Coolant turned brownish orange

[Gunmetal87]

Haven't changed coolant for long awhile, and TR has been in storage for over a year and half since last smog check (not been started since).
Getting TR ready for spring cleaning and notice coolant in reservoir was different (turned brownish orange). Opened radiator cap and same color. Is this rust from not changing coolant and sitting for to long?
Should I flush several times with water and RMI-25 mix?
Thanks in advance

 

[earlbrown]

yep

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Dex Cool will turn turd brown....

 

[FASTV6HENRY]

I would not use Dex Cool anymore.

 

[1KWIKSIX]

Dex Cool will turn turd brown....

X2

Nasty stuff when it gets old.
I've used DexCool before (in my wifes o5 Grand Prix GT). Had to have a shop flush the entire cooling system & heater under pressure because it turned jelly like & actually plugged up the heater core to the point it would not produce any heat in the passenger compartment. Big problems.
Better flush out your entire cooling system (don't forget to include your heater core when you're doing it too). DexCool will turn jelly like as well as go a brownish colour when it gets old.
Best to replace it with regular green / yellow glycol coolant. Don't want to use the extended life stuff if possible.
Keep in mind that you you sill gotta change your coolant every couple of years.

 

[earlbrown]

at $20, I'd just replace the heater core if there's jelly in the cooling system. It'll get rid of a future worry and have a more efficient heater for this summer

 

[charlief1]

Didn't believe it till I tried it but Dawn dish washing fluid makes a great flush for radiators. Get the small bottle and after you get all the brown out then use the dawn. I had one here that was so nasty it looked like the Mississippi river after a heavy rain or flood upstream. Used water to got most of the nasty out and then added the dawn to it. I've never seen so much crap come out of a cooling system before. Once the rest of the crap came out then I drained the water and added coolant and everything was good. Make sure to use the whole bottle and it may take 2 or 3 times to get all the crap out.

 

[earlbrown]

LOL. Holy shit!!!1 Years ago I had a stock radiator blow the fill cap off at 225* and it burnt the shit out of me..... Had that cooling system been full of Dawn I bet it would have cleaned my entire roof and front yard!!


I've been wanting to tray oxalic acid but I don't have any more crudded up cooling systems.

 

[Gunmetal87]

Thanks for the great advice.
Has anyone tried the coolant flush kits that the auto parts stores sell with a garden hose?

 

[charlief1]

Thanks for the great advice.
Has anyone tried the coolant flush kits that the auto parts stores sell with a garden hose?

I use the parts but not the flush. I also don't flush the heater but put the hose fitting in where the hoses are connected to the heater so I don't send crap into it. I will back flush the heater by itself though.

 

[Nick Micale]

................................Should I flush several times with water and RMI-25 mix?
Thanks in advance

That would be your best choice.

It will not only clean your cooling system, it will then also protect and/or lubricate the components in the cooling system, and it is NOT caustic or corrosive.

With a very dirty system, it may take 2 or 3 times of flushing with RMI to remove all the crud.

 

[Gunmetal87]

Thanks guys