Farts
Moderated by "tbagger".
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: Grizzly]
#2853811
12/01/20 02:48 PM
12/01/20 02:48 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,241 north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 19,241
north of coder
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i have had several engines over the years that had the "factory fill" coolant turn a nasty "poop" color, and it took several flushes over a couple month time period to clean it up so it would remain a clean, green color. also, i'm not a fan of the new style "pre mixed" stuff. some of that can turn color when mixed with any residual coolant left in the system. GM dexcool is the worst of the worst, and should be avoided at ALL costs ! as already been mentioned, use distilled water with a QUALITY coolant, but you may have to flush a couple of times to get it to stay clean. i am also leaning toward a coolant filter plumbed into a radiator hose, but i haven't pulled the trigger on one yet.
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Re: Anti-freeze turned brown
[Re: moparjim79]
#2854042
12/01/20 09:57 PM
12/01/20 09:57 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,197 Omaha Ne
TJP
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,197
Omaha Ne
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If its still acting up, have it tested or get yourself a combustible gas tester as mentioned before. If its a head gasket, doing a simple compression test should answer that
I'll agrees with the first two suggestions, but not the third. if it's leaking bad enough to show up on a compression test there wouldn't be a question or need for the first two as it would be pretty obvious due to loss of coolant, overheating, missing etc. I disagree, there's head gaskets that catastrophically fail and ones that fail but only act up when full operating temp is reached, repeating this many times when brought to temp but not bucking/carrying on for quite a while, then it $hits the bed all together. Heres another kinda easy test, put a borescope down the plug tube and tell us what the piston tops look like. Keeping in mind now, 1 of your 3 criteria is already met. Please explain how ones that fail but only act up when full operating temp is reached is going to show up on a compression test ?
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