Brown sludge in coolant.

EK k kay · 12-29-2004, 04:06 PM

Some kind of thick slimy brown sludge is getting into my coolant and building up very slowly in my overflow tank. With the radiator cap off you can see some of it floating around in the coolant. I noticed this a week ago and I drained it and flushed it with the prestone radiator flush. Now, a few days later it's coming back very slowly again. Is it oil? Or something else? 3 weeks ago I did a mini-me vtec head swap. My motor runs fine with no cels. The oil in the dipstick and under the oil cap both look very clean.

toadolson · 12-29-2004, 04:10 PM

Rust. Need to do a professional flush and add a rust inhibitor when they fill it up again. Most anti-freezes have it in them already but it's around $3.50 for the powder stuff you just add to the fluid.

I'm a dumb-a**. Work if i read the whole thing.

Modified by toadolson at 8:39 PM 12/29/2004

4DRmafia · 12-29-2004, 04:57 PM

head gasket?

AzntaggeR · 12-29-2004, 05:03 PM

sounds like oil is possibly getting into the coolant. did you change the head gasket when you did a mini-me?

Evs-One · 12-29-2004, 05:45 PM

headgasket, I got 5 on it

I've done hg's on cars where the entire overflow looked like a milkshake, and so did ALL of the hoses and the radiator

Dr. D-Series · 12-29-2004, 05:48 PM

Headgasket.

Signature.

EK k kay · 12-29-2004, 07:52 PM

Yeah I put a brand new oem y8 headgasket in there when I did the mini-me. Is it going to hurt if I don't change the headgasket right away?

Evs-One · 12-29-2004, 08:38 PM

well, depends on if you're overheating or not, and whether or not you're getting coolant in the oil.

If coolant is getting in the oil, you run the risk of damaging bearings.

Also, letting that sludge go throughout your cooling system, is bound to clog up and ruin hoses.

EK k kay · 12-29-2004, 08:41 PM

Rats. I'm not overheating at all. I'd hate to take apart the motor again, but I guess it's gonna have to be done.

But why would the headgasket go 3 weeks after it was put in?

Evs-One · 12-29-2004, 08:47 PM

did you put it on upside down by chance? Were the mating surfaces clean enough to eat on? Proper torque sequence/correct head bolts? etc etc

EK k kay · 12-29-2004, 08:51 PM

I had a mechanic do it for me, he is an ex-honda dealership mechanic. He better not have put it upside down. Yes both surfaces were cleaned before putting together the motor. He tightened the headbolts from the middle on to the outside then torqued them afterwards to somewhere around 50ft/lb

spoonef · 12-31-2004, 09:24 PM

bump for you

green- · 12-31-2004, 09:54 PM

Are you shooting out lots of white smoke?

rippineg · 12-31-2004, 10:40 PM

most likely its a head gasket check teh oil if it looks like chocolate milk in the crankcase then it prob is

Archidictus · 12-31-2004, 10:41 PM

It's actually because you touch yourself at night.

Eg and Me · 12-31-2004, 11:49 PM

from someone who has blown headgaskets in a mr2, supra, bmw, and now my civic last night

it's a blown head gasket...rust doesn't just "pop up"
^^^ maybe that's why i blow all of mine! haha

EK k kay · 01-01-2005, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by green00EX

Are you shooting out lots of white smoke?

Nope not at all. I'll try and get the headgasket replaced then. Hopefully that's all the problem is.

12-29-2004, 04:06 PM	#1
EK k kay Honda-Tech Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 5,554 iTrader Rating: (0)	Brown sludge in coolant. Some kind of thick slimy brown sludge is getting into my coolant and building up very slowly in my overflow tank. With the radiator cap off you can see some of it floating around in the coolant. I noticed this a week ago and I drained it and flushed it with the prestone radiator flush. Now, a few days later it's coming back very slowly again. Is it oil? Or something else? 3 weeks ago I did a mini-me vtec head swap. My motor runs fine with no cels. The oil in the dipstick and under the oil cap both look very clean.

12-29-2004, 04:10 PM	#2
toadolson Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: TX, USA Posts: 294 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: Brown sludge in coolant. (chowmien) Rust. Need to do a professional flush and add a rust inhibitor when they fill it up again. Most anti-freezes have it in them already but it's around $3.50 for the powder stuff you just add to the fluid. I'm a dumb-a*. Work if i read the whole thing. Modified by toadolson at 8:39 PM 12/29/2004* __________________ 94 Civic DX Coupe Engine: 1.5L, OBX Header, Cust Exhaust, Cust Intake, GSR Radiator, ES Motor Inserts Inside: B&M SS, Skunk2 Knob, 3 Point Harness Underneath: GC Coils 450 front/ 550 rear, Koni Yellows, Comptech Tie/Sway Bar, SRR LCA's, GSR/EX Rear Discs, Axxis Ultimates Pads Shoes: Summer-Rota Slip's Bronze 16x7, Azenis 215/45/16, Winter-BMW BBS mesh 14x6, Futura 195/60/14 30% Integra, 70% Civic, 100% HONDA My little autox monster!!!

