my coolant is all brown, and the overflow reservoir is full beyond the hot point even when the engine is cool. will just flushing and refilling fix this?

 

It could be really dirty, when it the last time you flushed the system??? How does your oil look, if it look like chocolate milk

 

the oil is good, i think the coolant is just discolored from rust somewhere along the line. and i just bought the car in april. it's only been driven a couple times and i haven't had a chance to flush it yet. i've been doing other work on the car.

 

run some flush throught it mine was the same and wanted to run hot i run 2 bottles throught it and now its fine

 

i think that's what i'll end up doing next time i have a chance.

 

Just flush the system; chances are that iron oxide has combined with your coolant somewhere along the line and thus the discoloration.

 

iron oxide huh? have you been reading my coolant post?

 

Ummmmmmmmmmm No Cale, I am educated and have taken Chem in College

 

You know I taught you everything you know! Stop trying to hide it! How can you say things like that! I even taught you how to drive manual in my car!

 

I must confess my mentor, you are correct

 

Don't won't to scare you dude, but I had the same problem a few months back. Here's what had to be fixed and changed after finding my coolent turned brown.

1. water pump went out - that was the easy part. While changing the thermostat, both bolts broke off due to the rust. Had to tap and drill them out. Took 5 hours.
2. a few months after that the radiator went. Had to buy a new one.
3. Still to this day cannot get the knock sensor out. It won't budge even with the help of a pipe wrench.

Hope you caught it in time. My coolant was green that winter and like in two months it went to crap.