2021 Powerboost Main Coolant Brown - Fluid analysis

[RyanStroeder]

53k km's or 33k miles - coolant has never been changed and I'm the original owner.

Coolant is brown as it gets and had me concerned. Ford dealer said don't worry about it. I took a sample for Fluid Analysis and the results are attached (I can't interpret the analysis, just relying on the analyst himself).

Analyst says " All levels are within acceptable ranges. There is no indication from my testing as to why the color is changing."

I've seen a few other posts on here questioning the coolant color change and thought others might like to know. Additional pics of coolant reservoirs and color.

Cheers

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[UGADawg96]

normal

 

[RyanStroeder]

normal

agreed - the color change is still a surprise and I haven't been able to find a reason as to why. Normal google searching or Grok/Perplexity warns of oil leakage or metal contamination.

Grateful that it's not a concern here.

 

[Eighthtry]

Doesn't convince me.

 

[mwheue]

Mine is the same brownish color.

 

[HammaMan]

Ai suggests....
"The stainless exchanger isn’t failing (no Cr/Ni leaching), but its heat and system dynamics are likely browning the coolant faster by stressing the dye or trace organics. Your hybrid’s aluminum design and clean metals test back this—it’s not corrosion, it’s chemistry."

All of the hybrids make it real obvious because the HV loop is sitting there looking new. The coolant is always getting cooked at the heat exchanger. I suspect there to still be a little flow through even when not actively diverting exhaust. Seems to be breaking down the dye

You're nearly at 5 years and it's about that time

 

[RyanStroeder]

Ai suggests....
"The stainless exchanger isn’t failing (no Cr/Ni leaching), but its heat and system dynamics are likely browning the coolant faster by stressing the dye or trace organics. Your hybrid’s aluminum design and clean metals test back this—it’s not corrosion, it’s chemistry."

All of the hybrids make it real obvious because the HV loop is sitting there looking new. The coolant is always getting cooked at the heat exchanger. I suspect there to still be a little flow through even when not actively diverting exhaust. Seems to be breaking down the dye

You're nearly at 5 years and it's about that time

agreed - i ran it through a couple perplexity models - it is suggesting the RA indicates I have roughly 15000 km's left of coolant life (straight line degredation model) so i'll change in in roughly 7-9k km's.

Amazing stuff!

Any easy way to get a small sample of tranny fluid? I'd be interested in having it analyzed in the same way.

 

[Gros Ventre]

I had the engine coolant analyzed for the same reason (color); 21 PB. Same results: no indication of trouble. Go figure.

 

[RyanStroeder]

I had the engine coolant analyzed for the same reason (color); 21 PB. Same results: no indication of trouble. Go figure.

Right on - next up is transmission fluid test!

 

[amschind]

Mine is that color. I will get my transmission and coolant flushed soon, and when I do, I can see if the color doesn't change after that since I don't have an exhaust heat exchanger.

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