Brown tar like deposits and debris in coolant cap
06-07-2016, 12:47 PM
#1
Brown tar like deposits and debris in coolant cap
Added distilled water to system last night in prep for bringing car to tech due to coolant leak at 10 years, 43K miles. Inside cap and upper neck of filler tube I found black tarlike film in and some granular black deposits like mud mixed w thick sand inside cap itself.
If this is related to pump/impeller decay one might be able to monitor it for signs of impending pump failure.
Note I had been driving car for a while with a slight metallic ringing noise that I was assured by last tech (I have moved on) was a pulley. While the leak ultimately gave me warning I feel that the mess in the cap says I waited too long on this. I hope there are no complications in there when they get it open
If this is related to pump/impeller decay one might be able to monitor it for signs of impending pump failure.
Note I had been driving car for a while with a slight metallic ringing noise that I was assured by last tech (I have moved on) was a pulley. While the leak ultimately gave me warning I feel that the mess in the cap says I waited too long on this. I hope there are no complications in there when they get it open
06-07-2016, 01:41 PM
#3
Car running as good as ever. Laid it up for 1 1/2 weeks. Did not notice stuff in cap til last night. Drove to shop about 20 mins. Wondering whether to have them flush the system out. Oil change. Check oil filter goes w/o saying.
06-07-2016, 02:05 PM
#6
Suggestions for dx? No >smoke, no >oil consumption, no lights, oil and water (ha) temps normal, No overage in oil, coolant loss consistent w leak (added a gal of h2o last night), running strong
intermix= aos or worse?
intermix= aos or worse?
06-07-2016, 02:18 PM
#7
Coolant reservoir is not sealed. You may get a bunch of those at the bottom of your expansion tank also. Change the coolant and keep an eye on it. Nothing to worry about when you already know that there’s no oil in your coolant and no coolant in your oil.
You mentioned a pulley going bad, you need to track that down. No point risking getting stranded somewhere by delaying the cost.
You mentioned a pulley going bad, you need to track that down. No point risking getting stranded somewhere by delaying the cost.
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06-07-2016, 02:23 PM
#8
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The head gasket on these cars going bad is very very very rare. For one I would def do a coolant flush with a Airlift tool (pressurized) and go from there. You could also have a water hose telling you that its about to go South. Think about all the passage ways inside the motor that coolant flows. With the grit / sludge you are describing....that alone could potentially clog some passages leading to a hot spot which leads to a cracked head.
06-07-2016, 02:26 PM
#9
Coolant reservoir is not sealed. You may get a bunch of those at the bottom of your expansion tank also. Change the coolant and keep an eye on it. Nothing to worry about when you already know that there’s no oil in your coolant and no coolant in your oil.
You mentioned a pulley going bad, you need to track that down. No point risking getting stranded somewhere by delaying the cost.
You mentioned a pulley going bad, you need to track that down. No point risking getting stranded somewhere by delaying the cost.
06-07-2016, 02:29 PM
#10
The head gasket on these cars going bad is very very very rare. For one I would def do a coolant flush with a Airlift tool (pressurized) and go from there. You could also have a water hose telling you that its about to go South. Think about all the passage ways inside the motor that coolant flows. With the grit / sludge you are describing....that alone could potentially clog some passages leading to a hot spot which leads to a cracked head.
06-07-2016, 02:40 PM
#11
I'm thinking (ok hoping) that the condition of the coolant, impeller and hoses will be telling. Interesting in my post last week, 'metal or plastic', a member, (don't recall off top of my head) suggested metal impeller does not deteriorate in coolant over time while plastic one does. I went w plastic. Maybe he was onto something.
06-08-2016, 01:09 PM
#13
Three Wheelin'
I'm thinking (ok hoping) that the condition of the coolant, impeller and hoses will be telling. Interesting in my post last week, 'metal or plastic', a member, (don't recall off top of my head) suggested metal impeller does not deteriorate in coolant over time while plastic one does. I went w plastic. Maybe he was onto something.
06-08-2016, 03:07 PM
#14
06-08-2016, 03:11 PM
#15
Yes that's the popular opinion. Makes sense too