XJ Coolant Question

BlueJ · Dec 7th 2005

Nate brought BlueJ II into autoshop yesterday, they wanted to demonstrate how to replace the coolant. Apparently the stuff looked pretty bad, and the teacher was unsure whether to proceed. Nate brought home a sample. It was pretty much brown, with some small particulate matter suspended in it.

The teacher was concerned that it could be coolant with some kind of a "sealer", and replacing it might cause leakage problems. As an alternative, he thought it could be symptom of something more serious (Nate didn't understand it well enough to get the message right).

I had THOUGHT the dealer had changed that fluid when I took it in the day I bought it, but now I'm thinking they probably didn't. I'll need to find the receipt tonight.

Any ideas? Just go ahead and change out for new coolant? Or should I get this "sealer"? What kind of "sealer"?

Thanks,
Andrew

**quadna** · Dec 7th 2005

andrew,
i wouldn't add any of the sealers to the fluid unless you've actively found a leak somewhere. even then they are designed to just bandaid you along until you can replace the part. it sounds to me like a flush is in order. that'll get rid of most/all of the silt in the fluid and keep it running great for nate.
chris

SLINKY · Dec 7th 2005

what is he running? green or the orange stuff.

My brother-in-law works at ponte's on 202, he told me whenever they do a flush with the orange they put green back in. the orange seems to leave a residue in the system.

**Slimer** · Dec 7th 2005

A mix of green and orange would explain the brown but not the particulate. I agree with Quadna. Take it somewhere and get it professionally back flushed. Then change all the hoses. Afterwards keep an eye on the fluid level and other symptoms to make sure nothing blows from the back washing.

ChiChuM · Dec 7th 2005

if there's one thing i know baout coolant it's never a good idea to put a different kind in even after you flushed it.

huh?

**Woody** · Dec 7th 2005

It is not a good idea to mix the two types of anitfreeze together or go from orange to green. Read this page as it describes the differences with the two type of coolant available. It also explains if they added orange coolant to the system and did not flush out the old green stuff why it would be brown with particles floating around in it.

http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Exte…nery/Articles/engcool.htm

fatfarm · Dec 7th 2005

My coolant has had a history of looking absolutely nasty, (95 YJ, 4 cyl.) Shortly after getting my jeep, the radiator split along the bottom, after flushing the system an exessive number of times and replacing the broken radiator, i filled it back up only to have it brown with floating crap, rust, and all kinds of nastiness return again. Since then ive flushed the system at least three times that i can remember, and replaced the fluid, and it just keeps coming back nasty. I've kind of come to the conclusion that the previous owner used bar stop in it and that no matter how many times you flush a system after having used the stuff you can never get it all out. Sounds like you may be seeing the same kind of thing, maybe someone who knows a little more about things can shed some light on the topic?

BlueJ · Dec 7th 2005

Thanks everyone. I am going to tell them to flush the system, then re-fill it with the green anti-freeze (50/50) and no additives. We'll then look for any leaks or changes in performance.

Bonkers · Dec 7th 2005

Quote from "Slimer"

A mix of green and orange would explain the brown but not the particulate.

If its truly Dexcool then mixing the green and orange together would cause a peusdo-curdling effect in the coolant - very, very bad. And any shop doing this as a practice needs to be avoided - trust me. Now Prestone has a new orange that is compatible with the green, though I don't think any shops are using it yet, I could be wrong.

The viper takes red coolant. Took me a week to figure that one out.

If you do a flush yourself get distilled water (.59$/g at Wal-Mart right now.) Using tap/garden hose water will add any nutrients to your system helping along any rust or corrosion inside the motor - pretty much guaranteeing additional discolouring. For all of my cars I drain the system - then run pure distilled for 100 miles, flush, repeat, flush, repeat a 3rd time, and then fill with 50/50 Prestone - overkill but 500,000 miles later my cars have yet to complain.

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