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nasty brown frothy antifreeze in res?

  • Thread starter Thread starter IndyBlk5.0
  • Start date Start date Dec 6, 2003
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davs5.0

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Jul 10, 2002
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windsor,ontario,canada
Dec 6, 2003
#21
  • Dec 6, 2003
  • #21
For the money, I'd take the rad in and get it flushed professionally. A small price to pay and you know its good. Water pump usually starts weeping out of the hole in the bottom but my neighbours Taurus wasn't and we pulled the pump and found most of the impeller blades were missing pieces. Worth a try?
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
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#22
  • Dec 6, 2003
  • #22
BTW the coolant dosent seem to flow very well when the cap is off and its ideling........ makes me think water pump going south.
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
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#23
  • Dec 6, 2003
  • #23
davs5.0 said:
For the money, I'd take the rad in and get it flushed professionally. A small price to pay and you know its good. Water pump usually starts weeping out of the hole in the bottom but my neighbours Taurus wasn't and we pulled the pump and found most of the impeller blades were missing pieces. Worth a try?
Click to expand...

Yeah and if stop leak was put in it before or too much gasket sealant on the water pump when cam was installed the weep hole may be plugged.
 

ponyboy19

Founding Member
May 24, 2000
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36
Dec 6, 2003
#24
  • Dec 6, 2003
  • #24
Yeah it looks like it might be Bars Leak or some other type of coolant sealant.. If it runs strong, doesn't over heat, I'd run it.
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
1,785
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#25
  • Dec 6, 2003
  • #25
it will build to much pressure and blowover after time. We are doing a water pump in the morning. So as to rule it out and hopefully fix it.
 

GAU89LXStang

New Member
Feb 12, 2003
132
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0
Dec 7, 2003
#26
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #26
It sounds alot like a clogged radiator to me. And if it has that stop leak in it that stuff is garbage. My dad used to dump some pepper in the radiators to stop a leak temporarily. I know, but it worked... But I'd get the radiator flushed, and have them perform a leakdown test on it. A new water pump could be it, but it really sounds like a radiatior clog to me. Maybe both. Let us know, oh and the brown stuff in the resevoir is probably corrosion from the radiator. Later.


Mo' Town
 

EMW150

Founding Member
May 22, 2000
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46
Roaring Spring,PA
Dec 7, 2003
#27
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #27
It's a head gasket. I had the same thing happen. There are several different ways a head gasket can go. Sometimes they'll drop coolant in the pan and sometimes they'll just pump the cooling system full of combustion pressure. That's why it's emptying your radiator when you take the cap off. It's probably a slight leak and your symptoms will get worse with time. They can be hard to track because sometimes they only leak at high rpm or under a heavy load so you can't see it when you're running the engine in the garage with the cap off. It'll keep getting worse though. Pretty soon it'll start filling and overflowing your overflow.
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
1,785
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Dec 7, 2003
#28
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #28
Well the water pump is on. Jason went for a drive. Ill look it over when he gets back. If this isnt it Id say head gasket too.
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
1,785
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#29
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #29
Ok heres the deal. New pump didnt fix it. We ran water thru the radiator each way it seems to flow fine each way. I dont think the rad is the issue.Its still building pressure in the system, I followed him home it does steam out the driver side pipe when nothing comes from passinger side. I also noticed it is bubbleing in the overflow. I made one out of a 2 liter bottle so we could see it better and it definitly bubbles. I am convienced its a head gasket although we hoped it wouldnt be. Let me know what you guys decide Jason.
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
1,785
1,130
233
Indiana
Dec 7, 2003
#30
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #30
EMW150 said:
It's a head gasket. I had the same thing happen. There are several different ways a head gasket can go. Sometimes they'll drop coolant in the pan and sometimes they'll just pump the cooling system full of combustion pressure. That's why it's emptying your radiator when you take the cap off. It's probably a slight leak and your symptoms will get worse with time. They can be hard to track because sometimes they only leak at high rpm or under a heavy load so you can't see it when you're running the engine in the garage with the cap off. It'll keep getting worse though. Pretty soon it'll start filling and overflowing your overflow.
Click to expand...


I think you have nailed it. I agree that its going to get worse. I know Jason is going ........ But I told him that this kind of stuff is normal on a mustang with almost 100k on it and having the mods it has I am sure its been rode hard. Some one has done some decent Mods to it. I think it will be a great car once he works the bugs out of it.
 

