"Mud" in over flow container

[badmix]

Thats the best way to describe what I poured out, literally, brown muddish muck. I look in the radiator itself and its greenish.

Should I just do a flush? What else to check? Truck runs fine, no over heating, no head gasket issue.

 

[dyeager535]

Interesting that the two aren't mixed. When was the last time the fluid was changed, and what does the pH look like?

I'd say just take that out and refill to the cold level in the reservoir, make sure the vent line isn't plugged, and watch what happens. If it's not overheating doesn't seem to indicate any real problem, but I'd want to know what the pH is to see if the anti-corrosion package is intact. Just those little test strips you can get at Napa, etc. That's me anyway.

If you have a few containers around, can always siphon fluid out of the radiator and see what it looks like from further down in it, that way you don't have to waste it if it's good. IIRC the mess that was created by mixing certain antifreeze types tended to settle in the bottom of the radiator.

 

[4xcrazy]

My mother's truck with the 4.3 v6 has that problem, as does another friends truck, same engine. Doesn't mix with the water, just sticks to everything and in my mother's case, if actually clogged the overfill tank hose and caused some issues with collapsing of the upper radiator hose under acceleration.

Just looks like a muddy, almost rust colored goo. I've flushed out her cooling system several times, still there.

 

[badmix]

SOunds like the same issue ive got. I try and catch it and pull the over flow tank and rinse it out really good.