Brown coolant?....

[tomahawk297]

I'm pulling my blown turbo and as I was draining the coolant I noticed that the coolant is brownish? What could be the cause of this? I haven't put coolant in this car since I bought it a year and a half ago but here is a picture of it:

[IMG][/IMG]

[KJack]

Hmmm. I wonder if the previous owner originally had the correct pink fluid and then topped it off with the wrong green stuff. Either way make sure you flush it and replace it with G13 coolant.

[Jake@JHM]

Yeah looks like a mix of green coolant and rust water.

If green coolant gets mixed with pink coolant, it will coagulate, which is why you cannot mix the two. If this is what happened, that could have caused your turbo failure as well.

[1killera4]

I topped off with some green about a year ago...no problems since. And im in Florida..its wicked hawt here.

[Jake@JHM]

I topped off with some green about a year ago...no problems since. And im in Florida..its wicked hawt here.

You mixed green and pink coolant?

[tomahawk297]

Alright awesome, thanks for the quick info guys.

[1killera4]

You mixed green and pink coolant?

Yea...its still pink too!

[mec]

look like your coolant shit itself

[Flotronux]

I topped off with some green about a year ago...no problems since. And im in Florida..its wicked hawt here.

Not a good idea but do what you want. Theres reasons for using the proper fluids in a car.

[IronAudi]

Not a good idea but do what you want. Theres reasons for using the proper fluids in a car.

In hot climates I run water, its the best and doesnt pollute. Get some distilled and call it a day.

[1killera4]

Not a good idea but do what you want. Theres reasons for using the proper fluids in a car.

I'm glad you feel that way because I did.

[Brillo]

I'm not so sure that straight water is such a good idea. Antifreeze not only lowers the freezing point of the water-coolant mix but it considerably raised the boiling point at well. These cars run hot, especially in summer and in the warmer climates. The coolant temperature can occasionally exceed the boiling point of water. I would not advise doing this. Straight water, especially distilled water, contains no corrosion inhibitors so all metal contact surfaces are subject to corrosion.

[cheemn]

Flush your fluid ASAP and put the proper coolant in. Its almost obvious as stated above someone mixed in the wrong coolant. There is a reason we "have our "pink" coolant. But again as stated people are free do what they want on their own cars. Problem is this. German cars are not "bullet proof" like Japanese cars can be.

[Okedokey]

This is a bad idea. Water, even distilled, quickly dissolves metal ions and can start galvanic corrosion. Also, as stated, the colligitive properties of coolant not only lower the freezing point but raise the boiling point. Straight water is a bad idea.

[Seerlah]

lol at this thread. Why not throw some Gatorade in the reservoir while you are at it. That stuff is chock full of electrolites, which everubody knows cars love.

[Brillo]

Gatorade is not a good idea. It's known to adversely affect turbo performance. Jim Beam on the other hand...and it's about the same price as G13.

[Seerlah]

Then that car can never be designated driven

[1killera4]

Patron for me.

[Jake@JHM]

lol at this thread. Why not throw some Gatorade in the reservoir while you are at it. That stuff is chock full of electrolites, which everubody knows cars love.

I thought it was plants that loved electrolytes