Coolant/Engine oddity

[europeanme]

i am currently running G12 coolant in my engine but i have started to notice crystals collecting around the expansion bottle cap...it almost feels like sand!!...
could it be the results of a reaction with the inside of the waterways and the coolant?
if not...what is it!??!?!..

as mentioned before i am looking to replace my valve guides as my car has started smoking....this smoking stopped a few weeks ago....and in the dry it doesn't appear to do it...as it was raining today it has started again....what is going on!!...

it appears all my engine woes are coming all at once....

[Jamo]

G12 or G12plus? G11 and G12 were immiscible hence you have to use the G12 plus

[QuattroFever]

I had this exact stuff shortly after i bought the coupe off ya. Never did work out what it was.

Thought it could be radseal as shortly after the heater matrix started leaking.

Do you take your car to a local garage and is it the same garage you used to take the coupe to? they might be adding radseal as part of a service, I've heard from someone at gsf that a certain main dealer buys stock of K-Seal and add's it at every service they do.

[QuattroFever]

I know this might sound too easy, but given the conditions you mention could the smoking be the tailpipe taking in water when it rains and then boiling it off when you start it. Does it stick out proud of the bumper or even upswept?

What kind of smoke is it? colour, density (does it carry high into the air or dissipate quickly), and does it smell odd. not oil or petrol but chemical or sweet.

[rj scotty]

I get this. I was told is crystallised anti freeze.

I run G12+ I flush ounce a year and don't use any water/oil or overheat in any way.

Give it a good flush and don't worry would be my advice.

[dubmeister]

Crystalising antifreeze is usually formed when it comes into contact with air, was some spilt when it was topped up or is there a leak at the cap??

[QuattroFever]

Is it brown? I got toffee brown crystals.

[rj scotty]

thats the stuff

[europeanme]

Crystalising antifreeze is usually formed when it comes into contact with air, was some spilt when it was topped up or is there a leak at the cap??

eerrrmmmm guilty as charged...the bolt at the top of the rad is leaking..so this explains the crystals i am getting....

[europeanme]

I know this might sound too easy, but given the conditions you mention could the smoking be the tailpipe taking in water when it rains and then boiling it off when you start it. Does it stick out proud of the bumper or even upswept?

What kind of smoke is it? colour, density (does it carry high into the air or dissipate quickly), and does it smell odd. not oil or petrol but chemical or sweet.

the smoke is blue...and suspicions are it is my valve guides....as it only occurs when i am just over tick over...for example in very slow traffic/queue of cars...and as soon as i pull away i get the plume of smoke....