Coolant is brown and gooey.. WTF?!?!

[Freebeer187]

I was cleaning up my car today and realized that I have not checked my coolant level... Actually since I have had the car I have not checked it (noob I know)

Today I first notice that the over flow hose by the radiator cap was covered in liquid. When I whiped it off I noticed it was a brown color. Almost as dark as motor oil... I was confused.

I take off the cap on the radiator (car was cold of course) and was suprised by seeing a disgusting brown gooie liquid inside and all over the cap. It looks REALLY bad. I mean its BROWN. I have never seen this before. Im getting a coolant flush asap. I would get it done today (sunday) but no one is open. Luckily I have tomorrow off so I will take it in then.

What the hell could have caused this? Im assuming rust, but I cant picture it making it gooey and just down right dirty... Im not very good with cars, but is it possible motor oil is seeping into it (flame suit on)?

Click to read more...

 

[Yaj Yak]

have you done your lim gaskets yet?

are you running dexcool...

did you add not dexcool to the dexcool?

 

[IDAFC21]

how many miles on the car? has coolant ever been changed on it?

 

[OffshoreDrilling]

definitely sounds like a gasket leak somewhere and oil is getting into the coolant. Either that or you mixed two incompatable coolants.

 

[Freebeer187]

1. I do not know what kind of coolant is in there or if it has been changed. I have never changed it.

2. The car does have an occasional leak. About the size of a dime within 24hrs. Latley it has not been leaking.

3. Is there a how to on lim gaskets? Ive read up on em. Looks like you have to change ur oil and coolant when doing them. Kinda sucks since I just changed my oil.

4. What coolant should I use?

5. Is it difficult to change the coolant in your driveway?

7. The car has aprox 74K

Thanks!

 

[Yaj Yak]

http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.as...mode=1&smode=1

i have just normal cheapo antifreeze in my car now.

 

[Freebeer187]

http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.as...mode=1&smode=1

i have just normal cheapo antifreeze in my car now.

*downloading*

 

[Freebeer187]

Holy F there is no way I can do this... Looks like I have to drop the big bucks to get it fixed... How much do you think this job will run? $400+?

 

[Yaj Yak]

ill do it for 3hundo.

 

[Freebeer187]

How far is Mchenry from Schaumburg?

and do you have a shop?

 

[Yaj Yak]

35-40 minutes.

ive got a garage.

 

[Theautoguy]

The leaking LIM issue is generally on the L36 cars, not the L67 cars. I would bet that its just old, poorly maintained coolant. I would suggest not to do a full chemical flush at this time. I would replace the old stuff with DexCool friendly stuff. A full flush may loosen stuff in the system that could be keeping everything from actually leaking.

 

[Freebeer187]

K.

300 for job. Ill need gaskets, oil, and coolant. Let me get a few things straightend out and ill hit you up on that offer.

You recommend a place to buy the best gaskets online?

 

[Yaj Yak]

you'll need

coolant elbows ~10$

the lim gaskets ~45$

lower o rings ~5$

the s/c gasket- 10$

coolant...

rtv...

oil (you gotta do an oil change after to make sure no coolant got into the oil when the intake manifold was removed.)

and thats what i can think of right now...

 

[MuffHugger]

I fucking hate shop banishment.

 

[Yaj Yak]

The leaking LIM issue is generally on the L36 cars, not the L67 cars. I would bet that its just old, poorly maintained coolant. I would suggest not to do a full chemical flush at this time. I would replace the old stuff with DexCool friendly stuff. A full flush may loosen stuff in the system that could be keeping everything from actually leaking.

no way jose.

leaking lim is a huge thing on l67 cars as well...

before i did mine, there was puddles of coolant next to the s/c on the lim.

 

[Freebeer187]

The leaking LIM issue is generally on the L36 cars, not the L67 cars. I would bet that its just old, poorly maintained coolant. I would suggest not to do a full chemical flush at this time. I would replace the old stuff with DexCool friendly stuff. A full flush may loosen stuff in the system that could be keeping everything from actually leaking.

I think your right. My pops says he has seen this b4 with poorly maintained fluid.

How would I flush this stuff? Is it possible to do it in a driveway with simple tools? Im prolly going to try to tackle this today.

 

[Yaj Yak]

will someone else back me up on the plastic lim gaskets in l67's being shit as well... k thanks.

they dont even sell the plastic ones anymore...

 

[10sec]

The leaking LIM issue is generally on the L36 cars, not the L67 cars.

 

[Freebeer187]

How about this:

Anti-Freeze Flush

Says something about getting a flushing "T"

Should I Pick one up?

 

[Yaj Yak]

do it. you could for sure pull that off,

chances are, you could do the lim gasket dealio as well...

 

[Yaj Yak]

and the lim gasket might not be whats causing it to be brown and gooey, but chances are, if you have the plastic gaskets in, you need to do them.

 

[Freebeer187]

F that post above. Im not going to do it myself.

Im going to get it done tmw by someone. Should be around $90 for a good shop to do it.

 

[Freebeer187]

Thanks for all the help guys! I love this forum

 

[Yaj Yak]

F that post above. Im not going to do it myself.

Im going to get it done tmw by someone. Should be around $90 for a good shop to do it.

the flush right?