Brown-ish Antifreeze - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

**WestButteTruck** · 05-17-2010, 01:33 PM

My coolant in the reservoir looks real brown, almost oily. Could be sludge of some sort I suppose. I really have no idea if it's ever been flushed or not. But was wondering if it could be oil and how to tell. I changed oil last fall before I put it away and have probably put less than 500 miles on it since oil change. But, it was down over a quart and nothing on the floor. Could the intake gasket be bad? Just changed trans fluid, nothing extra there. The fluid in the overflow was well above the "cold" mark after sitting all weekend.

Pickup is an 85 with the 305 and 69,xxx miles.

WigglesTheHoly · 05-17-2010, 01:39 PM

u have oil getting in somewhere

Hoods69BadBowTie · 05-17-2010, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WigglesTheHoly

u have oil getting in somewhere

Yep that's exactly what I was thinking. I was going to say you had rust & corrosion in there until I read that you were that low on your oil and its not on the ground!

WigglesTheHoly · 05-17-2010, 02:29 PM

I'm thinking Head Gasket

jchav62 · 05-17-2010, 05:23 PM

Sometimes when people use stuff like Bar's Stop Leak, it turns the coolant brown.

sierra4x4 · 05-17-2010, 07:16 PM

Sounds like cheap antifreeze to me. I've seen that before.

Hottrucks · 05-17-2010, 07:37 PM

since temps outside are decent I would drop it and flush it with water...alot including the heater core then fill it with water and go for a ride.....I have used CLR with great luck to flush rads and blocks....that is is your water stays clean

country29 · 05-17-2010, 07:46 PM

you can also use powder cascade dish washing powder, NOT LIQUID, to flush the cooling system, then flush with water, blow out the heater core hoses and fill with new antifreeze. just my .02

USSkoval · 05-17-2010, 07:49 PM

Do not use plain water, in will boil over too soon when in slow traffic.

Oil in coolant is likely from the tranny cooler leaking internally in the radiator. There's really no way for the head gasket to do that, unless it's coolant in the oil, rather than oil in coolant.

Hottrucks · 05-17-2010, 08:04 PM

water boils @ 212 plus a 10LB cap will add 20* so your at 232ish....if your system is in good shape it will be ok if the outside temp isn't really hot to start with...I ran my 70 half the summer with just water ( I was doing alot of front end work pulling the rad and water pmp stuff)....anyway its only for a test drive it will get your oil and trans pressure up

other than that I agree ..I would find it hard to be motor oil in the rad

tucsonjwt · 05-17-2010, 08:17 PM

I used stop leak powder after I put in a new radiator, water outlet and hoses. Still had a small leak around the intake in front. Stop leak did the trick, but I do have brownish fluid instead of green (Peak) antifreeze in the overflow tank. The radiator itself has nice green fluid. I don't burn oil, just about 1/2 quart lost through rear main seal leak every 1000 miles - supposedly not bad for a 454. I think the brown stop leak residue might be suspended throughout the system, but it precipitates out in the overflow tank because that coolant does not circulate much.

**WestButteTruck** · 05-18-2010, 12:42 AM

Well, I think I'll flush it first and see what I get back. My Grandfather bought this new in 85 and I really doubt the coolant has ever been changed.

andrewmp6 · 05-18-2010, 01:49 AM

Yeah just flush it if it comes back quick then you got problems.

05-17-2010, 01:33 PM	#1
WestButteTruck Kung Fu Master Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 544	Brown-ish Antifreeze My coolant in the reservoir looks real brown, almost oily. Could be sludge of some sort I suppose. I really have no idea if it's ever been flushed or not. But was wondering if it could be oil and how to tell. I changed oil last fall before I put it away and have probably put less than 500 miles on it since oil change. But, it was down over a quart and nothing on the floor. Could the intake gasket be bad? Just changed trans fluid, nothing extra there. The fluid in the overflow was well above the "cold" mark after sitting all weekend. Pickup is an 85 with the 305 and 69,xxx miles. __________________ 72 GMC SuperCustom 4x4 1972 Chevrolet Cheyenne Super 4x4

05-17-2010, 01:39 PM	#2
WigglesTheHoly IT Guy/ Father/ Chevy lover Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hoisington, KS Posts: 568	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze u have oil getting in somewhere __________________ 78 Chevy (Pictures) SOLD 79 Chevy LWB (pasture) 83 Chevy LWB (crushed rusted beyond repair) 02 TrailBlazer SOLD 03 VW Passat wagonSOLD 95 extended cab silveradoSOLD (still in family) 05 Crew Cab Silverado 5.3 (The Turd) WTB: 66 El camino Technology Specialist aspiring to be a gear head.