IndyBlk5.0

New Member
Nov 24, 2003
1,122
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New Whiteland, IN
Dec 7, 2003
#31
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #31
5.0Droptop said:
Ok heres the deal. New pump didnt fix it. We ran water thru the radiator each way it seems to flow fine each way. I dont think the rad is the issue.Its still building pressure in the system, I followed him home it does steam out the driver side pipe when nothing comes from passinger side. I also noticed it is bubbleing in the overflow. I made one out of a 2 liter bottle so we could see it better and it definitly bubbles. I am convienced its a head gasket although we hoped it wouldnt be. Let me know what you guys decide Jason.
Click to expand...
Well im going to have a lot of fun breaking the news to my dad thats for sure... Im going to have to talk to him and figure out what we are going to do. So much for christmas! lol
 

EMW150

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May 22, 2000
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Roaring Spring,PA
Dec 7, 2003
#32
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #32
If you guys did your water pump, you can do the head gaskets. Do them both (not just the side that's steaming). Use the Felpro stock replacement gasket part #8548 PT-2 and get your buddies together and knock it out. Those are about the best gaskets you can get and they're cheap. It really isn't a tough job just time consuming. The biggest part is cleaning the old gasket surfaces. Gotta be spotless.
 

IndyBlk5.0

New Member
Nov 24, 2003
1,122
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New Whiteland, IN
Dec 7, 2003
#33
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #33
EMW150 said:
If you guys did your water pump, you can do the head gaskets. Do them both (not just the side that's steaming). Use the Felpro stock replacement gasket part #8548 PT-2 and get your buddies together and knock it out. Those are about the best gaskets you can get and they're cheap. It really isn't a tough job just time consuming. The biggest part is cleaning the old gasket surfaces. Gotta be spotless.
Click to expand...
Thank you EMW150, youve been a great help and you nailed my problem right on the nose. We are probably going to do this in stages and be done in a week. I want to have my heads machined and maybe get a valve job while im at it... Do you know the sequence of taking off the head bolts and rockers? i have crane roller rockers... thanks a lot
 

Jerry Leaming

Member
Nov 2, 2003
477
2
18
Olympia Wa
Dec 7, 2003
#34
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #34
Make sure the block isn't warped... use a straight edge and check it. Also w/o a doubt machine your heads if thats the ones your planning on using. Odds are one of the two is warped and get new head bolts too.
 

IndyBlk5.0

New Member
Nov 24, 2003
1,122
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New Whiteland, IN
Dec 7, 2003
#35
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #35
Jerry Leaming said:
Make sure the block isn't warped... use a straight edge and check it. Also w/o a doubt machine your heads if thats the ones your planning on using. Odds are one of the two is warped and get new head bolts too.
Click to expand...
Yes, i was told the head bolts stretch becuase of the torque rating, so yes i will definatly going to get that done. I want to do the job right so that it will be reliable.
 

Jerry Leaming

Member
Nov 2, 2003
477
2
18
Olympia Wa
Dec 7, 2003
#36
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #36
Are these stock heads?
If your going to put any kind of money in them you'll be better off to upgrade to some better units.
You know......changing heads isn't a fun job may as well only do it once.
 

IndyBlk5.0

New Member
Nov 24, 2003
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New Whiteland, IN
Dec 7, 2003
#37
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #37
Jerry Leaming said:
Are these stock heads?
If your going to put any kind of money in them you'll be better off to upgrade to some better units.
You know......changing heads isn't a fun job may as well only do it once.
Click to expand...
Who knows, im pretty sure since the head gasket went out they probably are, i think one has the number 22 on one of them, i dont know if they are stock ported or not. car pulls pretty hard and i can just imagine how its going to be without a compression leak
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
1,785
1,130
233
Indiana
Dec 7, 2003
#38
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #38
I have pleanty of experience building motors doing heads etc. I have been working on Jasons car and teaching him as we go. I am 32 he is 18 I will teach him how to do the cyclinder heads next. I would have recomended a head upgrade but for a Sr. in high school ,I am sure it isnt priority right now. The priority is to get the car reliable for a daily driver and then later do mods as he can afford it. The car runs very well now. I hope to really dial it in when we do the heads, I told him the proper way will be to take the heads to the mach shop have them checked and a valve job etc replace the bolts and all new felpro gaskets was my thoughts.... I have a shop here in Indy that I use named Quinnlyn automotive. He does great work and stands behind his services. The only thing that will be new to me is adjusting the roller rockers because I havent messed with them before. But Ed Curtis has posted very good info on how to adjust them properly and I will print that out and follow it to the T. Thanks for everyones input it has been helpful in diagnosing this problem.
 

IndyBlk5.0

New Member
Nov 24, 2003
1,122
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0
New Whiteland, IN
Dec 7, 2003
#39
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #39
Yeah one other sign was we opened up the oil fill cap and on the bottom side of it we saw this white foamy stuff, just one more thing to add to say it is a head gasket... :damnit:
 

5.0Droptop

...all those nights we shared, and you're a dude??
Special Agent Mukity-Muck Whats in Charge Round Here
May 15, 2002
1,785
1,130
233
Indiana
Dec 7, 2003
#40
  • Dec 7, 2003
  • #40
Nice new avatar you go there indy!
 
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