Brown Sludge In Cooling System?
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,150
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From: NS
Brown Sludge In Cooling System?
While changing my coolant today I noticed I have about an inch of brown slimy sludge in the bottom of my surge tank up by the firewall. What causes this crap to build up? I'm wondering how much is stuck in the radiator passages. I can remove the surge tank easy enough and clean it out but what about the radiator? The car runs around 188 while crusing so it's not like it's causing me any problem right now.
Thanks
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Thanks
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Oak Lawn IL
Re: Brown Sludge In Cooling System? (Atok)
I had this same problem when I first bought my car (used). I was a nervous wreck thinking that I had oil mixed in with my antifreeze....I flushed the system and I took the surge tank out, cleaned it out good and replaced it...Never had that brown sludge problem again....I have no idea what it was, but it scared the crap out of me.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,261
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From: O'Fallon Missouri
Re: Brown Sludge In Cooling System? (Atok)
While changing my coolant today I noticed I have about an inch of brown slimy sludge in the bottom of my surge tank up by the firewall. What causes this crap to build up?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,516
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From: Lockport NY
Re: Brown Sludge In Cooling System? (STL94LT1)
It could be from those factory sealant pellets.
I did the same cleaning and flushing last Summer. this Winter, in very cold weather (15*F), the heads leaked about a shotglassfull each night the temp dipped. Starting the car up, there was no leak.
A fellow Forum member finally answered my post by listing the URL of the GM Tech Bulletin of the sealant pellets, and a lively discussion of aftermarket sealants followed.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=509456
Your GM dealer should have the pellets. They cured my weepage problem. And yes, the slime in the plastic bottle is unavoidable.
[Modified by Rich B., 11:34 PM 6/28/2003]
[Modified by Rich B., 11:34 PM 6/28/2003]
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 12,261
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From: O'Fallon Missouri
Re: Brown Sludge In Cooling System? (Rich B.)
Rich B, GM must have solved this problem on their new generation small blocks. I work at a GM truck plant, and we no longer use these pellets.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,516
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From: Lockport NY
Re: Brown Sludge In Cooling System? (STL94LT1)
Rich B, GM must have solved this problem on their new generation small blocks. I work at a GM truck plant, and we no longer use these pellets.
I imagine the engineers and technicians finally got the head gasket problems figured out. I'm guessing that the pellets are a GM "band-aid" so that new gaskets didn't have to be installed (or they weren't available yet).
I live near the Tonawanda Engine Plant. There's a lot of funny stories about the plant, the workers, and the parts they made during the '60's & '70's (back when that plant made sbc's and bbc's). One of my longtime friends (he runs that "street sign" concession at Carlisle) ran a speed shop in Niagara Falls during the '60's & '70's; lots of funny stuff about GM/Chevy engine parts making their way *directly* to the street... :D
