Radiator Flush (1 Viewer)

[alaskacruiser]

When I bought my 80, it had 35k on it. According to the service history, the PO performed all recommended scheduled maintanence at the dealer up to 35k.

I had the coolant flushed when I got it, then I drove approx. 10k miles on the new coolant (green). I then had a coolant flush to switch to the red stuff. At that time, the coolant in the reservoir bottle was also emptied and refilled with fresh coolant mixture. In only 1k miles or so, the mixture in the coolant reservoir bottle has changed from fresh red to dirty black. Is this normal? Should I be concerned?

(Wary of head gasket failure)

 

[semlin]

Alaskacruiser, I am no expert so this is strictly anecdotal.
After 2000 miles since a full flush red to red, mine is a little darker red but not dirty black in the bottle or in the rad (the old stuff was also dark red). Maybe yours reacted with the residual green stuff or your local water to turn black ?

Also black in the bottle suggests ongoing recirculation from the overflow and I'm not sure if that is normal. After sucking a little fluid out for the first 75 miles or so after the flush my overflow never seems to move (maybe it does while driving but I check on every fill up).

 

[ParadiseCruiser]

A -

There is a failrly well documented history - and many threads to support it - of peculiar effects of mixing coolant types.

>> I had the coolant flushed when I got it...

Depending upon exactly what this means (drained, refilled... power-flushed and refilled... refilled with tap water vs. distilled water... block drained in addition to the radiator - or not - and so on...) you appear to have some degree of contaminant which precipitated out of the mixture, and now circulating throughout the cooling system.

This is just the kind of issue that contributes to overheating, and head gasket failure, though I would not consider the worst case unless you have had significant overheating problems of late.

Best course from here would be a complete drain and flush of the entire system (block as well, not just radiator & bottle), then flush again with distilled water, then refill with Toyota red mixed with distilled water. Then keep an eye on the mixture, and on any overheating that may arise.

Good luck!


R -

 

[CruisinGA]

Best solution-drop in a F that is virtually impervious to overheating.  My F has got more miles on it than most of the 80's here, mixed coolant, and tap water in the radiator,  never had a flush that I know of, and I drove 400 miles yesterday pullin an atv, and the guage never even reaching the "normal" temp range. :-*  And oh yeah did I mention the radiator was chock full of mud too!
80's and their aluminum heads.......
Oh yeah hes probably right, red + green = brown.

 

[cruiserdan]

Crusin',

Hit the books or I'll bust yer chops


Oh, me aluminum head be just dandy :G

 

[Beowulf]

AlaskaCruiser,

>> (Wary of head gasket failure) <<

Don't spend another minute thinking or worrying about a head gasket failure. Don't discuss it.  Don't plan for it. Don't track other's failures. Don't ask any questions about it.

That's my job, thank you very much!  :G
-B-

 

[Junk]

Best solution-drop in a F that is virtually impervious to overheating.  My F has got more miles on it than most of the 80's here, mixed coolant, and tap water in the radiator,  never had a flush that I know of, and I drove 400 miles yesterday pullin an atv, and the guage never even reaching the "normal" temp range. :-*  And oh yeah did I mention the radiator was chock full of mud too!
80's and their aluminum heads.......
Oh yeah hes probably right, red + green = brown.

C'mon Cruisin - move that F to your ATV and at least drop in a mighty 2F now will ya. One thing about both the F and the 2F though - they seem like they can even run on recycled - just unscrew cap and in it goes - truck runs fine.

Alaska - red + green = no green in your pockets.