Bacteria growth in radiator?

[toximus]

Over the last month I have been flushing the radiator and I finished up last week by filling with HOAT coolant. I just checked today to make sure it's still topped off and I noticed a bunch of organic looking stuff floating in the radiator. Like algae. I noticed it during my flushes but I had thought it was just junk being flushed out and it was cleared up by the time I got done.

Has anyone experienced this? Will the HOAT kill it and then I can do another drain and fill, or do I need to run a flush of some sort to kill it? I think the biodegradable flush I used activated something already in the coolant system.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

A little penicillin will clear that right up.

 

[toximus]

A little penicillin will clear that right up.

You got a guy?

 

[jjvw]

What if the goo becomes sentient and starts complaining about the heat?

 

[Chris]

They gave me a shot in the ass for this when I was in the Army. You remember that shot @Jerry Bransford? The big penicillin one in the ass. I’ll never forget that

 

[Jerry Bransford]

They gave me a shot in the ass for this when I was in the Army. You remember that shot @Jerry Bransford? The big penicillin one in the ass. I’ll never forget that

Yep with the requisite square needle.

 

[KCsTJ]

You probably do have bacteria in your radiator because they can adapt and live almost anywhere but i doubt that's what you are seeing.
Bacteria have been found in natural hot springs.

And for them to clump together large enough to see well thats remote because there's not enough nutrients in ethylene glycol for them to grow fast enough to form colonies.

I dont think it's algae because algae need sunlight to live.

I think it's just more junk you removed as a result of your thorough radiator washes and backwashes.

 

[04 LJ]

big one in the ass. I’ll never forget that

 

[pagrey]

Over the last month I have been flushing the radiator and I finished up last week by filling with HOAT coolant. I just checked today to make sure it's still topped off and I noticed a bunch of organic looking stuff floating in the radiator. Like algae. I noticed it during my flushes but I had thought it was just junk being flushed out and it was cleared up by the time I got done.

Has anyone experienced this? Will the HOAT kill it and then I can do another drain and fill, or do I need to run a flush of some sort to kill it? I think the biodegradable flush I used activated something already in the coolant system.

Nothing outside a science fiction film can live at that temperature. You probably have a chemical reaction going on between what you flushed with and your HOAT. Don't use whatever you used to flush again. Personally I'd flush with tap again to get all that crap out and then fill with HOAT.

 

[JEEPCJTJ]

Have you named your Jeep yet? If you haven't and need to get rid of that bacteria as Jerry has suggested how about Penicillin Penny?

 

[KCsTJ]

Guess all the microbiologists are wrong if that's the case.

 

[pagrey]

Guess all the microbiologists are wrong if that's the case.

Number of times a mechanic has diagnosed a radiator with a bacterial infection, zero.

 

[pagrey]

Guess all the microbiologists are wrong if that's the case.

search "ethylene glycol bacterial growth" and profit, I know I am crass at times but truth is truth

 

[Steel City 06]

Probably just corrosion products. This is mine. Didn't improve much after several chemical flushes.

 

[KCsTJ]

search "ethylene glycol bacterial growth" and profit, I know I am crass at times but truth is truth

If bacteria can grow in hot springs and they can , then they can grow in 210 degrees that was my point

 

[Ct_tj]

Did you buy the jeep new? If not it could be residual stop leak a PO put in the cooling system. Do you have pictures of what it looks like?

 

[liquidfluidity]

Subbed

 

[toximus]

Kinda difficult to get a picture of it. It's those flakes.

I've used the chemical flush and coolant before on a different Jeep with no issues.

 

[toximus]

I don't know the full history of this Jeep so I guess anything is possible.

The coolant is Zerex G05 which is pricey stuff so I don't want to waste any more by aimlessly draining and filling again.

 

[lostintime]

If it is white it is just corrosion that is being lifted off the block and cores. If it is greenish then it could be bacteria which is highly doubtful. I would drain and filter the stuff out with a coffee filter and then refill. But you disturbed it and it will come back