Hi all sifus,

First noob post for this forum, hope to ask a question.

I tried the other day to refil the water Coolant tank, but I notice that the water is brownish in color, do I need to bring it in for checking? This has never happen to me before...

try to flush your coolant

The brownish water could be the rust. Get your radiator flushed and renew the coolant. Do this on a yearly basis to prolong your radiator lifespan.

OIC, thanks I thought ithe radiator needs to be replaced .

pretty normal to have brownish coolant after a few years without flushing.

when you flush out the coolant, just make sure it doesnt have oily substance.

u can also sent the radiator for servicing

flush + clean + new coolant : RM 60++ lidat

if ur car is old, dont simply flush the radiator as it will wash all the rust layer inside the radiator and ur radiator is prone to crack and leaking due to thinner body

I'd suggest you get your radiator serviced 1st.
This would include removing the radiator from the car, getting it's top removed & the innards cleaned thoroughly. If there's a crack or leak, it's better that it's discovered this way than while you're driving.
If things go well, the entire process would be done in a matter of hours & cost yo no more than RM100 (non-KL price though ).

Flushing alone might rid you of the problem for the time being, but it'll come back sooner than you think

Get it done once & get it done right

Brownish water means it's got rusty water... you didn't add coolant, or long time didn't flush and put in new coolant? Coolant has anti-rust properties, plain water doesn't.

I'd try flushing it a few times to get rid of most of the rust build-up and then refill with a cheap coolant + water. If no leaks occurs after a while, I'll continue using it for maybe 20k~40k km, and then drain and put in a good long life coolant like those from Caltex & Toyota. If it leaks, then I'd go get a coolant which seals leaks. Giant sells one such product, but I forgot the brand... maybe someone else can chip in here if they know the brand.

another reason for brownish water is blown head gasket

hello hello...
can explain what is blown head gasket?
thanks

Means your cylinder head gasket is leaking. Usually happens
as the engine ages.

Symptoms may be bubbles rising to the top of your radiator
cap, overheating, reduced engine power.

Try pulling out your spark plug cables in turn while engine
is running. If one (or two) of them drops RPM more than the
others, it either means the gasket is blown at the part where that cylinder is.

This post has been edited by Tham: Jun 12 2008, 05:56 PM

most of the ppl here already stated the reason
could be either ur radiator is dirty or the gasket leaking.

i did my flush few weeks back. hell.. the water is like SUPER THE BROWN MAN!!.. now after reflush, added new coolant.. so far so good.. gonna wait few more weeks to see if the water still turn brownish or not. IF yes.. i guess the gasket could be leaking

Gasket problem will be a frotty brown foam like a shaken coke can..rust would be brownish water with little particles floating in it..correct me if im wrong

I recently got my radiator serviced, which cost me RM100(damn expensive). After servicing the radiator, the mechanic filled in 300ml of coolant and the rest is water.

Logic tells me that I should fill my radiator with only radiator coolant and NO WATER! Doesn't water contribute to the rusting of the radiator?

This post has been edited by JuzJoe: Jan 17 2009, 07:12 PM

LOL no.. You need radiator coolant+water for the radiator..

A proper coolant has anti-rust properties.

By the way, I've read that newer cars (with aluminium radiators?) have a warning sticker on the radiator that no coolant is to be added. So, is water alone enough, as aluminium dissipates heat better? Do normal coolants corrode the material?

Then your logic is flawed by not reading the instructions for the coolant in the first place. Most instructions for coolant mixture around 50:50.

i never used coolant in any of my cars. my 4 year old kancil never faced any problems, yet. my 27 year old accord's water is also brownish due to the rust. that i feel is ok cuz of the age of the car.

my question here is, must i really use a coolant? what if i dont use? benefits in using them compared to 100% water?

