Coolant Colour....

[RickTT]

Guys, im interested to know what your coolant colour looks like ?

 

From the factory mine was bright pink, though at 3 years old and 30k miles - mine has been turning a bit brown over recent months...  oil level has not dropped much either..

 

Will get a photo up.

[RickTT]

I thought i took some photos earlier but didnt... just took some photos now though its dark, so the coolant colour looks a lot darker...

 

Regardless... its not bright pink put it that way!

 

 

[Nick_H]

Check mine later. Let you know.

[Ootohere]

Not nice and an indication that all might not be well, maybe with a seal or something degrading.

Best have the coolant ratio checked.  

A sniff test is good, but only if you know what the coolant should smell like.

 

So is this a TDI?

My 43,000 mile 2 1/2 year old is pretty pink, but it has twice had a ickle top up with G13. 

[CWARD]

Coolant becomes corrosive with age as they become acidic and hence why they have corrosion inhibitors in them. The life of the coolant is finite and should be changed just the same as oils.  At three years old it is still within its life span so shouldn’t be discoloured yet. Blue coolant are typically non-oat and last around two years, red OAT and around 5 years. You can’t mix the two together as they react causing problems. Have you had the coolant topped up recently?

[RickTT]

1 hour ago, CWARD said:

Coolant becomes corrosive with age as they become acidic and hence why they have corrosion inhibitors in them. The life of the coolant is finite and should be changed just the same as oils.  At three years old it is still within its life span so shouldn’t be discoloured yet. Blue coolant are typically non-oat and last around two years, red OAT and around 5 years. You can’t mix the two together as they react causing problems. Have you had the coolant topped up recently?

 

No, it was topped up within month 1 of ownership by the dealer as it was on the minimum line from the factory and triggered the warning light the odd time, but since then, its not been touched. (unless of course the dealer did as part of service) though the colour has been degrading i think over recent weeks / month.

 

let me get a day time photo..

[JackySi]

I thought coolant has properties NOT TO corrode... On my mothers Octavia after 100.000km and 5 years of ownership coolant is still exactly the same color as when the car was new. I would defo get that checked out. 

[RickTT]

here we are  - I can see that there is debris / contamination within the header tank, like particles (silt / sludge)  stuck to the rode and bottom of the bottle...  though would of thought it would be been picked up as part of the service.

 

A dip test for colour shows as light brown..

 

Also, the other day when i put the heaters on 26'c after 10 mins, the cabin didnt really ever get upto that temp - im thinking heater matrix could get blocked soon..

 

 

Edited 10 April, 2019 by RickTT

[digifish]

Quote

 

The pink comes from a florescent dye, its not an indicator that changes color, so something has contaminated your coolant.

 

How does it smell? It should smell semi sweet and probably a little rubbery, but does yours smell like oil/fuel? This could be a sign of a gasket leak somewhere. Exhaust/oil/transmission fluid gasses getting into the coolant.

 

Definitely get it checked.

Edited 11 April, 2019 by digifish

[RickTT]

7 hours ago, digifish said:

The pink comes from a florescent dye, its not an indicator that changes color, so something has contaminated your coolant.

 

How does it smell? It should smell semi sweet and probably a little rubbery, but does yours smell like oil/fuel? This could be a sign of a gasket leak somewhere. Exhaust/oil/transmission fluid gasses getting into the coolant.

 

Definitely get it checked.

 

 

I'm full of cold at the moment, but it does smell like coolant should. 

 

Im going to get it looked at today I think and get them to sort it.

 

Will be interesting on cost as its 3 weeks out of warranty, but thats not my concern.

[Nick_H]

Sorry forgot to look at mine ! Yeah that doesnt look good.

[RickTT]

Called the leasing company, told me to go to my local Halfords garage to assess if urgent or not. Went there and the guy said is completely normal and don't worry about it.

 

Therefore, I went to my local dealer as not happy with that reply. Service desk where happy to help and sent a technician out to the car park, he had a look and advised that the chances are the Silica Bag which is in the coolant system has burst.  Once this bursts it contaminates the system, plus can lead to further damage with the heater matrix clogging.

 

Full flush is required and then assessment, though coolant system will be tested prior to flush for gasses or oil trace.

 

So I now need to get it booked in when there is a free slot.

 

Watch this space.

[bigjohn]

G12 is pink but the later G13 is purple. Looks sort of purple to me but it is hard to see in the photos.

 

However contamination / clogging not good

 

 

 

 

Edited 11 April, 2019 by bigjohn

[xman]

1 hour ago, RickTT said:

Service desk where happy to help and sent a technician out to the car park, he had a look and advised that the chances are the Silica Bag which is in the coolant system has burst.  Once this bursts it contaminates the system, plus can lead to further damage with the heater matrix clogging.

 

Full flush is required and then assessment, though coolant system will be tested prior to flush for gasses or oil trace.

 

So I now need to get it booked in when there is a free slot.

 

Watch this space.

 

Why do they put this silly silica bag in there? Surely not to keep things dry? 

[peter_k]

Forums report that "Mit silca" is embossed on the header tank if there is a "bag"

Video on removal of the bag here 2018 VW GTI SE Ep. 70: Silica Bag Removal from Coolant Overflow Tank

[peter_k]

Purpose of the "bag" extracted from VW Self Study pdf for the  EA288 Diesel Engine Family.  Interestingly the diagram shows the silica bag is in a dedicated tube and in this case doesn't look like it can be removed

 

 

Coolant Expansion Tank with Silicate Repository

The coolant expansion tank contains a silicate repository. Silicate is used to protect the aluminum components in the coolant system from corrosion. There are silicates in the G13 coolant, but they are used up over time if the engine is subject to high thermal loads. To compensate for the silicate consumption, silicate is taken from the repository and added to the coolant. The silicate repository provides additional protection against corrosion for the aluminum components in the coolant system over the entire lifespan of the engine.

 

[RickTT]

Full coolant flush, new Coolant bottle all fitted.

 

Service adviser as usual very limited on information what what exactly has been done, just telling me its now fixed.  I asked what the root cause issue was and they just said its been fixed.

[digifish]

11 hours ago, RickTT said:

I asked what the root cause issue was and they just said its been fixed.

 

That means they don't know

[unclerichy]

If they told you then they'd have to kill you 

[Ootohere]

'Service adviser'.   Reception training if even that. Phone / Keyboard experience.  Chosen for the job due to no Technical knowledge, training or experience.

[digifish]

1 hour ago, Skoffski said:

'Service adviser'.   Reception training if even that. Phone / Keyboard experience.  Chosen for the job due to no Technical knowledge, training or experience.

 

Or interest in cars