Coolant issues???

[jus2rel]

My water pump appears to have a slight leak, so I drained the coolant by removing the lower radiator hose to begin to replace the water pump. However, the coolant that came out was pee yellow and had a sort of soot in it. The coolant reservoir had the stuff built up in it as well. It looks and has the consistency of pollen?? So i filled and drained the radiator 4 times, ran some flush through it and filled and drained it a few more times before I begin to change the water pump. However, still concerned I removed the reservoir and looked inside the hose going down from it and noticed the hose is lined with the stuff.

My question and concern is what is the stuff? Is it harmful? Do I need to change my radiator and the hoses as well to remove most of the stuff? I have never had any overheating issues in over 100k miles?

Thank you for any help.

[marauder410]

that sure dosent look good makes me wanna go drain my radiaor and look in the hoses

hope its nothing bad, just a couple new hoses and not a new radiator

[justbob]

I recommend replacing your pump, then take it to a radiator shop for a real good flush. It is simply amazing what they can do for the insternals usually. I have had plenty of radiators and coolers from motorcycles to Caterpillar earth movers done on the cheap with excellent results.

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[jus2rel]

I replaced the pump and the block was spotless, no residue anywhere. I guess its probably just from never replacing my fluid and the water sitting inside the reservoir and in the hose and never really getting a chance to circulate, however the water that drained out was gross. So I'll refill it properly, then take it to get a real flush as suggested.

If anyone knows the real cause of this issue or the extent to problems it may cause, please suggest what I should do/replace to avoid further issues. Thank you again.

[EMAS]

It should be yellow as our cars were filled with Ford "Premium Gold" coolant from the factory. At 100K and 8+ years it's not a bad idea to go ahead and replace the hoses particularly since you've got everything apart already.

[justbob]

Not all were yellow, mine was green. That crustation you see is scale from impurities in the water used and coolant break down and is corrosive. It hinders the cooling capacity of the radiator and can easily block head and block water passages if ignored.

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[JOEMERC]

03 had the green antifreeze and 04 used the premium gold antifreeze.

[EMAS]

My 03 had gold and I incorrectly assumed they all did since my other 03 Merc does too, but check of my owner's manual shows that it may have had either green or gold factory installed. I guess depending on what they had on hand that day?

[justbob]

My 03 had gold and I incorrectly assumed they all did since my other 03 Merc does too, but check of my owner's manual shows that it may have had either green or gold factory installed. I guess depending on what they had on hand that day?

Perhaps build dates? :confused:

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[vegasmarauder]

The 300A had the green, the 03 300B had the gold. Wouldn't surprise me if it happened around the switch from A's to B's...

[EMAS]

The 300A had the green, the 03 300B had the gold. Wouldn't surprise me if it happened around the switch from A's to B's...

Nope mine with gold is an 300a. Though I guess it is possible that it got Gold sometime before I bought it and that somehow the record of that was misplaced.

[RF Overlord]

The Blackbird was purchased new and is an '03 300A that came with Premium Gold.