What Can This Be????? HELP PLEASE !!!!!!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 548
Likes: 1
From: Victoria VA
What Can This Be????? HELP PLEASE !!!!!!
Well I had a crappy radiator in my 77 the anti freeze was green and no signs of rust but there was a brownish like foamy stuff in the radiator. I used Prestone Super Flush 2 bottles today and flushed the radiator like it said on the instructions. Then flushed it 2 more times with clean clear water until it ran good and clean and clear from the drain plug. Put a new 16lb radiator cap and a new 180 degree thermostat and filled it up with water ran it until the thermostat opened and topped it off with water up to the top. Took it out for a ride and it was cooling fine but when I let it cool back off and took off the radiator cap there was some more of that brownish crap again. WHAT COULD IT BE????? My oil level is still on the full mark and nice and clean looking. No signs of water in the oil. It is running GREAT I took out all the spark plugs and they look the same and a good color to them not lean or rich just right. What Can I Do Now To Find Out What This Is And What Is Causing It?????
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 6,422
Likes: 591
From: McHenry Illinois
Did you pull out the block drain plugs when you flushed? It's possible there is rust scale trapped in there. Sounds like your radiator is in the same condition as mine, I have a new one to install before the summer arrives.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
When doing a complete flush remove the block plugs and the heater hoses and flush the heater core and the block also. You still had a good amount of stuff left in the block when flushing the rad.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 548
Likes: 1
From: Victoria VA
So should I take out the 2 block pugs and the plug from the bottom of the radiator and start it and let it run with the hose in the radiator until clean clear water is coming from all holes? Or what should I do? I let the car run with the radiator cap off for over 20 mins and there was no signs of air coming into the radiator like a head gasket. I could rev it up the water level drops a little bit then when it idles back down the water lever come back up to the full or top of the radiator.
Last edited by VictoriaVette; Feb 12, 2009 at 07:31 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 764
Likes: 2
From: THE OLDER I GET THE BETTER I WAS! NORTHERN ONTARIO
You can find a pile of gunk in a heater core...flush it out with hot water it sure can't hurt
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 548
Likes: 1
From: Victoria VA
When I get some of this on my fingers it does not seem to feel like oil it feels like dirt and looks like it has a slight metallic look. I also found where the core goes into the side tank up around the top shows signs of where it was leaking. Greenish that has run down the radiator so I wonder if the owner before me maybe put some of that stop leak in it because it is not leaking now. And maybe this foamy stuff is from something like that. I took a paper towel and soaked up some of it and let let dry and there was not any oil left on the paper towel it dried up completely. I'm not sure what I should do at this point maybe just drain the water again and fill it with a 50/50 coolant and see what happens?????
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,215
Likes: 643
From: Orange County Ca
You have to get the car up to running temp and make sure the stat opens in order to make sure that the water in the block gets changed out also.
I usually try to drain the block and radiator when cold, thinking that the radiator flush will work better without the antifreeze. Then fill with clean water and the flush. Put the cap on, and bring the car up to running temp and run for a while. Turn on the heater to flush the heater core also.
Let cool, then drain the block and radiator. Refill with water and repeat the above 2 times in order to make sure that all the chemicals are out of the system.
Then, pour the required amount of anti freeze in, top off with water and run with the cap off. Try to slowly add more water as the stat opens.
Be sure to check the water level after you run the car the next few times, as some cars are hard to beed the air out .
Also, you do know that there are 2 types of flushing chemicals? Basically, detergent and acid based. Use the detergent kind if your system isn't too bad, because the acid type could cause a leak in your radiator or heater if they are marginal.
I usually try to drain the block and radiator when cold, thinking that the radiator flush will work better without the antifreeze. Then fill with clean water and the flush. Put the cap on, and bring the car up to running temp and run for a while. Turn on the heater to flush the heater core also.
Let cool, then drain the block and radiator. Refill with water and repeat the above 2 times in order to make sure that all the chemicals are out of the system.
Then, pour the required amount of anti freeze in, top off with water and run with the cap off. Try to slowly add more water as the stat opens.
Be sure to check the water level after you run the car the next few times, as some cars are hard to beed the air out .
Also, you do know that there are 2 types of flushing chemicals? Basically, detergent and acid based. Use the detergent kind if your system isn't too bad, because the acid type could cause a leak in your radiator or heater if they are marginal.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 1
From: Clarksville Indiana
hey there, I think I remember you havin some overheating problems the other day? Maybe runnin it hot a couple times loosened up some crud in the system? maybe the flush chemical loosened up some crud? Like suggested, I'd flush the heater core, both directions. But if its that brown sludge looking stop leak in there, you might find out why. Maybe also just run it a few days with just water and drain and fill it several times. If its a automatic make sure the foam aint got a red tint to it. If your radiator is the type you can look with a flashlight and see the cores all the way down with it empty, put just a little water in and run it to see if its flowing out of the lower lubes and fill it slowly and watch all the way up to see that theres no restriction. if there is, its mud in there thats doing it. The t-stat needs to be out to do that so you can run it cold to watch it before if starts getting too warm. thats about all I know, good luck
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