oily radiator fluid

[jdracer]

ok so I got a 1998 eclipse gs the other day. I opened up the radiator cap and noticed that there was some gray/brown fluid resting on top. I put my finger in there and the substance seemed to consist of some oil substance. I went ahead and flushed out my radiator, and refilled it. When I flushed it, a bunch of that grayish fluid came out. Afterwards I re-checked and noticed the oily fluid was still there. I was wondering if anyone has had this happend, and if so what was done to solve it. Thanks a bunch for the help.

 

[psychlow]

When this happens, this usually means that there is some sort of leak between your motor oil and your coolant.

In most cases, that means that your headgasket is blown.

If I were you, I'd take it to a shop and have them compression test the engine to find out of the headgasket needs to be replaced, and/or pressure test the coolant system for internal leaks.

 

[jasoncitrano]

I'd say 90% of the time it's a blown head gasket. Which means guess what? Timing belt time!

 

[jdracer]

ok, psychlo, it would be easier for me just to replace the head gasket myself without doing a pressure test. do you think that is ok? Would i not notice performance wise, or it having a hard time starting if the head gasket is blown? As for jasoncitrano's answer, what will i have to do with my timing belt? Sorry for being such a newb, but this is my second vehicle, and my first was a jeep which i new everything about so this is new territory and i feel like an idiot. Thank you all a bunch for your help so far!

 

[Mirage1]

One quick question before you go replacing the headgasket. 5-speed or automatic transmission? You don't have it listed in your vehicle profile.

If you have a 5-speed, ignore me. If you have an automatic trans, verify that it is engine oil in the coolant. Some cars have external trans coolers and others run a loop through the radiator. Sometimes the radiator loops rupture and leak into the coolant.

Not saying that is what happened, but I would be pissed off if I replaced a headgasket and later found out it was just a leak in the radiator.

Also, do the 420A engines have the same crappy oil cooler that runs coolant through the oil filter housing?

 

[jdracer]

thanks mirage! i do have the a/t in mine, and i do believe there are lines running through the bottom portion of the radiator that could very possibly be what you are talking about. If it is that what do you recomend i do? I notice that you also have the a/t but i do believe that yours is different considering you have the different motor and all. If i do have a crappy cooler, i dont know, just got the car on monday, but if i do im putting in a b&m supercooler.

 

[hereitcomes]

I'd say 90% of the time it's a blown head gasket. Which means guess what? Timing belt time!

yes its that time of the month. Oily Coolant/coolant with oil is most likely 90% a headgasket. soon you will start to burn coolant and overheat. When your in there doing the head gasket change the (if you want to save youself a lot lot lot of headache): water pump, timing belt and tensioner, get a upper gasket set for every manifold and injector/appliance in the head area, and check the rest of the belts while everything is apart. it is worth it 100%. I did a headjob on mine and half of the motor has new parts. my car has never run better.
good luck man.

 

[Defiant]

Check your oil cooler.
http://vfaq.com/mods/oilcool.html

 

[91Bomb]

Did you flush out your radiator overflow bottle? I've seen sludge like stuff build up in there over time and when it gets bad enough you will see it when you remove the radiator cap. Anyhow if you flushed radiator and not overflow bottle you should do that and re-flush the whole system again especially if you notice a lot of sludge at bottom of that bottle.