Please diagnose this brown crap in my plumbing.

[sexytoy69]

Hey guys, last week I just finished installing an Evo III turbo. I drained my oil and coolant before the installation. I filled everything back up after the installation. I drove for a week without any coolant or oil leaks. I recently checked my oil level and it's ok. I checked my coolant and I found this brown muddy deposit that looks like poop.

I am also pushing coolant into the overflow. There is no coolant in the upper hose. Right now I'm running 14 PSI because I haven't installed my supporting fuel mods yet. I have done some research, and it's pointing to a problem with the head gasket. Does this sound right to you guys? Or is it the thermostat or radiator cap? Please help. Thanks in advance.

 

[sonicnofadz]

I think your motor just shat itself!

 

[sonicnofadz]

Seriously, I think that these weird substance can mean only two things:

1.) Severe internal corrosion in the coolant passages of the block
2.) Coolant + Oil mixing from a blown headgasket to form poop like substrate

Try flushing out your coolant and see if that improves the situation. Check your oil for coolant contamination and do a compression check just for peace of mind. Good luck!

 

[sexytoy69]

This is a newbie question: how does a headgasket get blown? Is it from overboosting? I'm not even boosting my car, but I'm still pushing coolant into the overflow. Thanks for the respond. I will flush the coolant later this week. Keep the responses coming guys if you have other ideas or suggestions. Worst case scenario, how hard is it to change a head gasket?

 

[1sick91tsi]

looks like barsley leak stop. or how ever you spell it. you can get it at just about any parts store. i used it on my mustang to nurse the heater core along until winter was over. let that color residue on everything for me. i dont know if you have always owned that car but you may have just shook up what was in there by flushing the rad.

 

[GVR4592]

looks like barsley leak stop. or how ever you spell it. you can get it at just about any parts store. i used it on my mustang to nurse the heater core along until winter was over. let that color residue on everything for me. i dont know if you have always owned that car but you may have just shook up what was in there by flushing the rad.

Bingo, Bars leaks Stopleak. Does the smell make you want to puke?

 

[sonicnofadz]

If it is stop leak, why is his coolant overflowing?

 

[sexytoy69]

No it doesn't smell that bad. It just smells like regular coolant. Yeah, what Sonic said. Why am I pushing coolant into the overflow? And is it harmful to drive with a blown head gasket?

 

[GVR4592]

If somebody put stopleak in they did it to cover an existing problem, which may have just elevated to the point where stopleak couldn't cover it up any more and the car overheated and blew the gasket.

Yes it's harmful to drive with a blown headgasket, the coolant can corrode the cylinder head and the pistons.

 

[sexytoy69]

Where are the potential leaks that would make someone put StopLeak in? Also, if this is really StopLeak, will it harm my new turbo?

 

[playitlouddsm]

Usually its used to fix small rad. leaks.

 

[GVR4592]

I think the most common reason people use it is when the water pump fails they see coolant leaking from the weep hole and they incorrectly assume that the gasket is failing.

 

[sexytoy69]

Hmmm...I just got a new timing belt and water pump installed a couple of months before I installed my turbo. I also got my coolant flushed at the same time. I hope the mechanic didn't put any StopLeak in there. What else can it be that will cause this brown muddy deposit? Will this potentially harm my new turbo if it is StopLeak?

 

[sonicnofadz]

I would speak to the mechanic who did the flush (if you can find him).

 

[sexytoy69]

Well, I'm going to flush my coolant and get a compression test. Will this compression test determine if I have a blown head gasket for sure?

 

[TalonTsi31]

watch out! thats bad probably engine sludge your looking at a blown your head gasket. that could be because of overheating check your coolant pressure.

 

[sexytoy69]

watch out! thats bad probably engine sludge your looking at a blown your head gasket. that could be because of overheating check your coolant pressure.

So should I get both a coolant pressure test and a compression test?

 

[sonicnofadz]

Well, I'm going to flush my coolant and get a compression test. Will this compression test determine if I have a blown head gasket for sure?

Unfortunately no. Compression tests don't always reveal compromised head gaskets, but many times they do. If while doing the compression test your coolant resevoir begins to bubble (make sure you keep an eye out for that) you will know for sure. Also, dump your oil and see if you can visibly see traces of coolant in it. If you find any coolant in the oil, you will know for sure.

 

[sexytoy69]

Unfortunately no. Compression tests don't always reveal compromised head gaskets, but many times they do. If while doing the compression test your coolant resevoir begins to bubble (make sure you keep an eye out for that) you will know for sure. Also, dump your oil and see if you can visibly see traces of coolant in it. If you find any coolant in the oil, you will know for sure.

Worst case scenario: is it expensive to replace a head gasket? The part shouldn't be that much, but the labor is a pain right?

 

[TalonTsi31]

the parts are not going to be rediculus. but with labor its not cheap either. like i said before definantly check your coolant.you probably did blow your head gasket and it over heated causing some coolant dump into your oil. let me know if that helps at all.

 

[sexytoy69]

the parts are not going to be rediculus. but with labor its not cheap either. like i said before definantly check your coolant.you probably did blow your head gasket and it over heated causing some coolant dump into your oil. let me know if that helps at all.

I will definitely keep you guys posted. Thank you all for the help so far. I am not very experienced in tuning at all, but I did manage to install a turbo by myself. Should I take this to a mechanic or try to do this myself if it is a blown head gasket? Basically, I'm asking how difficult is the swapping of a new gasket?

 

[TalonTsi31]

due to the cost in labor i personally would do it myself. but i have done all the work so far on my 95 talon. if you replaced the turbo on your car the the head gasket wont be to hard. you should order th part and due it your self. but if the head gasket turns out not to be the problem. and there are other hidden issues then a good mechanic could tell you exactly what is wrong. your call.

 

[sexytoy69]

due to the cost in labor i personally would do it myself. but i have done all the work so far on my 95 talon. if you replaced the turbo on your car the the head gasket wont be to hard. you should order th part and due it your self. but if the head gasket turns out not to be the problem. and there are other hidden issues then a good mechanic could tell you exactly what is wrong. your call.

Do I need any special tools to get to the head gasket? Do I have to take the turbo off again?

 

[TalonTsi31]

just a set of wrenches and a socket set . what kind of car do you have/what engine?

 

[1990talon]

just a set of wrenches and a socket set . what kind of car do you have/what engine?

Look at his profile