Possible Head Gasket problem?

[325iT]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2000 Explorer XLT 4.0 4x4 and yesterday morning I checked under the radiator cap and noticed there was a yellowish sludge under the cap. I also checked the Coolant Reservoir and notice the same yellow sludge.

Now the truck has been sitting since February of this year. I just started driving it a couple of days ago again and I then decided to check all the oils and what not. I came to find this...

Do I just need to do a radiator flush, or is this a sign of a blown head gasket? The truck runs fine. No overheating or anything of any sort. I checked the oils and found no yellow sludge in the dipsticks.

Thanks in advanced for any help. I'm hoping for a good outcome on this, but I don't have a good feeling about this.

-andrew

 

[dnifong]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2000 Explorer XLT 4.0 4x4 and yesterday morning I checked under the radiator cap and noticed there was a yellowish sludge under the cap. I also checked the Coolant Reservoir and notice the same yellow sludge.

Now the truck has been sitting since February of this year. I just started driving it a couple of days ago again and I then decided to check all the oils and what not. I came to find this...

Do I just need to do a radiator flush, or is this a sign of a blown head gasket? The truck runs fine. No overheating or anything of any sort. I checked the oils and found no yellow sludge in the dipsticks.

Thanks in advanced for any help. I'm hoping for a good outcome on this, but I don't have a good feeling about this.

-andrew

 

[dnifong]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2000 Explorer XLT 4.0 4x4 and yesterday morning I checked under the radiator cap and noticed there was a yellowish sludge under the cap. I also checked the Coolant Reservoir and notice the same yellow sludge.

Now the truck has been sitting since February of this year. I just started driving it a couple of days ago again and I then decided to check all the oils and what not. I came to find this...

Do I just need to do a radiator flush, or is this a sign of a blown head gasket? The truck runs fine. No overheating or anything of any sort. I checked the oils and found no yellow sludge in the dipsticks.

Thanks in advanced for any help. I'm hoping for a good outcome on this, but I don't have a good feeling about this.

-andrew

I had a simmillar issue with the 98 windstar that I had for 5 years. It looked like swamp water in the radiator. It was not a head gasket it was just the antifreeze had broken down. It took 2 flush and fills but it went away. Storm destroyed the windstar now I own a 97 mountaineer.

 

[dnifong]

I had a simmillar issue with a 98 windstar. It turned out that the antifreeze had never been changed by the former owner and was breaking down it took 2 flush and fills but the problem went away. Seeing that your vehicle was not driven for a year I would assume the same for you vehicle. Good luck and hopefully you will have the same outcome. Dennis Nifong.

 

[scdix50]

I would pickup some rad flush and one of the flush kits. You should be fine once you do a good clean out.

 

[Dono]

If your engine oil looks ok, and your coolant doesnt look like there is oil in it (looks like oil in water) Id say flush n fill!