While doing a water pump swap on my 56 I noticed this Yellow muddy type film on the cap and in some other areas that it could collect. Since I'm in no hurry things have been apart and this yellow stuff has dried and is now a powder that looks like corn meal. What is this and what cause's it? I may have an idea that it's the 50/50 premix that I started with but then added my own mix of Old School Coolant (green) that you cut with water that I added at a later time not mixing well with each other. Any thought's on this?
oil? Hear me out. Oil getting into the coolant, mixing and foaming, etc. Eventually the residue of what's left after all the more volatile vapors disperse get deposited where you found it on it's way out. Mostly the remnants of it. That, or rust from old coolant not doing it's job. Flush it well with radiator flush when you start putting it together. I'd say rust before oil, but mayble oil (longshot). If it keeps coming back after the flush and fill, probably oil. I wouldn't worry unless it comes back or you get water in the oil.
Thanks guy's, forgot to mention that I'm running alum. intake, rad, and water pump. Maybe a reaction with my mix of coolant with these cross metals as well. If it does turn out to be oil in the system so be it. It's been needing to be torn down for an inspection of the valve train. I'll just have to take it further down.
I thought oil when I first read it,but I've never seen oil and water mixed dry out to a powder.. As said above I would try flushing the system and keeping an eye on it.
I have seen this before. I beleve it has something to do with the alum engine parts and the antifreeze. Isent there some oldschool fix like a penney in or on the radiator or somthing like that?
I wonder if you are getting electrolysis in your antifreeze. It has something to do with an electrical charge in your antifreeze caused by your antifreeze passing over dissimilar metals. We had an engine in a combine that the sleeves started to disintegrate because of electrolysis in it's antifreeze that ended up costing us thousands of dollars. Here is some information on electrolysis in your antifreeze: Automotive Electrolysis ... is there any hope? ELECTROLYSIS: What it is; How to Test for it; and Ways to Prevent it
That was my thought also, but hey, I'm no chemist ether. No!, I don't believe in that stuff. That stuff does a better job of stopping proper water flow than stopping a leak. No (green) and (red) ever mixed. Just the 50/50 stuff (which by the way is yellow in color rather than lite green) and later added (green) cut 50% with water added to the previous 50/50 premix. Oh, I left this bit of info out also, I never used 50/50 premix ever before till this last rebuild, that's why all the question's. I never had this happen with Straight Green coolant cut 50% with water.
First, I can't believe people extra for and fall for that 50/50 crap. Being that this showed up after your mixing of different types, I'd flush the system and go with regular anti-freeze and water. Mix according to your weather conditions. I use 2 parts anti-freeze and 1 part water. Seems to work for me. Since you're doing all this, I'd change hoses, clamps and thermostat, as well. It's not expensive and the piece of mind knowing your entire cooling system is freshened up is priceless.
Never saw oil in water, always water in the oil. It will then look like a milkshake. The cooling system is under pressure, the oil around a headgasket isn't. 50/50 mix was made for city folk/ yuppies/ most women. It is a little cheaper than 100 percent coolant, but not by much, 1/2 coolant 1/2 water should be a lot cheaper.
A lot of HD antifreezes contain silica (i think that's it) to prevent cavitation in diesel engines. The residue it leaves in my truck looks a lot like what you described. Turns to a fine yellowwhite powder and just brushes right off. I wonder if some of that wound up in your 50/50 mix.
It is a chemical reaction between the alluminum parts and your coolant. Todays aluminum engines use a different coolant for this very reason. To get around it, you can continue use of the old green coolant, just change it atleast once a year. and dont forget to flush it. Its very common, and if left to long it will look like mud.
You should get this my friend, a sacrficial Anode. Usually 1/4" N.P.T. can be installed in place of the Radiator drain plug, if not you can get a lower rad hose adapter and it will have the correct fittings in it for the Anode, TR
Johnny, if you can't find the Anode like I posted above or the lower hose adapter, just P.M. me and I'll give you a few leads, TR
i have seen mixed coolants react with each other and cause the gunk youre talking about. most likely i think thats all it is. having aluminum heads and an iron block can cause electrolysis. you said your system is drained, so you cant check it now, but in the future you can check for electrolysis with a volt meter. connect the ground to a known good ground, and stick the other hot lead directly into the coolant through the radiator neck. if you read 2V or more you have electrolysis. motorcraft makes an additive i believe that they were putting in the powerstrokes to fight electrolysis. just a little FYI. if it were me id just flush it like somebody else said and just run green antifreeze in it. hope this helps.
Thanks for the testing tip. And yes, green old school stuff from here on out. I never had that yellow build up ever with the green coolant.
Some Early 60's 6 cyl chevy's use to crack in the oil passage, water jacket area ,and because the oil pressure is greater would pump into the radiator.I had a 63 two wagon we used as a parts chaser back in the early 70's that did it.
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