8 replies to this topic

[burvs]

Hi all. I've just drained my coolant system to replace the water pump, and the water (which I last flushed and refilled about two years ago) has come out very brown-looking and clearly has oil in it.

 

Is it likely to just be the head gasket needs replacing or potentially something more serious?

 

Thanks!

[nicklouse]

is it oil? or just rust deposits?

[cal844]

Could you upload a couple pictures of the coolant you removed from the car?

[burvs]

Its defiantly oil... I can see a rainbow sheen on the surface. Not really seeing any lumps of rust.

[burvs]

Here's a picture of the water (ignore the black grit in the bowl - that was there already)

 IMG_2621.jpg   38.8K   1 downloads

 

However... look at what was wedged in the inflow of the water pump when I got it removed.... maybe general gunk in the cooling system is my problem after all...

 

 IMG_2627.jpg   42.76K   2 downloads

[Adspickup]

That to me looks like rusty water. Antifreeze has an oily glaze to it anyway so nothing to worry about there, It also looks like your heater matrix could be falling apart. 

Edited by Adspickup, 22 April 2018 - 06:52 PM.

[nicklouse]

not concerned. give it a good flush out and then maybe bung a dishwasher tablet in with some water and run that for a few days then flush again till clean. no worries about antifreeze for a few days. then re do the coolant.

[Rorf]

I would be removing the radiator and having it professionally cleaned too.

[burvs]

Thanks all! I did replace the heater matrix when I last tried to flush it all 2 years ago.
Think I might do the head gasket anyway too just to be on the safe side. Dont think its been chanaged since the mid-90s!