Reddish brown foamy goop in the cooling system.

[speleopower]

My Aerostar has about 210,000 miles and has started to get some reddish brown goopy foamy stuff in the coolant See pictures).
The oil appears ok i.e. no water (see picture).
Could this be automatic trans oil getting into the coolant? Bad radiator?

My van runs quite well and I have to add a tiny amount of coolant every few weeks or so. Oil level stays constant.

Any ideas?

Thanks for any help-Scott

 

[jd4242]

Cracked head.it would look like a strawberry milk shake if it was trans.clean your radiator and put dye in your oil

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Flush the cooling system, and refill it with the proper mixture.

 

[speleopower]

cooling

For a couple of days while it is freezing here in Florida I'm going to loop the trans lines together and flush the cooling system.
That way I can hopefully eliminate a cracked head or haed gasket.
I am hoping I can just replace the radiator.
The collant is a redish cooler and looks kinda like a strawberry milkshake. Except for the radiator cap has the white foam stuff.

-Scott
Ps-thanks for the welcome. I've had an aerostar for the past 14 years!

 

[jd4242]

If not they carry the dye at local parts store and its cheap.its pretty hard to get all that oil out of a radiator

 

[jd4242]

Or to test the radiator take the trans line off and pressurize where the lines went and look for bubbles in the radiator

 

[speleopower]

Yes it will be near impossible to get all the oil out of the cooling system. I didn't think of that.

I'll change the trans oil tomorrow and see what it looks like. Hopefully, it will show signs of water so I will know it's the radiator and not the head. Anything except the head!!!!!!

I would have thought if it was a cracked head or blown head gasket the engine oil would show some sign of water. But based on what I saw tonight there was no water in it.

I've got my fingers crossed its just the radiator.

The van has 204,000 plus miles.

-Scott

 

[jd4242]

No depends on where the crack is.oil pressure is higher than the water pressure and same with the trans

 

[speleopower]

I drove down the street (about 1/2 mile) to the local NAPA store and got some ATF oil. When I pulled in the driveway I opened the radiator and took a picture of the inside and of the cap.

The actual consistency and color is more like a strawberry milkshake.

I'm thinking it is the radiator now.

-Scott

 

[FORDBOYpete]

Sure looks like ATF to me, ATF + Coolant + Heat + Motion = what your image shows.

It's probably an internal transmission cooler line in your radiator. As JD4242 said, A/T Fluid is High PSI and Coolant is low PSI so you'll not get coolant in your transmission, but will get ATF in your coolant.

Don't change your ATF, find the leak & fix that first. Pressurize cooler lines after you drain ATF from them. If he's right & [I believe he is] as he said you will see/hear bubbles in radiator if cap is removed & there's no pressure in it. Best repair is R&R Radiator. Flush the system well, replace all coolant using the 50/50 ratio and don't forget to top off your A/T fluid level.

I run a new Aluminum, 3 row core, HD, Radiator in my 95 Aero. With flushing, new coolant and all, I spent less than $200 for what I needed to both cure a problem & upgrade to the heavy duty radiator of Aluminum that really cools incredibly fast, even with a 105 heat index & my A-C Running, in traffic.

After you install a new radiator, check your cooling system for electrolysis. Our Aero's are made of many metals and multi-metal systems with heated liquid inside are prone to electrolysis. Thsat's probably what ate the hole in your coolet line inside the radiator tank. Plastic tanks do not ground at all.

Before you decide I'm completely Nuts! Google Cooling System Electrolysis & read up on it. It's for real and it also eats Intake manifold gaskets, heater cores, lower Intake manifolds, welch plugs and so forth & so on, besides ATF Internal cooler lines.

CIAO from A Fellow Frozen Florida Ford Fanatic from East Central FL.

FBp

 

[speleopower]

Looks like it was the ATF oil in the cooling system.
I've flushed flushed and then flushed again with some dish soap as well.
The car seems to be running normal again.
Thanks! I'm sure I will be reading this forum quite a bit.
-Scott

 

[FORDBOYpete]

Scott,
"Roger That" Thanx is always nice to hear, but more importantly we're glad you got control of your problem. There are some very informed folks on here. For the most part we are able to figure stuff out even when we may not have had the same problem.

The True Advantage here however, to me anyhow is we know where to look for answers we may not know off-hand. There is a wealth of FoMoCo Based literature, information, knowledge and experience here. Unlike so many other vehicle specific sites there are not a whole lot of BS'ers here either.

Have A Great New Year Scott, from a fellow frozen Floridian, well not frozen now really, but recovering from the last 2 weeks 4 sho'.
CIAO
FBp

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update!

 

[speleopower]

I'm hoping the issue is resolved. The new coolant is now a deep reddish chocolate brown color. I'm guessing it's near impossible to get all the oil out of the cooling system.

Thinking about changing out the thermostat in the next couple of weeks. The old one seems to stick on occasion. The cars temperature seems to fluctuate quite a bit while driving via the temperature gauge on the dash. I have a feeling the thermostat is sticking on occasion.

My other car is a 1987 Pontiac Fiero GT so I do have a decent automotive hobbyist background.

Again thanks for the help. Oh, is there a thread on just swapping the thermostat out? It looks pretty easy but is there any tricks, tips or trip ups to watch out for?

Yeah it sure did unfreeze this weekend for sure!
-Scott

 

[BrooklynBay]

The housing is bolted on with a gasket under it, so it's easy to do.

 

[speleopower]

Thank bud! I'm enjoying the forum.
-Scott

 

[BrooklynBay]

Some gaskets require sealant. Never put sealant on a rubber gasket or it will leak. The next tip is to place the thermostat in the correct direction. Some are called "fail safe" because they have a small hole to bleed coolant just in case they jam in the closed position.

 

[FORDBOYpete]

Also when you set the T-Stat in place put the small hole at top so system can't get airbound.
As you fill an "MT" cooling sys' fluid displaces air in system and often an air pocket (bubble) forms or gets left in Intake manifold or at some high point.

That little hole will allow it to vent itself out. It also lets any air bubbles out after you shut engine down. It will not vent steam if system overheats as it's just not large enough.
CIAO
FBp

 

[speleopower]

Thanks for the T-stat info and tips.
A headlight went out so gotta get that fixed first.

 

[speleopower]

Just replaced my T-stat. I got a cooler one at 160 degrees.
I'm hoping this will make my van run ice cold.

The original t-stat did not have the little vent hole in it.
-Scott