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It means that it needs to be changed immediately. However, to get that colour, it may be contaminated with oil from the engine. If so, then there is a more serious problem that needs to be addressed first (the oil leak). It could also just be rusty and dirty and old. It needs to seen (literally) by someone who knows what they are looking at and that is trusted. After any necessary repairs, the coolant should be flushed and replaced with new in the correct mix (usually 50/50).

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Q: What does it mean when Radiator fluid looks like chocolate milk?
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On your vauxhall vectra 04 a warning light has just started it looks like a square tank with water half full in it but your radiator is ok?

I'm guessing, but the coolant level sensor is probably in the overflow bottle and it is low. This is so you notice it before the radiator itself is low.


What do a earthworm eye look like?

It looks a lot like an old Volkswagen Beetle radiator. (If you're too young to get the joke: the engines in old Beetles were air-cooled. They didn't have radiators. Similarly, earthworms do not have eyes.)


When checking the antifreeze there is oil in the radiator the transmission dipstick shows the same mixture what could cause this?

USALLY it's because the Transmission cooler that's located inside the RADIATOR HAS DEVELOPED A LEAK.The COOLING system & TRANSMISSION need 2 b FLUSHED after the RADIATOR is REPLACED -- OR BYPASS the RADIATOR TRANS cooler & put on an EXTERNAL cooler INFRONT of the existing Radiator. It sounds like the head gasket is leaking. I just had the same problem. It started with noticing just a thin layer of light brown foam when I removed the radiator cap. There was no foam or anything else wrong with the engine oil or trans fluid. My mechanic took a quick look at it and said to just keep an eye on it. I checked it every week with no change noticed, then sort of forgot about it for a month. When it started to shift a little rougher than usual, I checked the trans fluid again. This time the fluid was a nasty color of rusty brown and very opaque. Apparently it is not that uncommon to get a leak between the radiator coolant and either the engine oil or the trans fluid. Just speaking from my own experience, I believe it is more common to have the engine oil leak (bad head gasket or cracked head) in which case there will be obvious white/brown foam in the engine (on the oil cap) when it is checked. The trans fluid is under higher pressure than the radiator coolant so most of the flow is from the trans to the radiator, but as the system cools down, it can (and does) flow the other way. It just takes a little longer to notice the problem. Since radiator fluid can destroy an automatic transmission and trans fluid can destroy the seals in the radiator system it is very important to figure out what�s going on as quickly as possible...and NOT �just keep an eye on it�....won�t be going back to that shop. My van (a 94 Pontiac Transport) is in the shop now getting a new radiator (has two internal trans coolers inside of the radiator), and when that�s done I�m driving it directly to have all the trans fluid flushed. With any luck, it will start to shift smoother ...if not, it will have been a VERY expensive lesson. Hope this helps.


How do you open the pitcock valve on a 2000 Pontiac Montana radiator?

The pitcock drain value is located on the lower left side of the radiator,you might need a pair of pliers to turn the drain.The coolant will drain out of the hole in the radiator's lower left ruubber mount. The pitcock drain value is located on the lower left side of the radiator,you might need a pair of pliers to turn the drain.The coolant will drain out of the hole in the radiator's lower left ruubber mount.


Signs of a head gasket problem?

Over heating, pressure in the radiator, start it cold and water will shoot out of it. White exhaust, oil that looks like chocolate milk. Depends on where the problem is which of these shows up or several may. If it is just white exhaust, it can be fixed for $6. There are several brands of stop leak that have copper in them. Follow the instructions and 99 times out of 100 it will fix the problem. If it doesn't you have wasted $6. I put 40,000 miles on a Subaru doing this and that was not what killed it.

Related questions

What would cause radiator fluid to have a brownish milkshake look to it?

bad head gasket go to auto store borrow cooling presser check if the coolant looks like a strawberry milkshake, check the transmission fluid, the transmission oil cooler inside the radiator is bad. if the coolant looks like a chocolate milkshake, probably head gasket as said above.


Where is the radiator fluid leaking from?

looks like a sensor or thermostat going into engine block


My 1990 Nissan maxima will not shift out of first and will not go into reverse plus the fluid looks like milk?

The transmission fluid cooled by routing it through the radiator. The fluid probably is a milky color because the radiator had failed internally allowing the coolant and transmission fluid to mix. Check the coolant and if looks milky change the radiator, coolant, and transmission fluid.


My 04' Mazda rx8 dash light is on it looks like a fence what does it mean?

it means your low on radiator fluid


What does a red warning light that looks like a fan mean on a 1996 Volvo 850 Sedan?

low radiator fluid


Why radiator going empty when reserve tank is full?

looks like cilinder head gasket is defect, engine pressure is coming in radiator, and cooling fluid goes into motor


What do the hoses hook to in the transmission?

Your transmission pan isn't large enough to cool the transmission fluid like the oil pan, so there is a transmission cooler that looks like a miniture radiator that is typically located in front of the radiator.


What does it mean when the radiator fluid looks like chocolate milk?

If the anti-freeze in your radiator or overflow tank is a chocolate color it usually means that oil is probably getting into your cooling system. It is possibly an intake gasket leaking or maybe a head gasket or there may be a crack. Have a qualified person pressure check your system as anti-freeze and oil aren't a good mix. Also check your oil for a high level or a milky coating on the dipstick.


How do you change the radiator fluid in a 2001 Chevy Blazer LS?

I ran out of time on Saturday to do it, but it looks like you remove the battery. Then you can reach down and open the drain plug. It is just below the battery at the bottom of the radiator.


Why is chocolate hills called the chocolate hills?

The Chocolate Hills in the Philippines are called so because during the dry season, the grass covering the hills turns brown, resembling chocolate kisses. The unique geological formation consists of at least 1,260 cone-shaped hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers.


What does a radiator look like?

Depends. A radiator in a car looks different from a heating radiator in a building. Which one?


What would cause trans fluid to go into radiator on 03 neon?

A bad internal transmission cooler located inside the radiator. Fluid is pumped into it and you could have an exchange of fluids. If the transmission fluid looks like "pepto" (pink) you will being going for a rebuilt transmission. Antifreeze reacts with the clutch plates inside the transmission.