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White/black/brownish gunk in radiator

M

Meliquin00

New member
Hi there, noob here don't know if anyone had this problem couldn't find anything on the search engine but I just got my first Grand Prix GT 2001 3800, noticed it was over heating so I let it cool down and checked the coolant and found some white/black/brownish guu under the cap? Never seen this before. Couple days after the the white part starting turning into a brownish color. I poured in some Prestone antifreeze and filled it up but after running around for few hours, and letting it cool down checked it again, it needed more so guessing there's a leak somewhere too? And the "coolant low" light always stays on? The car has about 175,000 miles on it. Could really use some help here. Thanks.
 


That gunk would be the result of someone mixing Dex-cool, and regular green coolant. They are not compatible.

Look like this?
dsc02874f.jpg


If the low coolant light is on no matter how full the system is, it is bad and needs to be replaced. Could be gummed up.

Check the engine oil dipstick and make sure there is no coolant in the oil (No foamy oil). You will probably need new LIM gaskets.
 
I good guess is that the LIM (lower intake) gaskets are going out and its been eating the coolant slowly. The black/brown crap under the cap is likely the dex-cool coolant that has see air, dex-cool and air don't mix and thus it sludges up.

If it was my car, I would do the intake gaskets, flush the coolant, new thermostat and run green coolant when done.

There are a few write up's on this and even a video on how to do the job.
 


Ok then I have another question, I added some Prestone antifreeze yesterday, and this morning I ran it to the gas station which is like a quarter of a mile away, when I came back out it was all over the floor, open the hood and it looked like it squeezed its way out of the top of the water pump, now would that be a gasket problem or the actual water pump?
 
make sure you tourqe it down tho last thing you want is for it to blow up in your face with scolding hot coolant. thats no fun trust me on that
 


Meliquin00 said:
Ok then I have another question, I added some Prestone antifreeze yesterday, and this morning I ran it to the gas station which is like a quarter of a mile away, when I came back out it was all over the floor, open the hood and it looked like it squeezed its way out of the top of the water pump, now would that be a gasket problem or the actual water pump?
Click to expand...


sounds like the coolant elbow blew out, it the plastic part from the lim to alt bracket.

you need to flush and clean your system out real good, flush it to clean water, then put some Prestone radiator cleaner stuff in, run it like that for a while, ( a nice little ride) then flush it again, and then add green coolant.
 
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