Orange sludge in radiator

[The motor guy]

Just bought a new truck, and the guy said he put a new radiator, fan clutch and water pump in. The fan clutch is new and the radiator hardly has any dings in the fins, how quickly does incompatible coolant sludge up? Looks like a rusty brown paste, that turned my fingers brown just like rust would.

 

[The motor guy]

What do I do? Just replace the radiator? I don't see how I'm just flushing this stuff out.

 

[Warstud]

So it's solid and cant be flushed out ?

 

[The motor guy]

So it's solid and cant be flushed out ?

No not solid, I can easily poke my finger through it.

 

[The motor guy]

it's like mashed potatoes solid

 

[Chris142]

Does it have an iron block?

 

[The motor guy]

Does it have an iron block?

Yes

 

[The motor guy]

5.9 cummins

 

[BMW Dom]

I would try flushing the coolant a bunch and see if it clears up.

 

[The motor guy]

I would try flushing the coolant a bunch and see if it clears up.

Does sludged coolant not clogg everything up? Or can it just be easily flushed out through repeated drain and fills?

 

[Nukeman7]

Sounds like the well-known infamous sludge issue when GM DEX-COOL orange antifreeze is used in a system with trapped air space and not maintained.

DEX-COOL, AKA "Deathcool"

Flush with Prestone radiator flush and then replace with an appropriate Cummins approved coolant (not DEX-COOL, maybe Zerex G05 or Final Charge).

 

[The motor guy]

Sounds like the well-known infamous sludge issue when GM DEX-COOL orange antifreeze is used in a system with trapped air space and not maintained.

DEX-COOL, AKA "Deathcool"

Flush with Prestone radiator flush and then replace with an appropriate Cummins approved coolant (not DEX-COOL, maybe Zerex G05 or Final Charge).

How quickly does this happen? You know they have all these "universal" coolants these days that imo aren't

 

[Nukeman7]

How quickly does this happen? You know they have all these "universal" coolants these days that imo aren't

Usually a few months contingent upon the volume of free air space in the cooling system. The coolant compounds oxidize and congeal when exposed to heat and air constantly; however, mixing coolants with incompatible chemistry can accelerate the process.

I don't use DEX-COOL in anything, including GM vehicles.

 

[Warstud]

Just bought a new truck, and the guy said he put a new radiator, fan clutch and water pump in. The fan clutch is new and the radiator hardly has any dings in the fins, how quickly does incompatible coolant sludge up? Looks like a rusty brown paste, that turned my fingers brown just like rust would.

It sounds like he threw parts at it when all it was just a sludged radiator .

 

[The motor guy]

It sounds like he threw parts at it when all it was just a sludged

I should have have checked this stuff beforehand. I guess after seeing the truck and the nice clean engine bay my guard was down. Oops. Lol

 

[Nick1994]

He may not have flushed it out either. My ‘96 Jeep I did countless times drain and fill with the radiator and it still comes out muddy. You may have a long term project flushing it out.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

I would drain the system and run a coolant flush. I would use Final Charge in your system once it is cleaned...

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Just my $0.02

 

[Chris142]

Yes

It's rust from the iron block due to no maintenance.

 

[Chris142]

He may not have flushed it out either. My ‘96 Jeep I did countless times drain and fill with the radiator and it still comes out muddy. You may have a long term project flushing it out.

Did you pull the drain in the block? It's easy to do in that jeep.

 

[slo town]

Did you pull the drain in the block? It's easy to do in that jeep.

Good advice.

Scott