Radiator Gunk

[wildcatloe]

Anyone know why I have this brown gunky stuff inside the radiator?

[Kamatari+]

I don't mean to scare you in the slightest, but is it a possibility that's motor oil? Perhaps it could be something less severe, like rust that stayed surfaced and became mushy? I really don't know, just wanted to throw some possibilities in the air.

[wildcatloe]

I have no clue I hope it's not serious

[Mishakol129]

It could be oil. Putting on a new head gasket is not the hardest thing to do in that car. You could be sure it was oil if you had a cylinder leakage test performed. Open the radiator cap during the test and see if you hear bubbles.

[stretch JDM]

Looks like too me someone had used stop leak in there at one point . Its no biggie , you can purchase a flush kit at most all part stores .It will be hard to flush it out properly cause some will linger in the heater core.While you are flushing it just kinda watch it and inspect the catch pan for clumps of that reddish brown crap .If there are any clump you should seek a radiator shop, they can flush them with pressure.

[wildcatloe]

Looks like too me someone had used stop leak in there at one point . Its no biggie , you can purchase a flush kit at most all part stores .It will be hard to flush it out properly cause some will linger in the heater core.While you are flushing it just kinda watch it and inspect the catch pan for clumps of that reddish brown crap .If there are any clump you should seek a radiator shop, they can flush them with pressure.

So you dont think its a head gasket problem? because my car never over heated at any point...And I have no white smoke coming from the muffler.

But ill flush and keep a close eye on it like you said!

[Mike1357]

I honestly don't think you have a head gasket issue. There wouldn't be brown gunk with any sort of substance to it, there would literally just be oil floating in your coolant and/or your oil would be a milky brown instead of a black coffee look (depending on how often you change your oil). < Holy run on sentence.

Radiator flush would be a good idea. Sediments sometimes build up in the system so flushing the system would get most, if not all, of the brown stuff out. Check your overflow bottle too. You'll probably see the same stuff in there.

Hope this helps.

[dbales]

Yeah it looks like sediments in the cooling system. You would probably know if it was oil. A good thorough flush will get a lot of that out.

[HelmHoltz]

It could be a head gasket seep between a oil/coolant passage. That is why you do not have any tail pipe steam.