Stuff in coolant

[Splangj]

My 69 RR 496 hasn’t been fired up in over a year now. Just got through topping of tires and trickle charging. Then I cleaned the surface mildew from the interior. Go to check the water and I can’t quite see any in the radiator. I add a few cups, and now it’s present, but with these little floaters. I’m guessing oil, what say everyone else? I did overheat it once years ago, due to low coolant. It ran ok after that. It’s got RPM heads on a fel pro blue gasket I believe. Thanks in advance!

 

[pnora]

Looks like it could be time for a radiator and get a shroud on it. Or. Flush the system completely and fill it 50-50 and go from there.

 

[Splangj]

Looks like it could be time for a radiator and get a shroud on it. Or. Flush the system completely and fill it 50-50 and go from there.

I have a new aluminum radiator waiting…. But what’s this sludge? I’m going to pull the oil drain plug tomorrow, and see if any water comes out. If not, I’m going to fire it up and see what happens.

 

[pnora]

I have a new aluminum radiator waiting…. But what’s this sludge? I’m going to pull the oil drain plug tomorrow, and see if any water comes out. If not, I’m going to fire it up and see what happens.

Who knows. Oil always comes to the top. Most likely form oily drain pans that were used for coolant draining. Does not look like much to me.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

I have a new aluminum radiator waiting…. But what’s this sludge? I’m going to pull the oil drain plug tomorrow, and see if any water comes out. If not, I’m going to fire it up and see what happens.

The sludge looks like casting sand

 

[pnora]

The sludge looks like casting sand

Thing is casting sand does not float up to the top tank of the radiator.

 

[Don Frelier]

I would drain it, run some water and then drain again catch it in a clean container and see what it looks like.
( If I was in California)

 

[ckessel]

Run some flush compound through it before putting the new radiator in. Cascade dishwashing soap can be used too.

 

[Geoff 2]

They are called floating 'turds'. Unless you use a filter in the top hose, said turds will quickly block up the tubes in the new rad. You CANNOT flush those things out, some will remain. The filter will block up, which you can remove & clean. After a while [ might take a lot of miles ], you will eventually get a clean filter & you can then remove it if you wish.

 

[Splangj]

I am not wanting to change radiators yet. I just want to drive the car. I’ve never heard of a coolant filter though? Like I stated, I’ll open the oil drain plug a tad to see if any water comes out, since it’ll be at the bottom of the pan. If no water present, I’ll fire it up after priming float bowls. I will probably first remove the radiator and flush it out. I’ve had this engine in the car for over 15 years, just never had these globs in the coolant before.

 

[Geoff 2]

The filters we get here are quiter simple, go in the top hose. They have a s/steel screen/mesh that collects the trash. Screw cap, where you remove the mesh, wash out, & re-fit.

 

[kiwigtx]

My 69 RR 496 hasn’t been fired up in over a year now. Just got through topping of tires and trickle charging. Then I cleaned the surface mildew from the interior. Go to check the water and I can’t quite see any in the radiator. I add a few cups, and now it’s present, but with these little floaters. I’m guessing oil, what say everyone else? I did overheat it once years ago, due to low coolant. It ran ok after that. It’s got RPM heads on a fel pro blue gasket I believe. Thanks in advance!

View attachment 1969710

View attachment 1969711

Those floaters could be the residue of long-forgotten remedies for a perforated radiator coil.

Some people used eggs, some used Wynn's Stop Leak....and I have even used ground black pepper.

The ground black pepper works, but your vehicle smells like a soup for a while. There is a fleet of large dump trucks not far from me that insists that all drivers carry a large bag of ground black pepper for emergency use. It really does work.

BTW - pouring beer in the radiator does NOT work......nor does urinating in it to top off the liquid level.

 

[Don selleck]

we used coarse black pepper for small leaks back in the day, the pepper would get wet and expand then plug the hole. Worked to get you home or longer if you needed to pay rent first.

 

[Bird 426]

I use ginger from the kitchen cabinet, lasts until you change coolant. Yes, get a filter in the top hose. Unless you pull your engine for overall, and heater core, radiator, be hard to collect all of that debris. Not changing your antifreeze in a timely manner and poor choice for water cause what you have. You should have seen my orginal Darts cooling system when I tore it down. Someone must have lived in mineral springs and never changed the coolant! There is Borax in the old antifreeze, maybe still is. When coolant isn't changed regularly and or poor water choice and PH ( acid) build up, that's what you get. Chunks. Reverse osmosis water is best, then distilled. Google it. Make sure that your new aluminum radiator fits.

 

[dadsbee]

We used instant porridge !

 

[RemCharger]

We used instant porridge !