Mud in antifreeze?

cmkmtrucker

New User
I tore down my Ford 850 engine to do a rebuild this week. When i removed the freeze plug behind the #4 cylinder it was packed with a mud like substance. Has anyone else seen this? Could it be mud or has the coolant gone bad somehow?
 
Haven't seen yours, but have seen it years ago in engines. Rust particles and dirt buildup over the years. That is why they recommend flushing the cooling system ever so often.
 
My Oliver had black sludge at the rear of the block and would not drain. I took off the petcock and put in a 45 street-L and 6 in nipple (to get past the oil filter) then a garden hose adapter. Put the hose on and let it run with the front block plug and radiator drain opened.
 
I have seen similar in several older engines I have rebuilt, both in block and radiator. I assume rust from oxidation in block, and also probably some of the minerals from the water that was used in the cooling system. More noticeable on engines that used anti-freeze before rust inhibitors were added to it. Just my opinion.
 
That's pretty much normal to find. It's sediment from oxidation. Main thing is to get it out while it's apart. That stuff is corrosive, looking at the back side of the freeze plug you'll see black etching where it was in contact with the plug.

If you're having the block cleaned chemically, that will get rid of it. Otherwise blast it out with a pressure washer through the freeze plug holes and the passages from the deck surface.
 
My Farmall H was packed with mud. I doubt any solvent would loosen that up, you just have to take plugs out and power wash.
 
as others said.

minerals, sludges from dirty water ( remember when pond water was sugested to use!)

rust scale

and stop leak products.
 
I had only bought the tractor a few weeks before that so I have no idea about the previouus maintenance schedule. It all came out with a pressure washer. Thank you for all the information.
 
(quoted from post at 04:56:05 12/04/14) All I can add is to clean out the radiator too because it's in there.
Yup I had a "Muddy radiator" and "Muddy block" when I got ye old 46 Adams 311 Motor Grader. When I drained the anti-freeze it smelled like an old cow farm.
 

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