Dirty coolant dipstick (yellow sludge)

[BlaserF3]

I just had a look at mine. It’s an October 2016 Redline with about 33,000 km on the dial.

The coolant dipstick has a slightly yellow deposit on it...
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The yellow seemed to wipe off quite easily with a single wipe....

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The coolant itself seems to be clear like water.

exactly what I see on my 2015 S1 dipstick at 63,000 km

 

[wetwork65]

Hahahahhah come on. You can do it cuz

Meh - I'll ask someone else to check mine.
More enjoyable that way.

 

[Eddie P.]

Searching google for answers to my collapsed top radiator hose has led me here. I’ve done a coolant change on my VF Redline and changed the radiator cap but top hose was still collapsing. After reading this thread I pulled out the small hose between the radiator cap and the reservoir and found a pink coloured sludge In the hose. Flushed it out and will see if I still have problems. Either way thank you to everyone posting here because I wouldn’t have expected a 4 year old car with 45k to have this problem.

I had my car serviced today and noticed a bit of yellow build up on overflow hose and in overflow bottle.

I flushed it out and toped with clean dexcool.
Funny thing is that the inside of overflow hose has significant buildup of crap.

This really confirm that dexcool still has issues with air and it tends to sludge.

I am thinking of flushing the entire cooling system and replacing with a different coolant.

The car done 45 000km

I am just not sure which to use. I was looking into penrite stuff...Their red coolant

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Searching google for answers to my collapsed top radiator hose has led me here. I’ve done a coolant change on my VF Redline and changed the radiator cap but top hose was still collapsing. After reading this thread I pulled out the small hose between the radiator cap and the reservoir and found a pink coloured sludge In the hose. Flushed it out and will see if I still have problems. Either way thank you to everyone posting here because I wouldn’t have expected a 4 year old car with 45k to have this problem.

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Pink sludge is unusual. I wonder if the dealer/mechanic topped it with that Nulon pink stuff...

 

[Mayuri Krab]

Mine also had the usual yellow sludge around the end of the small hose that runs Into the expansion tank, but the coolant in there itself seems clean (pink), small amount of yellow crud on the coolant dipstick.

radiator side is all clean with nothing on the cap or around the neck of the radiator.
Mine is seating around 85k kms

 

[Eddie P.]

My top hose is still collapsing even after I flushed the small hose from that crud. I think there’s still some more in the expansion tank. It’s actually not too bad (doesn’t completely collapse) but I need to have it looked at as soon as lockdown is over.

Temp is just as stable as it was on the first day I got the car so not too critical right now. Will have another look myself when I get time.

....oh, I recognise the name on WP forums. I’m Damn Dirty Apes there!

Mine also had the usual yellow sludge around the end of the small hose that runs Into the expansion tank, but the coolant in there itself seems clean (pink), small amount of yellow crud on the coolant dipstick.

radiator side is all clean with nothing on the cap or around the neck of the radiator.
Mine is seating around 85k kms

 

[Mayuri Krab]

Did you replace the radiator cap with another genuine/oem one?

I had that issue of top hose collapsing once engine cooled, tried a repco rad cap, still same issue, grabbed another genuine one from Holden and my hose has been fine since.

 

[Eddie P.]

Did you replace the radiator cap with another genuine/oem one?

I had that issue of top hose collapsing once engine cooled, tried a repco rad cap, still same issue, grabbed another genuine one from Holden and my hose has been fine since.

Interesting. I got a Tridon brand one from Supercheap and using that now. I actually have 2 because I bought one as a spare because my family has a few VF’s.

I’ll chuck the spare one on and see if it makes a difference. If not I’ll get a genuine one.

 

[dassaur]

I changed my coolant in June. Still using dexcool. Had the yellow sludge on the overflow tube that goes to the radiator, gave it a good wipe and clean & since hasnt come back (but it's only been a few months). The inside of the tube was fairly clean. I took off the overflow bottle and gave it a good clean out. No solids came out, it was looking pretty good, just a little yellowish but no actual sludge like on the tube.

 

[Eddie P.]

Did you replace the radiator cap with another genuine/oem one?

I ordered a genuine cap on Sep 14th and AusPost still hasn’t delivered it. Decided to get another while I wait and sure enough the genuine one works as it should.

Would never have thought the problem would be an aftermarket cap given they shouldn’t be too difficult to replicate <shrug>.