Thread: Coolant/Confusion

So im just getting into this whole car thing, and I think I have a problem. I dropped my car off at a Canadian Tire to get a coolant flush. They said the replace the coolant, and flush the system with water. When I came back to get it, I checked out my coolant reservoir and inside the radiator cap. (I have a 2008 grand prix base) And the inside of the cap was still full of that dark red/brown crap that builds up. And theres barely any coolant in my reservoir. Also, the coolant inside the reservoir is the same dark brown color it was before I dropped it off. Did I get scammed? The only proof that they even put coolant in is that the inside of the radiator cap has a little bit of bright green mixed with the dirt or whatever. Shouldnt the inside of my reservoir be clean, have bright green coolant in it, and should the inside of the radiator look clean? I actually have less coolant in the reservoir than I did when I brought it in. Does anyone have an explanation?

Also, At around 4k RPM theres a weird sound coming from the side of the engine bay where the reservoir is. It sounds like coolant is splashing against the car.

They should have cleaned the res tank out if they switch coolant brands on you.

The brown coolant and sludge is what orange dexcool coolant used to be. Over time it breaks down and when it reacts with air it turns into that nasty brown crap you see. So they just likely did a check coolant exchange and shipped it. The other part that sucks is that all that brown stuff is still going to float around for a long time in the coolant and mix with the green coolant and make it all nasty again. It takes many flushes to get all the brown stuff out.

sounds like air in the heater core. the water sound.

take the tank off and clean it, then fill it with green.

the brown dex sludge boogers is all over the place, your gonna see em for some time.

well theres a flush, and a clean and flush.

you flush it to water, then add prestone cleaner to it, drive it for a few days, re flush and then add coolant. most shops are not going to go that far. but great for the diy guys out there if your full of sludge.

drive the car around, then while its running still, touch both heater hoses ont he fire wall, if both are very hot its flowing fine, if one is cold or only warm theres air trapped.

you can pull both hoses off the back of the alt bracket, (when the engines cold) then take a garden hose and put it to one hose and run it till water or coolant comes out, air will bubble out first, then coolant or water depending on how much air is trapped in the core.

then with both hoses full of water get them back on the bracket quickly to not loose much out the hoses. the water will mix with the coolant in the engine and be just fine.

the core sits some what low in the car, inches above the hump in the floor.

Attaching the bottom heater hose while the garden hose is still flowing into the top, then attaching the top hose, will be the best way of keeping as much air out as possible.

Also, you can bleed the air out of the system with a 10mm wrench and maybe a minute at most. There's a brass bleeder screw on top of the thermostat housing, with the engine running and warmed up, open the top screw slightly until you see bubbles, then close it when the bubbles stop and just coolant starts to flow out. You can repeat this process multiple times until the gurgling stops, my gurgling was gone after doing it once.

the t stat bleeder will not bleed the heater core, ever. it only bleeds the engine.

you need a pair of normal kitchen draw pliers. they are spring clamps on the hoses..

and no, revving it wont help, dont go back to that shop any more.

make them correct this and then don't go back...that's Canadian tire for you. leave 1/2 the old coolant in the system, don't clean the reservoir and then improperly fill the system. How much coolant did you get billed for?

F#$k...before going there, a job interview with the tech is needed to determine if you should let him work on your car.

their line of economy parts I would only use on a car i'm selling. any tire with their name on it can't be driven over 60mph due to radial force variation. Automotive is a side business for them just like Walmart. Canada's garage, I don't think so. Find a shop whoose main business is automotive repair.

its not their fault theres air in the core, it was likely there already. they whack you like 65 bucks and use a machine to flush it.

does not matter if air was in the core already. the tech is getting paid to flush the system...no way you return it will air in the system.

65 bucks barely covers the cost of the coolant in Canada its probably $140

clearly you lack the understanding of air bound heater cores and the w bodys. it happens all by its self. why? who the f knows?

the shops not flushing the core separately. they did their job, trust me on that. if you want the core flushed ask and pay for it to be done too.

the fact they think revving the engine rad cap off will fix the heater core is pure rubbish, thats a moron statement 100%. he drove it in there with a air bound core. id put money on it.

no way he flushed it or all the old coolant would be gone....he got a drain and refill but paid for a flush.

its green now, it was flushed. old dex coolant leave all sorts of sludge behind, you think that comes out with one flush, your nuts then.