GEO Prizm with dirty overflow bottle

[97prizm]

Hi All,

I have a 97' Geo Prizm with the 1.6 liter 4A-FE engine. I bought the car in 2002, and up until about a year ago or so the coolant kept fairly clean. I've flushed the coolant, ran a bottle of Prestone Radiator cleaner, and refilled the system twice, and now its been two months and I'm already starting to get black nasty "sludge" in the overflow tank. My question is this> What are my options? s there a recall from Toyota on this issue? Did the cleaner potentially break any crud in the system free? Are there any fellow bitogers that have A corolla/Prizm with this issue? Any help would be apprciated, as this is really bugging the [censored] out of me?

 

[VK56VD]

Did you use the correct coolant? Perhaps there is now competing chemistry between the new coolant and left over coolant that is causing this.

 

[paul246]

Hope it isn't engine oil in there, if it is you likely have a failing head gasket.

 

[saaber1]

Do you know the coolant flush history or maintenance from 97-2002?

Did you top up with the same color coolant as what was already in there during the period 2002-2007 (or whenever you started seeing the first sludge).

Did you do any flushes/additives/other to the coolant during 2002-2007?

Just trying to eliminate some variables regarding type of coolant and incompatibilities with other coolant, etc. to help narrow the problem down. For example if someone added g-12 to green prestone.

 

[97prizm]

Thanks for the replies so far;

Dex Cool was the original coolant that the car was filled with. When I got the car the coolant was a little low but not below the add mark on the overflow bottle. I added real Dex Cool that I bought from the Dealership. I brought the coolant up to the max fill mark. It's never had any other kind of wrong fluid. I did add Prestone or was it havoline? (In the black gallon jug with orange cap) Dex cool compatible coolant. I flushed out the system with Prestone radiator cleaner when I started noticing the "gunk" if you will. I flushed it again a month ago and added fresh coolant afterward. I washed the engine real good as I smelled coolant when I opened the hood. I still smell a faint trace, but there are no spots or puddles under my car. I hope the head gasket isn't going bad (It does have 168,000 miles on it). Thanks again, I hope some of my info can help anybody else than may have a suggestion.

 

[rclint]

I had the same problem on a 97 accord. My problem I hope was the radiator was cracked, that and original hoses with 207,000 miles. I hope that's all it was, it has been doing this for awhile, the last time I changed it out I also used the prestone cleaner, this time I used the prestone cleaner and also used a small amount of tide and cycled that in hopes of getting the system clean. I went back with Prestone any make any model yellow coolant, and used distilled water for that last of several flushes with just straight water, and distilled water for the coolant mixture. I really think it was my radiator hoses breaking down, the coolant had a bad stench to it as well, the black gunk was not oil, foamy.

Another note I also smelled the coolant, the problem was it was evaporating so no puddles. Bars stop leak gold tablets are great if you don't have a hose problem, you might try that

 

[PandaBear]

If you smell it, the radiator is cracked or the hoses are busted. Check for steam right after you turn the engine off after a long highway run and see if there is steam.

 

[The_Jeff]

I like the idea of hose rubber dust or grime winding up in the bottle.

May be worth seeing if the radiator holds pressure by carefully cracking the cap with a rag. You can get by a long time in temperate climates with zero pressure. Alternatively you can look down inside the tank when you shut it off and see if you get any bubbles. Once your coolant is past your pressure cap it can flash boil and will be bubbles by the time you see it in the overflow tank. You want some coolant in the overflow tank to cool this steam back down and condense so you don't lose it. Smelling it is a sign some steam may be getting by. I often cold-fill my surge or overflow tanks to about halfway between "full hot" and the lid, worst thing that could happen is some antifreeze will burp out onto the ground, but it rarely happens.