8 replies to this topic

[marsy]

drained some water from my radiator today and topped it up with antifreeze(as person b4 me diddnt have any isn't it so was very rusty water!)
started car up ran it for a bit and it all went kind of foamy light brown colour!
any ideas anyone?
i checked oil cap and dip stick no brown stuff there?
im hopeing it will clear its just because person b4 run it for so long with no antifreeze in it what do u think?

[Cappy]

i had this... it was just rust. Had to flush it out a few times with radiator cleaner stuff, and just put water/antifreeze back in it. I think antifreeze has anti-oxidants in it so i assume using no anti-freeze will cause rust

[TrialsLife]

Correct, anti freeze is also anti rust.

Without it your buggered. Flush the system out.

[1984mini25]

The brown stuff in your cooling system is rust

The best thing to do is to drain the cooling system completely, especially as you don’t know how much anti freeze is in there

And re fill with a 50%water / 50% anti freeze

A minis cooling system only takes something like 3and a half litters
So you could buy 2 small 1liter bottles, got mine recently in Wilkinson’s for 2 1L Bottles cost a total of £2.98

One tip, grab an empty 2liter drinks bottle and poor one of your bottles of antifreeze in
Now re use that empty bottle and now re fill with water and add that to the antifreeze
Giving you a prefect 50/50 mix
Poor this in to cooling system and repeat with the 2nd bottle of antifreeze
Now run the engine with the Heater in the on postion and radiator cap off for 20min to allow any air in the system to escape, top up if necessary
Keep any left over for toping up if needed if the future

Do this every 2 years as not only does antifreeze stops your coolant from freezing in cold weather
But it also raises the boiling point of the coolant, which helps stop over heating in the summer
Helps to prevent corrosion in the system that could blockthe water ways causing overheating probs
And lastly lubricates the inner workings, water pump etc

[marsy]

CHEERS 1984mini25
very useful, cheers 4 that!

[1984mini25]

You would be surprised at the amount of people that don’t change their coolant every 2 years
Then wonder why they have probs
Especially as it don't cost much or is that hard to do

One thing I would change at the same time is the Thermostat just to be one safe side

[marsy]

You would be surprised at the amount of people that don’t change their coolant every 2 years
Then wonder why they have probs
Especially as it don't cost much or is that hard to do

One thing I would change at the same time is the Thermostat just to be one safe side

yeah ive only had car couple of weeks and noticed no antifreeze/coolant in it as it was so rusty!
have replaced thermostat as have just put on engine steady for extra support.
the bolt snappped off the engine stabiliser so had to fit a bracket there hope things get betta! :'(

[MaryQuant88]

Had to flush it out a few times with radiator cleaner stuff

Wont that just be Normal Water? works the same right?

[On_fire]

Had to flush it out a few times with radiator cleaner stuff

Wont that just be Normal Water? works the same right?

No, normal water wont be as good as some sytem flushing fluids u can buy which help buy getting into those hard to reach places and grabs hold of rust and dirt where as water would just flow past.

and as 4 brown foam, i had that trouble but mine was rad weld and rust which i had to put in when my rad desided to spring a leak on the motorway doin 80+ man it was in the red!!