Coolant color has changed to light brown
- Thread starter DarylZero
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It doesn't smell bad. It's only been in for 1.5 years and 12,000 miles. It's supposed to last 8 years 100,000 miles.
I've decided I'm going to take it to the dealer to get flushed since they hook up their machine and get everything out including the engine block.
I talked to a mechanic at the stealership and he said it is probably just rust from the system. So I was like ok where did it come from? He said the cooling system. ugh
I've decided I'm going to take it to the dealer to get flushed since they hook up their machine and get everything out including the engine block.
I talked to a mechanic at the stealership and he said it is probably just rust from the system. So I was like ok where did it come from? He said the cooling system. ugh
Is there a trans cooler in the radiator?
How does the trans fluid look?
How does the trans fluid look?
I see see some aftermarket are touting "metal impeller". This can be a sign the OE was plastic.
If thats the case you might have some broken blades or loose impeller reducing the flow and causing hot spots.
Noise when turning could be a bad belt, tensioner or idler. It could be slipping over the WP also causing less flow or just a bad pump.
If you used the correct coolant with nothing like water wetter or other additives then something caused this and you need to get to the bottom of it.
If thats the case you might have some broken blades or loose impeller reducing the flow and causing hot spots.
Noise when turning could be a bad belt, tensioner or idler. It could be slipping over the WP also causing less flow or just a bad pump.
If you used the correct coolant with nothing like water wetter or other additives then something caused this and you need to get to the bottom of it.
Mixing different colors of coolant together could've caused this too.
Doesn't blue and green mixed together make yellow?
Or is it blue and yellow makes green?
Doesn't blue and green mixed together make yellow?
Or is it blue and yellow makes green?
I hope it isn't mixing with ATF. Nissan has had trouble with that in the past.
Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
I hope it isn't mixing with ATF. Nissan has had trouble with that in the past.
Does this have a CVT? What color is the CVT fluid? It doesn't look like it has tranny fluid mixed but might be i don't know.
I hope it isn't mixing with ATF. Nissan has had trouble with that in the past.
Does this have a CVT? What color is the CVT fluid? It doesn't look like it has tranny fluid mixed but might be i don't know.
I have seen a lot of Nissans with discolored coolant at around 5 years or less. The blue coolant doesn't seem to stay blue for very long...maybe three years in a car that isn't the Hertz village bicycle.
I use Prestone DEX-COOL. Never changes color.
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
Smell it....does it have a funk? I'd be willing to bet it's time to replace....it's made it to the point of past long life.
Coolant seems like coolant, sweet.
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Is there a trans cooler in the radiator?
How does the trans fluid look?
It does have a tranny cooler. Trans fluid looks good. Never smelled it before now, but it doesn't smell like coolant.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Noise when turning could be a bad belt, tensioner or idler. It could be slipping over the WP also causing less flow or just a bad pump.
If you used the correct coolant with nothing like water wetter or other additives then something caused this and you need to get to the bottom of it.
I used only Nissan coolant. When I did the flush before I used distilled water and distilled vinegar in a mix.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Does this have a CVT? What color is the CVT fluid? It doesn't look like it has tranny fluid mixed but might be i don't know.
It does have a CVT. The cooling system is very important to the CVT in the Rogue. Nissan recommends -34 degrees for proper cooling of the transmission. You have to use only the correct fluids no off the shelf stuff.
Smell it....does it have a funk? I'd be willing to bet it's time to replace....it's made it to the point of past long life.
Coolant seems like coolant, sweet.
Originally Posted By: circuitsmith
Is there a trans cooler in the radiator?
How does the trans fluid look?
It does have a tranny cooler. Trans fluid looks good. Never smelled it before now, but it doesn't smell like coolant.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Noise when turning could be a bad belt, tensioner or idler. It could be slipping over the WP also causing less flow or just a bad pump.
If you used the correct coolant with nothing like water wetter or other additives then something caused this and you need to get to the bottom of it.
I used only Nissan coolant. When I did the flush before I used distilled water and distilled vinegar in a mix.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Does this have a CVT? What color is the CVT fluid? It doesn't look like it has tranny fluid mixed but might be i don't know.
