blown head gasket or mud replaced coolant? (1 Viewer)

[pc4400]

What the H is this?

We just got back from camping. The cruiser got a little hot, but I ran the heater and kept everything under control. I opened the radiator cap and found mud? or is this a mix of oil and coolant? So I checked the oil and yes it is low. So did I blow a head gasket? The weird thing is that we drove home with no problems, no loss of power and no engine smoke.
Any ideas?

 

[pc4400]

I wanted to add that I replaced the entire cooling system about 7 or 8 months ago (water pump, hoses, thoermostat, etc).

 

[3jvj]

Taste it. I know that sound stupid but hey....

Could just be rust that came out of you heater core. I'd flush, fill with water, run it till it's hot, let it cool, and check for oil beads on the surface.

or

Pressure test your coolant system (any radiator place will be able to do it). Probably worth the $10 they will charge you to rule out the head gasket.

 

[Pin_Head]

Run it with the radiator cap off and look for bubbles as a sign of a combustion chamber leak into the coolant.

 

[bigaxe]

That is probably not oil in your cooling system. Most of the time it works the other way, where coolant enters the oil from a blown head gasket. If that is the case, your oil will probably turn to a chocolate milkshake consistancy. What you have could be caused by a small leak in your head gasket, or a leak in your cooling system somewhere that allows air to enter. The constant aeration of the coolant causes oxidation of the iron parts and the goo that you now have. Flush the livin' crap out of it and take it to a shop that will sniff the cooling system with a smog machine to test for combustion gasses. Some shops also use what is called a block checker. It is a tube filled with a liquid that changes color when combustion gasses are drawn through it.

 

[pc4400]

Wow, great info.

It's weird, the coolant looks like chocolate milkshake, but the oil on the other hand is low, but still looks like normal oil (no mix with coolant). I'll flush it all out. Then have it checked. Why couldn't this happen at the END of camping season


Ill keep you guys informed as well as put up some pics from crab flats trail, it was nice this time of year.

 

[malcb]

I wanted to add that I replaced the entire cooling system about 7 or 8 months ago (water pump, hoses, thoermostat, etc).

Looks like a new rad cap might be in order, inner seal looks ok but the outer looks perished.

Thats is wierd looking stuff, I know what 3jvj is suggesting, I do that kind of thing sometimes but using the chemical exhaust gas / coolant check is perhaps more conventional.

 

[malcb]

Just a thought but can you get this kind of muck by mixing antifreeze types that are not compatible ?

EDIT: Not much from google but how about this on a Land Rover forum.

"if you mix the blue with Halfrauds pretty pink stuff it turns to a sort of sh1tty brown colour"

http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=8772&pid=92179&mode=threaded&start=#entry92179

Perhaps there was enough old stuff still in the block to react.

 

[craptabulous]

that looks more like mud then oil and coolant .

there is always a ton of sand sitting in the coolant passages from the original casting , it could of broken loose and mixed when you got a little hot . or came from your overflow bottle some how they seem to get full of crap .

coolant turns brown when all the additives dissolve from the coolant and it is no longer any good , but i don't remember it ever turning to that texture that it looks like you have there .

i would flush it really good and fill it back up then check it for combustion gasses .

 

[antFJ]

my brothers jeep looked just like that... we replaced thermostat (which was bad) cleaned out the system with water and then replaced with new coolant... it has ran for many more years without issue.. i think he MIGHT have had to get a new radiator too.. his was more like realllly thick paste... but looked just like that

 

[pc4400]

Just an update

I pulled off a heater hose to set up to flush. The coolant was in perfect shape. Ts only "chocolate milkshake" in the radiator. I'll flush it, then get the compression checked.

 

[mooker82]

Have you ever used a stop leak product? I have seen some that end up looking like that.

 

[pc4400]

Have you ever used a stop leak product? I have seen some that end up looking like that.

Nope, learned that long ago on a different car. Would never use that stuff.

 

[pc4400]

UPDATE

OK, so I flushed everything out and it seemed to be ok.
I then drove about 70mph for about 30 miles and I see the new coolant starting to cloud up again (chocolate milkshake).
Just picked up a compression tester, here are the results;

Cyl.
1. 145
2. 130
3. 134
4. 119
5. 114
6. 135

Cylinder's 4 and 5 spark plugs were a little oily as well. So is this evidence of head gasket failure?
What do you guys think?
I can afford to do a top end rebuild but Im just hoping that I dont have to touch the bottom end until way later.
Please advise.

 

[Greenweenie40]

Looks like oil mix to me.

 

[71FJ40]

Have you ever used a stop leak product? I have seen some that end up looking like that.

x2

 

[pc4400]

It's just weird that my oil gets into the coolant, but no coolant gets into the oil.
I've never seen this with a blown head gasket.

 

[pc4400]

So do you guys think I'll be ok doing a top end rebuild and waiting on the lower end?
When I take the head off, I'll be taking a good look at the cyl walls of course.

Here's my plan;
1. Get head resurfaced
2. New valves/springs/lifters
3. Rebuild my tired aisin carb
4. gasket set
5. replace tired exh manifold (with small leak) with headers
6. Pull gas tank and get resealed
7. Carb rebuild
8. New temp sending units, etc.
9. Get my valve cover powder coated

Did I miss anything?