12-29-2004, 04:57 PM	#3
4DRmafia Honda-Tech Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Charlottesville, Va Posts: 4,966 iTrader Rating: (0)	head gasket? __________________ "Gotta beat the **** out of everything to keep it lubricated"

12-29-2004, 05:03 PM	#4
AzntaggeR TSPeed Factory 1994 Honda Del Sol Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Renton, WA, Vietnam Posts: 5,298 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (SkipMic2006) sounds like oil is possibly getting into the coolant. did you change the head gasket when you did a mini-me? __________________ Speed Factory 94' del Sol B18C1-T (sold) \| 01' IS300 (daily) 02' ZX-6R (sold) \| 03' ZX-6R (sold) \| 04' GSX-R600 (daily) \| 05' GSX-R600 (stunt)

12-29-2004, 05:45 PM	#5
Evs-One Gearing Owns Me Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, WA, USA Posts: 14,449 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (AzntaggeR) headgasket, I got 5 on it I've done hg's on cars where the entire overflow looked like a milkshake, and so did ALL of the hoses and the radiator

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12-29-2004, 05:48 PM	#6
Dr. D-Series Honda-Tech Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bronx, NY Posts: 1,352 iTrader Rating: (0)	Headgasket. Signature. __________________ Eagle/Vitara Z6 436 whp 340 tq 10.452 @132.3, 1.625 60 ft. - Current. Xenocron Tuned. Eagle/Vitara Y7 279 whp 210 tq 11.200 @124.5, 1.68 60 ft. D15 Block / Y7 202 whp 160 tq 12.1 @112 , 1.70 60 ft.

12-29-2004, 07:52 PM	#7
EK k kay Honda-Tech Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 5,554 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (Dr. D-Series) Yeah I put a brand new oem y8 headgasket in there when I did the mini-me. Is it going to hurt if I don't change the headgasket right away?

12-29-2004, 08:38 PM	#8
Evs-One Gearing Owns Me Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, WA, USA Posts: 14,449 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (chowmien) well, depends on if you're overheating or not, and whether or not you're getting coolant in the oil. If coolant is getting in the oil, you run the risk of damaging bearings. Also, letting that sludge go throughout your cooling system, is bound to clog up and ruin hoses.

12-29-2004, 08:41 PM	#9
EK k kay Honda-Tech Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 5,554 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (Evs-One) Rats. I'm not overheating at all. I'd hate to take apart the motor again, but I guess it's gonna have to be done. But why would the headgasket go 3 weeks after it was put in?

12-29-2004, 08:47 PM	#10
Evs-One Gearing Owns Me Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, WA, USA Posts: 14,449 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (chowmien) did you put it on upside down by chance? Were the mating surfaces clean enough to eat on? Proper torque sequence/correct head bolts? etc etc

12-29-2004, 08:51 PM	#11
EK k kay Honda-Tech Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 5,554 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (Evs-One) I had a mechanic do it for me, he is an ex-honda dealership mechanic. He better not have put it upside down. Yes both surfaces were cleaned before putting together the motor. He tightened the headbolts from the middle on to the outside then torqued them afterwards to somewhere around 50ft/lb

12-31-2004, 09:24 PM	#12
spoonef Honda-Tech Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 6,126 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (chowmien) bump for you

12-31-2004, 09:54 PM	#13
green- Honda-Tech Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 1,864 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (spoonef) Are you shooting out lots of white smoke? __________________ Want to drive F1 cars? http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=2589870

12-31-2004, 10:40 PM	#14
rippineg Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: lacona, ny, usa Posts: 3 iTrader Rating: (0)	most likely its a head gasket check teh oil if it looks like chocolate milk in the crankcase then it prob is

12-31-2004, 10:41 PM	#15
Archidictus Unceasing Measure 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 13,080 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (rippineg) It's actually because you touch yourself at night. __________________ But now the summer's dreams are bent like grain against the scythe, and memories of blissful days, they fall like leaves.

12-31-2004, 11:49 PM	#16
Eg and Me Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: dallas, tx, usa Posts: 21 iTrader Rating: (0)	Re: (Archidictus) from someone who has blown headgaskets in a mr2, supra, bmw, and now my civic last night it's a blown head gasket...rust doesn't just "pop up" ^^^ maybe that's why i blow all of mine! haha __________________ [B]I love Jesus[/B]

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Brown sludge in coolant.