Dirty brown coolant

[kangaroo 0]

Not strictly my own problem, but I went to see a VR6 at the weekend and noticed one thing in particular: The coolant in the expansion tank was a dirty brown colour. I mean really muddy brown, like soup, with dark-brown tea-stain like residues left on the inside. Could it just be old coolant, or does it point to more sinister problems? (head gasket maybe? tho I saw little evidence of mayo...)

 

~Matt.

[dr_mat 0]

Mine's been like it since I got it, and the coolant has been flushed several times.. No other signs of problems, so I live with it..

[Scott 0]

Rusty internal water ways ..... not a good sign. Caused by not using adequate anti freeze content / and / or not changed frequently enough - change every 12 months with 50 / 50 anti freeze / water mix and G11 OR G12 plus.

 

Can lead to Head Gasket failure.... so leave it.

 

Scott.

[Guest]

...isnt that a sign of internal corrosion, in say, the radiator or heater matrix???

 

only guessing :oops:

[dr_mat 0]

Could be either, yep..

[kangaroo 0]

Cheers for the replies! So I take it the corrosion could eat away at the head gasket if left long enough?

 

Its strange.. I would have expected the cooling system to have been flushed through regularly, seeing as it had been dealership serviced. The car had been left standing for quite a while though, several months in fact. I think this could have been part of the problem.

[vr6storm 0]

Cheers for the replies! So I take it the corrosion could eat away at the head gasket if left long enough?

 

Its strange.. I would have expected the cooling system to have been flushed through regularly, seeing as it had been dealership serviced. The car had been left standing for quite a while though, several months in fact. I think this could have been part of the problem.

 

well although VW specify the coolant gets changed every 2 years(one of the reasons being cos the coolant will have started to lose its rust :oops: ahem.......corrosion inhibitation qualities etc).........its up to the owner of the car to specify a coolant change to the service staff........so regardless of being a FVWSH there's every chance thats its never been changed :shock:

[dr_mat 0]

The corrosion is unlikely to eat away at anything. It's the water eating away at something metal in there. Most likely it's the rad/heater matrix/oil cooler. Could even be a tiny bit of rust coming off the block's waterways, but unless it starts blocking things up it's unlikely to be an issue.

It's a symptom, not a problem.

If I ever find out what the problem is with mine that causes it I'll be sure to let you know, but to be honest, it's been like this for years, and I've had the coolant flushed several times - it just comes back.

I'll likely replace the oil cooler this summer (120k miles is enough for the oil cooler), maybe that'll fix it, but likely it won't.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Well maintained VR6s aren't known for severe corrosion in the coolant or corrsion of the coolant parts themselves.

 

Try a new expansion tank so that you can actually see the level and/or remove the existing one, scrape off all the sediment that adheres to it and do a nice flush 'n' refill with G12+. Should stay pink for at least 2 years after that.

 

K

[dr_mat 0]

I'd love to know what causes it, tbh.. Don't know what type of coolant my lovely local VW specialist puts in, can tell you that it's never been pink though..

Might have to have another word with him.. (ffs)

How much G12+ should you use for a complete flush?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Rusty water (steady...!) is indicative of A) lack of coolant additivie and B) extended service intervals. The radiators, head, and water pumps are all alloy, so obviously so the only area rust is going to come from is the block.

 

I just stick 2 bottles (1.5 ltr each) of G12+ in. Aim for a 65/35 or 60/40 water to coolant at the most. 50/50 is not necessary in this country and going over the top with the glycol reduces the water's ability to absorb heat. I think the cost is about £6 or £7 per bottle, can't remember exactly!

 

I'd get a new tank aswell, they're a nice white colour new and they're not dear as they crack and discolour over age, so are a service part.

 

K

[vr6storm 0]

I'd love to know what causes it, tbh.. Don't know what type of coolant my lovely local VW specialist puts in, can tell you that it's never been pink though..

Might have to have another word with him.. (ffs)

How much G12+ should you use for a complete flush?