A proper coolant inhibits rust, raises the boiling point, lubricates the water pump, etc.

i u dun want use a coolant its ok but u need to flush it regularly..
my car using this setup but once a months i do a flushing...
so far so good..

i used to have brownish water too from my radiator due to my cast iron block; all this while i was using water n didnt really bother cos i didnt have a problem;

but everytime i flush my radiator i see all the brownish water; it jst gets on my nerve; plus my engine is already 13 years old; i can imagine all the rust n etc builds up inside;

had a consultation from MR big boss with a Big baton; he recommended me to to buy a flush from those hardware store; it feels like lemon

so i had my radiator flush.

the AMOUNT of rusT* water came out i had to fill my radiator like 4-5 times b4 the water is clear man.. so.. tats ALOT of rusT*. n rusT builds up n etc isnt good for the block or cooling.

now i m using a Honda Coolant;
NOT all coolant is pre mix with water 50/50; but this honda coolant i m using; is straight out from the bottle n poured into the radiator

the rest; i guess its too thick; u gotta premix water urself.F

This post has been edited by moon*: Jan 20 2009, 11:16 PM

btw,
i heard that toyota long life coolant is the best..
dunno its true or not..

This post has been edited by t_trax: Jan 20 2009, 10:36 AM

that's true, it retains its characteristics even if the coolant is 2 years and older.

lol;; how much iz the toyota long life coolant??

how many litres??

Radiator Rushhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

lol!! rust guy rust!!

me must be in a hurry; rust become rush

ah deng; jfd quoted me b4 i manage to edit

This post has been edited by moon*: Jan 20 2009, 11:25 PM

toyota long life coolant 1L for RM22 i get this frm spare part shop damn exp

wat coolant do u all recommend?

my car is toyota vios 06" it's about 3 years old and last time i check the coolant, i see the coolant become brown colour (more like chocolate colour) and i though it is normal coz i think there r coolant available in brown colour is it really gt rust inside radiator or something?

if i need to change new coolant i need to flush the whole thing? how much does it cost?

if 1 bottle of coolant that that cost RM180 and enough for 1 radiator with a bit left over, does it consider expensive?

This post has been edited by amduser: Jan 22 2009, 12:30 AM

rust in engine block may be due to poor gounding

woah wat coolant is tat guy??

rm 180??? i know the high end motul coolant is quite expensive; around tat figure also

over kill la wei.

u buy the toyota long life coolant can liau. red color; bt make sure u premix with water

coolant lets say rm 30; + the flush rm 30; only rm 60

the coolant brand is BILLION SUPER THERMO LLC TYPE-S COOLANT

if i mix the coolant with water wont the radiator or some other part will get rust?

how many liter do i need for my car?

ohh.. i have no idea of the brand u just mention; but most of my frens are using the common long life toyota coolant; so far okay ah.

wat car u using?; normally i tink a 1 liter coolant + another 1 liter of water will do.

yes; normal tap water will create rust; wat i do is; i buy the coolant pour out the 1 litre into the rad; den i get those drinking water from petrol station; those with the WHITE caps;

i was told the WHITE CAP water is normal water; no mineral wan; the blue ones got mineral.

take the white wan n mix lo. But wat u do is; MIX them first; b4 u pour them in la.

if not the result u might get like those kopi kau; kopi on top den all the milk at the bottom.

my car is vios 2nd gen lar, already mention before this

wat is i use PURE coolant only without puring in water? is all the radiator volume the same?

u trying to say;

wat if u use pure coolant??

tat will be too concentrated

like drinking ribena straight off the bottle without mixing water

not all radiator is the same volume;

tats y u gotta premix both the coolant n water together b4 pouring it into the radiator.

actually best is u read the guide on the coolant sticker b4 u proceed;

most of the coolant out there; u have to mix with water;

only some like the honda ones; are premix. just open n pour into the rad only


This post has been edited by moon*: Jan 23 2009, 10:32 AM

oh....means like kopi kao kao la?

but mix with water will make the radiator rust over long time, no??

i guess it depends on wat type of water u using lo;

tap water i tink it will cause the rust; i use those normal drinking water from the bottles to refill.

the kelisa till now; no sign of brownish coolant; still green.

the coolant is suppose to prevent rust.

then can i use those filtered water that we drink in home?

no need so extreme lah... jz use house pipe water can adi...

i think for coolant change dont need DIY la. go to toyol-ta/honda sc.. asked them to do those stuff la...

last time i do for my mum civic. send to SC.. their charge quite reasonable la.. top+bottom hose just RM30..intake manifold bypass hose,rm15++ coolant rm20/liter... confirm all original part. dont buy sparepart shop parts lah.. those are all counterfeit product..

This post has been edited by detomaso: Jan 24 2009, 04:53 PM

what i heard is house pipe water got clorine that can make our radiator rusty..
better use mineral water orr wanna a cheap one the water from machine rm0.30 per litre

errr.... this i dunno wor... never bother even my radiator is rusty inside... as long as not overheating can adi la...

No it's not the chlorine it's the ions/minerals in the water that cause corrosion because engines are made of different metals and when these metal come in contact with each other or a conductor eg. water contacts both metals one or the other will corrode, it's a chemical reaction. Using mineral water will also not help only distilled water a.k.a battery water is totally inert.

Strictly speaking, the battery water u can get from the stores nowadays are not distilled water. It's actually diluted acid.

Distilled water = Reverse Osmosis water.

So for the best mixture, one should premix the coolant with the correct ratio of RO water b4 filling up the radiator.

And the brownish residue is calcium.

Can't be diluted acid bro, it's too dangerous even in dilute form and also adding acid will upset the specific gravity of the acid in the battery which will kill it. Only distilled water doesn't do that. Maybe some do add some acid into it but i doubt it as it's sold for 1-2 ringgit per bottle, the cost of having equipment to add acid at the right amount safely will be wayyyy to expensive

my car has this problem b4 and i didnt bother it untill 1 day the engine overhaul. i think lake of engine oil or maybe the oil mixed with water.. the workshop said the gasket leak.. they he said changed it and show me its like a piece of thin layer thing im not sure.. cost me around 4-5k including changing the piping and pump or wad i also dunno.. so exp.. after change ok, fine.. used for few week then i open the radiator cap and i saw still alot the brownishhh oil.. WTF? i call and asked he said those oil is from previous one and stuck at radiator need time to slowly fill and pour it out? my question, is it true? or anything should i do now?

edit: btw my car is a 1999 benz A160 Auto

This post has been edited by vailance: Jan 27 2009, 12:36 PM

Look, for only RM1, u can guess how 'diluted' it is. Btw, they don't add, they mix b4 filling the bottle.

Don't believe? Get a bottle, pour some into ur hand. Does it smell & felt like distilled water? It's kind of oily.

Further, if ur hand has a tiny scratch or wound or whatever, once in contact with battery water, u'll feel pain.

Try it.

Better still get a bottle of battery water that is being sold and pour some on lime stone and see the action. Battery water should be dislled water which we can drink without without any side effect.

i wanna see u try drinking some battery water :

i belanja u

What are you talking about? diluted acid cant cost rm1-2? read the contents of your battery water bottle,most do come with acid added in it.Squirt some on the road,you can see it fizzle.Water doesnt do that.

Mineral water has minerals.

RO,air suling,distilled water is pure.Even rain water is not considered distilled nowdays..

Go to Carrefour and get the green colour labeled bottles
called "Process Distillation".

I've filled my radiator with that and it seems to run a little
cooler, with the temperature more stable than before, even
though I am driving a very old car.

The most beneficlal effect of using distilled water in your
radiator though, is that there will be much reduced scaling,
since there are no minerals in it.

Less scales and somewhat lesser rust = less corrosion and
blockages.

i'm sorry. a newbie question here. can we flush the full aluminum radiator?