05-17-2010, 02:29 PM	#4
WigglesTheHoly IT Guy/ Father/ Chevy lover Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Hoisington, KS Posts: 568	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze I'm thinking Head Gasket __________________ 78 Chevy (Pictures) SOLD 79 Chevy LWB (pasture) 83 Chevy LWB (crushed rusted beyond repair) 02 TrailBlazer SOLD 03 VW Passat wagonSOLD 95 extended cab silveradoSOLD (still in family) 05 Crew Cab Silverado 5.3 (The Turd) WTB: 66 El camino Technology Specialist aspiring to be a gear head.

05-17-2010, 05:23 PM	#5
jchav62 1962 C-10 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Las Vegas, New Mexico Posts: 4,978	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze Sometimes when people use stuff like Bar's Stop Leak, it turns the coolant brown. __________________ Joseph Chavez "See the USA in a Chevrolet!!" ......................_____ .........________//__{\_____ ,,,,,,,/__(O)___//___/__(O)_/ 1962 C10 Shortbed Fleetside 327/th350 GV overdrive 1974 C10 Longbed Fleetside 350/th350 "The Trash Truck" 1999 Chevy 2500 OBS, Longbed 5.7/4L80E 4x4 2015 GMC Sierra SLE 1500 4x4

05-17-2010, 07:16 PM	#6
sierra4x4 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 308	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze Sounds like cheap antifreeze to me. I've seen that before.

05-17-2010, 07:37 PM	#7
Hottrucks Redefining LowBudget Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: lebanon Cow Hampshire Posts: 4,538	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze since temps outside are decent I would drop it and flush it with water...alot including the heater core then fill it with water and go for a ride.....I have used CLR with great luck to flush rads and blocks....that is is your water stays clean

05-17-2010, 07:46 PM	#8
country29 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: earle, ar Posts: 139	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze you can also use powder cascade dish washing powder, NOT LIQUID, to flush the cooling system, then flush with water, blow out the heater core hoses and fill with new antifreeze. just my .02

05-17-2010, 07:49 PM	#9
USSkoval Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: West Jefferson, OH Posts: 999	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze Do not use plain water, in will boil over too soon when in slow traffic. Oil in coolant is likely from the tranny cooler leaking internally in the radiator. There's really no way for the head gasket to do that, unless it's coolant in the oil, rather than oil in coolant. __________________ -Andy '77 K5 Blazer '78 K10 Shortbed '78 C20 Suburban '79 K30 Crew Cab Dually '84 C10 Short Stepside '88 K20 Suburban

05-17-2010, 08:04 PM	#10
Hottrucks Redefining LowBudget Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: lebanon Cow Hampshire Posts: 4,538	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze water boils @ 212 plus a 10LB cap will add 20* so your at 232ish....if your system is in good shape it will be ok if the outside temp isn't really hot to start with...I ran my 70 half the summer with just water ( I was doing alot of front end work pulling the rad and water pmp stuff)....anyway its only for a test drive it will get your oil and trans pressure up other than that I agree ..I would find it hard to be motor oil in the rad __________________ 1970 C10 CST fleetside 472 ....big dreams little cash... http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=335721 SunShine Syndicate.. Mikes Sandwich Fair Run OCT 8th 2011 http://www.thesandwichfair.com/html/...auto_show.html

05-17-2010, 08:17 PM	#11
tucsonjwt Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,188	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze I used stop leak powder after I put in a new radiator, water outlet and hoses. Still had a small leak around the intake in front. Stop leak did the trick, but I do have brownish fluid instead of green (Peak) antifreeze in the overflow tank. The radiator itself has nice green fluid. I don't burn oil, just about 1/2 quart lost through rear main seal leak every 1000 miles - supposedly not bad for a 454. I think the brown stop leak residue might be suspended throughout the system, but it precipitates out in the overflow tank because that coolant does not circulate much.

05-18-2010, 12:42 AM	#12
WestButteTruck Kung Fu Master Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Montana Posts: 544	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze Well, I think I'll flush it first and see what I get back. My Grandfather bought this new in 85 and I really doubt the coolant has ever been changed. __________________ 72 GMC SuperCustom 4x4 1972 Chevrolet Cheyenne Super 4x4

05-18-2010, 01:49 AM	#13
andrewmp6 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Louisville,Ky Posts: 5,811	Re: Brown-ish Antifreeze Yeah just flush it if it comes back quick then you got problems.



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