 

 

it'l be the blue/green of G-11 that you'll have had in dr_mat :wink: provided of course if yor "specialist" uses VW branded stuff :wink:

[Henny 0]

I don't know about the VR6, but on the 4 cylinder engines, there's 2 mild steel water pipes (one from the water pump and one over the gearbox) that tend to cause the brown-ness in the water...

 

Over time these start to corrode (even with coolant changes as specified!) and will cause the brown-ness to appear... The walls of these pipes are pretty thick so they don't rot through unless the coolant's never been changed, so don't worry about it unless you start getting water leaks from either of these pipes, then change 'em both ASAP... On a G60, one's £44.93 and the other is £18.45 from VAG... funnily enough, it's the short one that's the expensive one... :roll:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I don't know about the VR6, but on the 2 cylinder engines, there's 2 mild steel water pipes (one from the water pump and one over the gearbox) that tend to cause the brown-ness in the water...

 

2 cylinder engines? LOL! No wonder G60s are so slow then :wink:

 

VR transfer pipes are all plastic mate, so no issues with that but know what you mean. Had one on my valver corrode through.....nice!

 

[stormseeker 0]

I don't know about the VR6, but on the 2 cylinder engines, there's 2 mild steel water pipes (one from the water pump and one over the gearbox) that tend to cause the brown-ness in the water...

:

 

:-) G60 2CV anyone? :lol:

[vr6storm 0]

awwww c'mon guys.........leave poor Henny alone........he's probably still P1$$3d from last nite :wink: :-P :-P :-P

[Henny 0]

OK, so I'm not even able to make a single typo anymore?!? :oops: :roll:

 

As it happens I didn't have any booze last night Rodders, and I've just popped in on the Forum until the rain stops outside so I can carry on work on my car, hence the rush...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I've just popped in on the Forum until the rain stops outside so I can carry on work on my car

 

Jees, spooky, cause I do exactly the same thing when waiting for paint to dry, glue to set, rain to stop etc!!

[kangaroo 0]

Things are becoming clearer now, cheers for the info guys! :)

 

One more quick question: What material is the VR6 head-gasket made of?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

One more quick question: What material is the VR6 head-gasket made of?

 

Early - fibre

Late/Current - Coated steel

 

K

[dr_mat 0]

When was the change-over Kev? I presume it was post-corrado..

 

(BTW - I'm planning on just not worrying about the brown stuff in my water bottle!!)

 

As an aside, did you know that the Corrado VR6 pricing when it was released in 1992 was equivalent to around £26,500 in today's money? I.e. a whole big bundle of dosh! No great surprise they didn't sell well.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I don't know Matt......but if you buy a replacement HG for a VR6 from the dealer, what ever it's date of manufacture, you'll get a steel one. I think the very last of the VRs (storms etc) came with steel HGs as by then, the weakness of the original gaskets became apparent. As did the heads becoming pourous :roll:

 

Yeah I remember seeing a brand new pair of Storms in my dealer in 1995, they were well over £20K each, £22,995 I think.

 

And now....at the same dealer there is an R32 up for £19,995!

 

K

[stormseeker 0]

 

As an aside, did you know that the Corrado VR6 pricing when it was released in 1992 was equivalent to around £26,500 in today's money? I.e. a whole big bundle of dosh! No great surprise they didn't sell well

 

.

 

:offtopic1: Just imagine how chuffed you'd be too, when you lifted the bonnet for the first time and saw the exposed wiper mechanism/ECU etc. looking completely pants on your £20-odd K purchase... always makes me laugh how they tried to pitch the C against the like of the BMW... without even a proper scuttle cover :shock:

[JimSTORM 0]

The dirty brown coolant is a problem that i am also familliar with. my c recently started loosing coolant and needed topping up every two or so days. every morning i would find dirty brown rust cououred water where the car was parked in the garage. this was coming from right abouve the radiatior yet there is no signs at all of any dirty brown liquid in the expansion tank

[Guest]

2 cylinder engines? LOL! No wonder G60s are so slow then :wink:

 

 

rofl Kev :lol: