Help! Brown sludge in coolant resevoir???(1.8t)
07-23-2009, 06:35 AM
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Help! Brown sludge in coolant resevoir???(1.8t)
Need help bad..
Went to drive car this morning and the coolant light came on, so went to check the coolant and was greeted by a brown sludge inside the coolant resevoir..
Anyone have any idea what it could be?
Went to drive car this morning and the coolant light came on, so went to check the coolant and was greeted by a brown sludge inside the coolant resevoir..
Anyone have any idea what it could be?
07-23-2009, 07:30 AM
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When I bought mine (used, with 76000 km) from Audi dealer, I didn't even look in the coolant tank, assumed it's Audi dealer, they would at least change fluids...Several days letter, just for curiosity, went to check the coolant - brownish.
Did search on many forums, some would say I happens it the coolant has never been changed, others think it may be that the previous owner put some generic, green or blue coolant to top it up, my mechanic thought that someone tried to fix coolant leak and put in some additives, end on, and on,...
So, went to Audi dealer and bought the pink (G12 I guess is called) coolant, demi water, flushed my cooling system (there are DIY articles if you google), now it's nice and pink, just going to replace the tank, still looks brownish and dirty.
Well, yeah, had to my timing belt because a month after flush, te water pump started to leak. Check if yours leaks, that could be the issue.
Did search on many forums, some would say I happens it the coolant has never been changed, others think it may be that the previous owner put some generic, green or blue coolant to top it up, my mechanic thought that someone tried to fix coolant leak and put in some additives, end on, and on,...
So, went to Audi dealer and bought the pink (G12 I guess is called) coolant, demi water, flushed my cooling system (there are DIY articles if you google), now it's nice and pink, just going to replace the tank, still looks brownish and dirty.
Well, yeah, had to my timing belt because a month after flush, te water pump started to leak. Check if yours leaks, that could be the issue.
07-23-2009, 08:02 AM
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07-23-2009, 08:44 AM
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Usually a sign of cross contamination. This can happen generally in two places, the head, or the oil cooler.
Compression test the motor to see how the head gasket is doing. If that's fine, most likely a failure of the oil cooler.
Compression test the motor to see how the head gasket is doing. If that's fine, most likely a failure of the oil cooler.
07-23-2009, 09:32 AM
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When I bought mine (used, with 76000 km) from Audi dealer, I didn't even look in the coolant tank, assumed it's Audi dealer, they would at least change fluids...Several days letter, just for curiosity, went to check the coolant - brownish.
Did search on many forums, some would say I happens it the coolant has never been changed, others think it may be that the previous owner put some generic, green or blue coolant to top it up, my mechanic thought that someone tried to fix coolant leak and put in some additives, end on, and on,...
So, went to Audi dealer and bought the pink (G12 I guess is called) coolant, demi water, flushed my cooling system (there are DIY articles if you google), now it's nice and pink, just going to replace the tank, still looks brownish and dirty.
Well, yeah, had to my timing belt because a month after flush, te water pump started to leak. Check if yours leaks, that could be the issue.
Did search on many forums, some would say I happens it the coolant has never been changed, others think it may be that the previous owner put some generic, green or blue coolant to top it up, my mechanic thought that someone tried to fix coolant leak and put in some additives, end on, and on,...
So, went to Audi dealer and bought the pink (G12 I guess is called) coolant, demi water, flushed my cooling system (there are DIY articles if you google), now it's nice and pink, just going to replace the tank, still looks brownish and dirty.
Well, yeah, had to my timing belt because a month after flush, te water pump started to leak. Check if yours leaks, that could be the issue.
07-24-2009, 03:09 PM
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There is a DIY article somewhere but
Have several (3-Gal) buckets ready, Buy distilled water for 1 flushing cycle (about 2 gal) and 1 more gal for coolant dilution, assuming you will buy the red/pink one, 1 gal (G12, VW dealer or euro stores, our cars can only use that coolant, don't mix up with other pink coolants), not sure what year your car is, some use the blue one.
1. Drain the coolant from the lowest point - under the radiator (bucket 1), make sure the coolant res. cap is off
2. Plug up the radiator, fill up with city water, put reservoir cap back on, start the engine until it warms up so that the thermostat opens the circuit for the cabin heater
3. Put your heating on max. T and max. blower speed - this will push the old coolant out of the cabin heater
4. Drain it (bucket 2)
5. Depending on what comes out, repeat 1-4 with city water if it's looking bad, otherwise use distilled water for one final flushing cycle
6. When it looks clean enough, repeat the process with distilled water
7. Mix G12, or whatever your car calls for, with the remaining gal of distilled water (halfG12/half water, or more G12 if your climate is cold), slowly pour in the reservoir until mark line. This slow pouring, I mean the slower the better, will help drive the air out of the engine.
8. Start it for 1-2 min. Slowly open the coolant cap and top up if necessary.
9. Repeat the step 3, this time to drive air out of your heater
10. Let it cool for 5 min, open the cap and top up again if needed.
Keep checking and topping up your coolant for several days (assuming the car will be driven)
1. Drain the coolant from the lowest point - under the radiator (bucket 1), make sure the coolant res. cap is off
2. Plug up the radiator, fill up with city water, put reservoir cap back on, start the engine until it warms up so that the thermostat opens the circuit for the cabin heater
3. Put your heating on max. T and max. blower speed - this will push the old coolant out of the cabin heater
4. Drain it (bucket 2)
5. Depending on what comes out, repeat 1-4 with city water if it's looking bad, otherwise use distilled water for one final flushing cycle
6. When it looks clean enough, repeat the process with distilled water
7. Mix G12, or whatever your car calls for, with the remaining gal of distilled water (halfG12/half water, or more G12 if your climate is cold), slowly pour in the reservoir until mark line. This slow pouring, I mean the slower the better, will help drive the air out of the engine.
8. Start it for 1-2 min. Slowly open the coolant cap and top up if necessary.
9. Repeat the step 3, this time to drive air out of your heater
10. Let it cool for 5 min, open the cap and top up again if needed.
Keep checking and topping up your coolant for several days (assuming the car will be driven)
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07-24-2009, 03:12 PM
#8
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Yea, the car has to be jacked up
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