Joey Mitchell

So since I've replaced the timing belt and water pump on my y7 my temp gauge has been looking great. Doesnt even run up to halfway on the gauge most of the time like it used to when I had the leak.

I go to check my coolant level yesterday, because I have a tiny **** leak either in my radiator or my cap, and there is this wonderful brown/black sludge on the bottom of my radiator cap and floating around in my coolant. ******* great right?

I assume this to be oil, and my question to you guys, is this definitely a head gasket issue? Is there any other way oil can get in the coolant system? I've been looking at pics of d series blocks trying to figure out where the oil galleries are, and exactly how the oil pump and oil system works but still not 100% positive.

There is no coolant going into my oil YET, oil on dipstic and under oil cap still looks clean. So is this indeed a head gasket? The whole time the water pump leaked I kept water in the cooling system and it was always clean water, but now that I fixed the water pump boom! Oil in the coolant. Is there a possibility that this substance I believe is oil could be anything else??? God I hope it's not a head gasket gone bad. Ugh

saywhat

Pictures might help a little.

TomCat39

I've seen brown black sludge develop in coolant recovery reservoirs. I do not believe it to be oil. Instead I believe it to be mold/mildew sort of grime/growth. As well, many head gaskets I've pulled the black nitrile rubber coating has deteriorated and come off at the water jacket point which has put little black pieces into the coolant. I believe these deposits group together in the coolant and can be leaving these residues or aiding.

You would need to have the brown/black substance tested to confirm it's oil before assuming you have a head gasket issue. You might try a block test (blue fluid special turkey baster kind of tool). Also compression test wet and dry. These items may help confirm or deny a bad head gasket.

Joey Mitchell

I'll try to get pics up tomorrow. Strange thing I've never had happen, this morning I go to open my radiator cap to check coolant and boom!... Pressure in my radiator? The car had been sitting all night, I found that kind of odd. TomCat39 I hope you are right man, like I said tho I'll get pics up so maybe we can get a better idea of what's in my radiator. In the mean time I'll look up wet and dry comp test to see how to do this. Thanks guys!