It does have a CVT. The cooling system is very important to the CVT in the Rogue. Nissan recommends -34 degrees for proper cooling of the transmission. You have to use only the correct fluids no off the shelf stuff.
It was around 95 degrees today and I had to do some driving. After about 45 minutes with the A/C on my coolant never went above 196 degrees.
This is from my Torque app on my phone, which connects to the ODBII device.
ALSO, I noticed the squealing a lot more today with the A/C on! It would happen between 2500 rpm and 3000 rpm.
This is from my Torque app on my phone, which connects to the ODBII device.
ALSO, I noticed the squealing a lot more today with the A/C on! It would happen between 2500 rpm and 3000 rpm.
I just got some coolant testing strips and tested it.
Here are the results.
Coolant pH was 6
Percentage of Glycol was 50%
pH 2nd from end on strip
Glycol at the end of strip
I've decided to wait until Saturday to flush the system myself.
If I pay $190 to get this flushed and then it comes right back a week later, that would suck.
Here are the results.
Coolant pH was 6
Percentage of Glycol was 50%
pH 2nd from end on strip
Glycol at the end of strip
I've decided to wait until Saturday to flush the system myself.
If I pay $190 to get this flushed and then it comes right back a week later, that would suck.
Last edited:
Keep us posted. The ph of 6 is obviously a sign of glycol break down and this acidic solution could be the reason for the color change (metal corrosion).
But why the short life?
You can google coolant ph the same as the rest of us, but this link has some good tidbits of info: http://esource.alstribology.com/WB033_Nov_2010/Coolant_Reference_Guide-Eckert.pdf
- any chance your vinegar solution flush was the culprit?
- maybe the coolant you bought was very old stock?
- air leak in system?
Best of luck.
But why the short life?
You can google coolant ph the same as the rest of us, but this link has some good tidbits of info: http://esource.alstribology.com/WB033_Nov_2010/Coolant_Reference_Guide-Eckert.pdf
- any chance your vinegar solution flush was the culprit?
- maybe the coolant you bought was very old stock?
- air leak in system?
Best of luck.
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
any chance your vinegar solution flush was the culprit?
Thats the only thing that makes sense. The acid drove the Ph down.
any chance your vinegar solution flush was the culprit?
Thats the only thing that makes sense. The acid drove the Ph down.
Originally Posted By: Trav
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
any chance your vinegar solution flush was the culprit?
Thats the only thing that makes sense. The acid drove the Ph down.
That's what I'm thinking as well. This time I will only use distilled water
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
any chance your vinegar solution flush was the culprit?
Thats the only thing that makes sense. The acid drove the Ph down.
That's what I'm thinking as well. This time I will only use distilled water
BTW, the blue coolant smells like [censored]. It doesn't smell sweet like other coolants.
For future reference, the majority of the time, you won't need to "flush" your cooling system. Flushing would be for if you had major crud build up (perhaps from a severely overextended coolant drain interval), or an oil of some kind in there. Modern coolants are some amazing stuff. Never have I torn into a healthy cooling system on a modern vehicle (like doing a water pump or thermostat) and found anything but clean, protected metal. No rust, no gunk.
I always get kick out of these people that flush with this chemical or that chemical, or even straight water to "clean" out their (healthy) cooling systems, especially when they're changing it far SOONER than the OE recommended interval, when the reality of it is that their cooling systems are already spotless and properly functioning.
If you still wish to change sooner than the OE recommended interval, then simply do a drain and refill with the OE coolant. Doing that is quick and easy and will help ensure your additive levels are replenished.
I always get kick out of these people that flush with this chemical or that chemical, or even straight water to "clean" out their (healthy) cooling systems, especially when they're changing it far SOONER than the OE recommended interval, when the reality of it is that their cooling systems are already spotless and properly functioning.
If you still wish to change sooner than the OE recommended interval, then simply do a drain and refill with the OE coolant. Doing that is quick and easy and will help ensure your additive levels are replenished.
I agree you don't need to flush it every time. I had to flush it before because it had green coolant in it and Nissan had switched to only Blue long life coolant. If I mixed the two it would only be good for the same as using only green coolant.
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