rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

[Mephisto]

whats goin on here? i check my coolant overflow tank maybe once a month and theres always this rusty muddy clay type crap down in the bottom... i clean it out and a month later its back... is there dirt or something in my cooling system??? err better yet anyone know what the hell it is?

Bonus question... i have all kinds of calcium and mineral deposits in my IC system, is there anything i can run through the system to clean it out without damaging the pump? i thought of CLR but i dont think that would work and i dont think products like liquid plumber or draino would really disolve calcium etc. im open to any suggestions.

TIA

 

[GMCSyclone1]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

:dunno: I'm not sure what it is either but I keep noticing it coming back after I clean mine out as well.

 

[Deanzsyclone]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

Sounds like you need to get that bad boy flushed proffesionaly. Your not puting 100% water in it are you? I did that when I was young and dumb..

 

[Syclone#1992]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

Probaby wouldn't hurt to get the coolant flushed, that definately doesn't sound normal. The machines they have to clean the system are supposidly pretty good at cleaning and flushing everything out.

 

[Mephisto]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

Your not puting 100% water in it are you? I did that when I was young and dumb..

nah its about a 60/40 mix of coolant and water... i wish i could say the same for my IC, i was in a pinch and put tap water in it and forgot to drain it when i got home, now im paying the price with all the lovely build up in my IC and CCHE

 

[Bill Z]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

Someone told me once that the slime was from rust buildup in the engine. One of the firat things to rust is the seal in your water pump. This causes a slim. Your coolant is probabily turning brownish. Seems like the seal they use rust out and the greese washes out and then, no lubrication.

Just check.

 

[SyTyJedi]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

RMI-25 will clean your IC and radiator.

 

[0966Sy]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

Ok, If your using dex-cool (orange) "high miledge crap". Take it out and put in the (green) antifreeze 50/50 after flushing out your cooling system with a water hose or a flush machine. Water hose works just fine FYI. The orange Dex-cool "Dex-crap" is the worst for cuasing corrosion in aluminum radiators, somthing they put in it to last longer just causes corrosion. I put it in my brand new Griffin radiator and in less then a week it was causing corrosion and a green slime. I flushed it and used the green stuff and have never had a problem. It's amazing that GM puts that crap in their cars/trucks from the factory.

If you are using the Green stuff then your system needs to be flushed and is most likely caused by old coolent or not using distilled water with your mixture.
Oh, cooling systems should be flushed once before every hot/cold season. Before winter and summer is what i do.

RMI-25 works very well and it wouldnt hurt to use it after flushing out your system and putting in the green antifreeze. it pukes everything left over back up to your overflow/recovery tank for easy removal without draining the system.

 

[GMCSyclone1]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

Nice! Thanks for the info I'll try that and see how everything pans out, hopefully no more nasty build up.

 

[mrweelr]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

RMI-25, Water Wetter, and distilled water. That should do the trick for ya.

 

[jjorgensen52]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

Ok, If your using dex-cool (orange) "high miledge crap". Take it out and put in the (green) antifreeze 50/50 after flushing out your cooling system with a water hose or a flush machine.

Ditto

 

[steve-o]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

The best advice I have: 50/50 pre-mix and/or use DISTILLED water... stay away from the ho's.

 

[MAITAI1993]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

RMI-25, Water Wetter, and distilled water. That should do the trick for ya.

YEA I just used water wetter for the first time its bad ass it also acts like a better lube then 50/50 stright...
and also a guy at GM told me dex-cool gums up if it sits for while (not for non daily drivers)after being warmed up..
RMI-25????????

 

[mrweelr]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

http://www.batterystuff.com/productdisplay.html?id=452&c=5&f=RMI-25_Cooling_System_Treatment_Quart

 

[GMCSyclone1]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

I finally got the truck back together and I'm about to flush out the system I just bought this prestone stuff I guess that should do the trick. Once I flush the system I'll probably add water wetter to both and do a 50/50 mix in the radiator but what is the best mix for the innercooler and do you think it will be ok if I use the mr. clean filtered water in there.

 

[bezerk]

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

if dexcool is giving you corosion problems. you already have a problem in your system..
it's not because of the dexcool
using this stuff on all the cars and tractors that we do maintanance on (from 40 year old till new)..
never had a problem...and i bet that those machines are being used more than an average car.
i call BS
if you have debrit in their..somebody prolly didn't change his cooling fluid soon engough..which made your block starting to rust on the inside..

they orange stuff, keeps protecting your block from corrosion..even if you used it for +4 years without swapping it out..

Ok, If your using dex-cool (orange) "high miledge crap". Take it out and put in the (green) antifreeze 50/50 after flushing out your cooling system with a water hose or a flush machine. Water hose works just fine FYI. The orange Dex-cool "Dex-crap" is the worst for cuasing corrosion in aluminum radiators, somthing they put in it to last longer just causes corrosion. I put it in my brand new Griffin radiator and in less then a week it was causing corrosion and a green slime. I flushed it and used the green stuff and have never had a problem. It's amazing that GM puts that crap in their cars/trucks from the factory.

If you are using the Green stuff then your system needs to be flushed and is most likely caused by old coolent or not using distilled water with your mixture.
Oh, cooling systems should be flushed once before every hot/cold season. Before winter and summer is what i do.

RMI-25 works very well and it wouldnt hurt to use it after flushing out your system and putting in the green antifreeze. it pukes everything left over back up to your overflow/recovery tank for easy removal without draining the system.

 

['JustDreamin']

Re: rusty looking mud/clay type goop in my coolant overflow

Also, another thing to warn you of: This may be a sign of bad things a brewing. If you've got a blown headgasket, or one that is just a bit leaky, it will quickly "eat" the anti-oxidation chemicals in the coolant. And you will quickly end up with something that looks like rusty water flowing around in your coolant system (not just in the overflow).

Happened to me on an AMC V8. Head gasket was leaking just enough to bleed combustion byproducts into the cooling system. But not bad enough to have a leak the other way. Fluid kept changing color, only took a week or two of driving after a flush & refill to have it be rust colored (from nice green color). A month later it wouldn't start because #6 was full of water. Which finally explained the problem.

'Dreamin'