JeepMoreDoor

I've been having this problem for a while. It seems not matter how hard I try, how much I flush, these little rust looking particles always show up in my cooling system. The coolant stays nice and green, but there's that fine rust dust that shows up at the bottoms of the coolant bottle and the fill neck on the radiator. What gives?? This stuff can clog up a radiator!! Last time I changed the water pump the block was not rusty inside around the cylinder walls. The radiator and heater core were brand new when I put them in about a year ago. Everything I've read says use the "green" coolant. Should I flush it all and use the newer HOAT coolant?

EZEARL

Have you changed the bottom radiator hose? If not there could be a spring in it that's disinigrating.

Epk5150

There is a spring in the bottom radiator hose? Are you talking about the one that connects to the water pump? If so, whats its purpose and Im not sure mine has one. Maybe I just didnt see it when I replaced my lower hose. Also I don't think a few particles are cause for alarm if your coolant is maintaining its green color.

EZEARL

Yep,radiator to w/p. Supposedly to prevent the hose from collapsing under certain conditions. I know when I replaced the hose on mine a few yrs back there was a spring in it. Now whether it was an OEM hose or not I don't know.

JeepMoreDoor

No there's not a spring in the lower hose. They don't really sell them with springs anymore. A few particles is how it started off, then a few more and a few more, it builds ups. Probably no doubt it's the block or cyclinder head since it's the only metal pieces in the cooling system.

Is anyone other than me having this problem?

EZEARL

If there's no spring your probably right.

Epk5150

I have only had my jeep for a few months but when I bought it I drained the radiator and it was very rust colored. I flushed it about 7 times then replaced pretty much everything and I have gone a couple months and my fluid is still bright green. Have you tried a cleaner of some sort to help remove the rust particles from the walls a little better than just water?

JeepMoreDoor

I've used prestone flush once a few years back before I replaced the radiator and heater core, but not recently. What have you used?

md21722

The last dealer lower radiator hose I put on had a spring. This was in 2012. Does the hose between the radiator and the jug have rust in it?

SteveMongr

I always reuse the spring. Aftermarket hoses will not come with them and the auto store does not sell springs for that purpose.
The block is cast iron and known to accumulate and shed rust/crud/gunk. Usually due to lack of maintenance, improper antifreeze ratio, and/or using tap water rather than distilled.
I had to remove and replace a leaking freeze/welsh plug from rear of block and clean the crud from coolant passages. Worst case is, the passages in the block are clogged.

JeepMoreDoor

Yeah I've come across some nasty springs in lower hoses. If I did want to put one I'm not sure where I'd get it from. I'm not sure how many water passages there are but yes I'd hate for them to be clogged. Someday I need to replace my head gasket due to slight oil leak on passenger side, so whenever I do that maybe I can get a better visual on the inside of the water passages.

SteveMongr

Usually the spring can be wire brushed clean.
Head gasket oil leak? That is serious. Did you mean valve cover?

Epk5150

I didn't use a chemical flush I just bought like 10 gallons of distilled water, removed the thermostat, would fill with distilled water and drive it for about thirty minutes with the heat on, and then repeat about 6 more times. After the seventh time the water came out clean from the lower radiator hose. I don't think mine was as bad as some others though. My initial drain came out a really dark green with a hint of brown to it.

SteveMongr

^ Adding white vinegar really helps remove deposits when doing that.

JeepMoreDoor

You read right, the head seems to be slightly leaking. It takes a while to show though, like if I hosed off the block first. Exactly how serious could this be?? Oil isn't getting in the cooling system, or vice versa.