Rusty coolant? (1 Viewer)

[HawkGunner]

It doesn't smell like exhaust, and isn't all creamy and foamy like it had oil in it. Truck isn't blowing white smoke. Oil in oil pan looks clean, same as under the valve cover. Truck doesn't overheat after running 60mph-ish for half an hour or so.

Cools off quickly.

I put some flush in the radiator a while back, flushed and changed it. Maybe I didn't flush it very good?

Does this look terrible?

 

[C6H12O6]

I'm sure more experienced people will chime in here, but I think any all iron, 40-year-old engine will have some bit of rust developing in the coolant after time. There are corrosion inhibitors in the coolant that will slow the rusting process down, but it'll happen eventually. The newer long-life coolants in an aluminum block/head engine are great, but with the older iron block/head engines, keeping on top of the coolant changes can head off problems. Looks totally normal to me. You could flush an old engine to your heart's content and never keep the coolant looking new after even a few miles. Stay on schedule with changes, keep an eye on the temps, and watch for leaks in the water pump.

 

[HawkGunner]

I'm sure more experienced people will chime in here, but I think any all iron, 40-year-old engine will have some bit of rust developing in the coolant after time. There are corrosion inhibitors in the coolant that will slow the rusting process down, but it'll happen eventually. The newer long-life coolants in an aluminum block/head engine are great, but with the older iron block/head engines, keeping on top of the coolant changes can head off problems. Looks totally normal to me. You could flush an old engine to your heart's content and never keep the coolant looking new after even a few miles. Stay on schedule with changes, keep an eye on the temps, and watch for leaks in the water pump.

I'm a stickler for staying on top of my maintenance.... which is sort of a double edged sword.

It's tough to ride around smiling when you know all the little things that need looking after. I pop the radiator cap once a week and check, when it looks funny I get a little concerned haha

 

[Pighead]

That looks kinda normal...

 

[HawkGunner]

That looks kinda normal...

Ok! If you guys say so, I'll stop worrying about it and just change the coolant every couple years like normal.

Thanks!

 

[AlaskanWheeler]

I'd expect it to be a lot more "greener"

 

[Redgrrr]

Just came across this mess, started out replacing radiator haha.

 

[Dizzy]

I've heard that different products will all inhibit corrosion, but they need to stay within the family and not mix, i.e. green with green, orange with orange.

 

[kevos37]

I think a though flush including opening the rear block drain wouldn't hurt. It should be a steady flow of coolant when opened, if not then remove the entire drain and use a probe (wire) to loosen any sediment around the port.

 

[HawkGunner]

I think a though flush including opening the rear block drain wouldn't hurt. It should be a steady flow of coolant when opened, if not then remove the entire drain and use a probe (wire) to loosen any sediment around the port.

That's kinda what I figured. I'm pulling and overhauling the tranny in the fall, so I'll do it then.

For now, it doesn't run hot, or get hotter than what seems appropriate even with a good amount of highway driving in 100°+ outside air temps. So unless the HG blows between now and then, it should be alright.

Unless you think differently?

 

[kevos37]

That sounds like a good plan. Your engine sounds like its running fine, it's just got plaque buildup...lol

 

[GA Architect]

Even an engine that has been hot dipped, reworked, totally rebuilt with all new parts, installed a new radiator, all new radiator hoses and cleaned up parts.....after 30 miles:

Ticked me off, so I drained, flushed, flushed, flushed and re-flushed.......then did it all again.

After a few thousand miles:

Then after a couple of years, the OCD kicked in. Totally drained the green, flushed and opted to run the Toyota Red.

 

[Steamer]

GA Architect's post & pics says a Lot!. Clean steel can start rusting right away. Unless you're the original owner, you'll never know what kind of abuse your cooing system has been through over the years. When you flush, flush and re-flush and the flush water is coming out crystal clear, it often doesn't mean it's clean in there. It just means nothing else is letting go at the time.
Constant clean new looking coolant is achievable. Just a matter of how important it is to ya and how far you want to go with it. How cool it's running plays a part in that decision.
Myself and others have done some radical flushing and posted about it with plenty of pics. Just search here with the word "Flush" with my name as the poster and that'll get ya to a lot of them. Good luck!