Antifreeze turned from green to purple

[KrisKringle]

Wow..it has been a while. I hope you all are doing OK. Well, I had a bit of a shock today. I was under the hood checking the oil and I noticed that the antifreeze in the reservoir looked dark. Upon a closer look, the stuff was PURPLE! I am certain the green German antifreeze has a "special environmentally friendly" formulation. However, jeepers purple?

As a side note, I noticed over the past year coolant has been disappearing,maybe I had to add a quart after 50k kilometers. No water in the oil, and the coolant has no traces of oil. Specifically, there is no "bathtub ring" in the reservoir.

Kind of worried since I leave on Friday for a Job in the Netherlands.

all the best,

Jonathan.

 

[Timd32]

Odd for sure. Anyway you mixed some or did a flush and maybe some of the flush was not fully out of the block when you did it. Or did someone put blue windshield washer fluid in it by mistake if you went to a oil change place?

Either way unless you used the purple stuff which they do make, if it was green or yellow, I would say flush it out and refill, I did mine 2 times with normal distilled water, ran it till it got hot and the sort then drain and redo.

Could be something in the water if you premixed full bottle, I cut mine 50/50.

If you know what color you started with might be a good question for the tech support folks. I used G05 so mine is yellow in my 96.

Valvoline for example has some tech support info here. There are international links on their site as well.

https://www.valvoline.com/about-us/contact-us

 

[KrisKringle]

Thanks, but nope. I only give distilled water to Shaun...or the antifreeze. No one touched my truck, and I did not do a flush or any additives. Thanks for the answer though. I will do a CO2 test tomorrow. (That is when you put the thingamajig on the radiator filler and look for the colour to change.) Cross your fingers, or "press your thumbs" as they say here in Germany.

 

[Bob4x4]

When 12 valve head gaskets leak it is usually externally,more times than not it will be at the passenger side front of head.When buying your block check chemical be sure it is for use In diesels,there is a difference.

 

[KrisKringle]

When 12 valve head gaskets leak it is usually externally,more times than not it will be at the passenger side front of head.When buying your block check chemical be sure it is for use In diesels,there is a difference.

I have a 24 valve though...

 

[Bob4x4]

The 2nd gen 24 valves react the same

 

[Joe Mc]

May I suggest WaterWetter. https://www.redlineoil.com/waterwetter-coolant-additives. I've used it for years and seems to help it run a bit cooler in the summer and not impact heat in winter. Read about it an then decide.

 

[JKellis]

Hey Kris, I was wondering if you ever found what caused your purple coolant? The reason I asked is that I checked mine yesterday and it too has turned from a nice green to grape juice! No one has serviced mine except me in the last two years, so I'm sure nothing weird has been added. Truck runs great, no miss, no smoke, no coolant leaks, and the 53 block is not cracked (yet.)

 

[KrisKringle]

@JK Whoops, I do not know I missed your reply. No, I still not have found the cause. Planning on doing a full flush (no chemicals, just water) and a refill. I am hte only one that services the truck, so I know nothing was mixed in. Originally, it was the green/blue stuff we have in Europe. UNfournunately we do not have the good old radioactive green Zerex here.

 

[JKellis]

@JK Whoops, I do not know I missed your reply. No, I still not have found the cause. Planning on doing a full flush (no chemicals, just water) and a refill. I am hte only one that services the truck, so I know nothing was mixed in. Originally, it was the green/blue stuff we have in Europe. UNfournunately we do not have the good old radioactive green Zerex here.

I believe my odd color was coming from residue settling in the overflow tank. The inside of my original hoses were starting to deteriorate and putting a fine black residue in the coolant. New hoses and a good flush fixed mine.

 

[KrisKringle]

I believe my odd color was coming from residue settling in the overflow tank. The inside of my original hoses were starting to deteriorate and putting a fine black residue in the coolant. New hoses and a good flush fixed mine.

I replaced all of the hoses when I bought the truck, and changed the AF two years ago...still wondering.