Confusing Coolant Color - Help!

[rdublin]

I had always assumed that the PO had switched the coolant in my 80 to green sometime in the past. (I've had it about 2.5 yrs) When I take off the pressure cap and shine a light in it looks nice and green. While conducting my PM for a trip to Baja (leaving Friday am) I noticed that my overflow bottle was low, so I added some distilled water to the full mark. Tonight I was doing a final check on fluids before packing and checked the radiator (still green) and then the overflow. It looked green from above but seemed to be different down deeper. I shined the flashlight from the bottom of the overflow and was greeted with an ice tea type color. WTF!!?? I grabbed a clear bottle and poured the contents of the overflow bottle into it. End result - mostly "ice tea" color but with a green layer on top. When I shine the light in from the top it still looks mostly green, but now I know that's only on the surface. Is this a result of the "green stuff" getting old and separating? Or is it that someone added green to red and I have been fooled for almost three years by the color in the filler neck?

I have very limited time left before we leave (tonight and tomorrow night). I am planning to drain it and refill at a minimum, but if this is a red/green mixture issue what do I refill with? I have a Prestone flush kit I can install but I somewhat concerned about knocking stuff loose and causing a cooling problem right before I head south. I have heard horror stories of head gasket problems after coolant changes which is part of the reason I elected to address the cooling system after this trip.

Thanks for your help!

 

[IdahoDoug]

I would just fill the overflow with distilled water. As you drive it will get sucked in and slightly dilute your coolant, but hardly measurablel in terms of freezing protection. Doesn't sound like freezing temps will be an issue, so deal with it when you get back. This way you have zero chance of screwing something up before your trip (like snapping off the radiator overflow nipple, etc).

DougM

 

[rdublin]

I would just fill the overflow with distilled water. As you drive it will get sucked in and slightly dilute your coolant, but hardly measurablel in terms of freezing protection. Doesn't sound like freezing temps will be an issue, so deal with it when you get back. This way you have zero chance of screwing something up before your trip (like snapping off the radiator overflow nipple, etc).

Doug,

Thanks for the reply. The consensus from the few replies I have received here and other forums is to leave it alone until I get back, so that's the plan.

Cheers,