Help? Brown Sludge in the water....

[martynrushin]

Hi All.... I could do with some help

I'm okay on the outside, but I'm pretty hopeless under the bonnet.....

I started to notice an occasional judder when driving very slowly. I initially thought I might just need a really good service. However, I opened the bonnet to fill up the water yesterday, and was horrified to see that the water top up was basically full of what looked like McDonald's Chocolate milkshake!!!!!

Anybody give me any ideas why and/or what's the quickest/easiest way of fixing this?

The oil look's pretty clean and water free, so I'm relatively confident the water's not getting into the oil - so assuming (maybe incorrectly) this couldn't happen the other way round.

Help?....thanks all

 

[danny20vt]

does it look a bit like butterscotch angel delight??

 

[danny20vt]

if its this then i've been told a coolant flush will resolve this problem

 

[martynrushin]

Thanks mate. Appreciate it

 

[tolly_tdi]

if its this then i've been told a coolant flush will resolve this problem

pass me a straw hmmm!!

 

[Viking]

It looks to me as though some clever **** has topped up the VAG coolant with standard antifreeze. The two don't mix, and the result is a thick brown sludge just like that.

First time I've seen it that bad though.

You need to flush the whole coolant system to remove the sludge (that'll be some job) and then refill with the correct coolant from your local dealer. G12 is the latest one, and given that you'll be starting with a clean engine I'd go with this to the correct mix ratio, rather that the one stated in your handbook (which may be G11 or G12, dependent on how old your car is).

 

[danny20vt]

It looks to me as though some clever **** has topped up the VAG coolant with standard antifreeze. The two don't mix, and the result is a thick brown sludge just like that.

i'm currently in the process of having mine done, its had some sort of additive put in to break the brown stuff down then its having the real stuff put in. i'm guessing the place i bought it off may have topped it up a bit and didn't know what they were doing

 

[car_guy143]

I didn't know that these engines required specific coolant. I take it normal motor factor coolant such will be fine as long as it's not mixed with VAG stuff, or will it still do some damage? I topped up mine with normal coolant about 6 months ago and have no brown sludge or anything, i take it this means it didn't have VAG coolant in there to begin with?

 

[amr276]

does it look a bit like butterscotch angel delight??

I ate some of that a few hours ago for the first time in years Scrummy stuff!