Solid gunk in radiator overflow !!

I have a '96 SL1 with about 63,000 miles on it. Noticed something dripping from underneath the car so I opened the hood and found the radiator overflow tank FULL of a semi-solid mustard colored gunk which was overflowing from the tank.

My first thought was a blown head gasket, but the oil on the dipstick is clean.
Now I have 2 other ideas - someone mixed green anti-freeze with the original orange stuff and it reacted OR the orange stuff ran very low and was mixed wir air in the cooling system forming this greenish yellow milkshake of sorts (i heard that this can happen with the orange stuff - can anyone verify that ?)

Other than that the car runs fine and is not even overheating !

Anybody heard of this before. Think I can flush the cooling system and continue to drive ? Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks for your replies

- Tom D.


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In article >, says...
> I have a '96 SL1 with about 63,000 miles on it. Noticed something dripping from underneath the car so I opened the hood and found the radiator overflow tank FULL of a semi-solid mustard colored gunk which was overflowing from the tank.
>
> My first thought was a blown head gasket, but the oil on the dipstick is clean.
> Now I have 2 other ideas - someone mixed green anti-freeze with the original orange stuff and it reacted OR the orange stuff ran very low and was mixed wir air in the cooling system forming this greenish yellow milkshake of sorts (i heard that this can happen with the orange stuff - can anyone verify that ?)
>
> Other than that the car runs fine and is not even overheating !
>
> Anybody heard of this before. Think I can flush the cooling system and continue to drive ? Any help would be appreciated.
>
>
> Thanks for your replies
>
> - Tom D.

Yeah it sounds like it was mixed. Definitely flush it. You can
pressurize the cooling system to check for possible leaks.

On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 23:18:23 -0400, Leon wrote:

> I have a '96 SL1 with about 63,000 miles on it. Noticed something dripping from underneath the car so I opened the hood and found the radiator overflow tank FULL of a semi-solid mustard colored gunk which was overflowing from the tank.
>
> My first thought was a blown head gasket, but the oil on the dipstick is clean.
> Now I have 2 other ideas - someone mixed green anti-freeze with the original orange stuff and it reacted OR the orange stuff ran very low and was mixed wir air in the cooling system forming this greenish yellow milkshake of sorts (i heard that this can happen with the orange stuff - can anyone verify that ?)
>
> Other than that the car runs fine and is not even overheating !
>
> Anybody heard of this before. Think I can flush the cooling system and continue to drive ? Any help would be appreciated.
>

I have a 1996 SL2, 123,000 km, and I had the radiator flushed recently for
just that problem. I didn't have the amount of residue you had, but it was
similar in composition. Likewise I had no overheating. The service tech
said the antifreeze was breaking down, whatever that means. I'm not sure if
I ever replaced the antifreeze since I had it on the road. If I did, it
would be once only, max.

Anyway, had it flushed and refilled so that's taken care of.

On Jul 15, 2:35 am, Box134 > wrote:
> On Thu, 12 Jul 2007 23:18:23 -0400, Leon wrote:
> > I have a '96 SL1 with about 63,000 miles on it. Noticed something dripping from underneath the car so I opened the hood and found the radiator overflow tank FULL of a semi-solid mustard colored gunk which was overflowing from the tank.
>
> > My first thought was a blown head gasket, but the oil on the dipstick is clean.
> > Now I have 2 other ideas - someone mixed green anti-freeze with the original orange stuff and it reacted OR the orange stuff ran very low and was mixed wir air in the cooling system forming this greenish yellow milkshake of sorts (i heard that this can happen with the orange stuff - can anyone verify that ?)
>
> > Other than that the car runs fine and is not even overheating !
>
> > Anybody heard of this before. Think I can flush the cooling system and continue to drive ? Any help would be appreciated.
>
> I have a 1996 SL2, 123,000 km, and I had the radiator flushed recently for
> just that problem. I didn't have the amount of residue you had, but it was
> similar in composition. Likewise I had no overheating. The service tech
> said the antifreeze was breaking down, whatever that means. I'm not sure if
> I ever replaced the antifreeze since I had it on the road. If I did, it
> would be once only, max.
>
> Anyway, had it flushed and refilled so that's taken care of.

Thanks for the reply - it wil probably save me lots of grief. I took
out the overflow tank and flushed it out, but when I ran the car for a
few miles the reservoir filled with gunk again. Oil is still clean,
car runs good, and no over heating. Glad I read your post before I
took it to the mechanic - don't want to pay for a new head gasket if I
don't need one !! Will keep you posted.

The organge colored 'Dexcool' is supposed to be rated for 5 years or 150K
Miles.
Some good info on this site
http://www.getahelmet.com/jeeps/maint/dexcool/
http://www.pzlqs.com/Tech/Pdsheet/Do...merCoolant.PDF

> wrote in message
ps.com...
> On Jul 15, 2:35 am, Box134 > wrote:
>
> Thanks for the reply - it wil probably save me lots of grief. I took
> out the overflow tank and flushed it out, but when I ran the car for a
> few miles the reservoir filled with gunk again. Oil is still clean,
> car runs good, and no over heating. Glad I read your post before I
> took it to the mechanic - don't want to pay for a new head gasket if I
> don't need one !! Will keep you posted.
>
>

Hi,
I'm the original poster of this thread and here's what's going on now

Bad news - car started overheating badly this past weekend with oily
antifreeze overflowing from the coolant overflow tank.
After a bit of research, I came across this :

http://www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_5215.html

I'm fully expecting to need a cylinder head replacement. Car only has
66,000 miles ! Hope my mechanic doesn't have a boat payment due ! This
seems to be a manufacturing defect - I would advise everyone not to
buy a Saturn at this point.



On Jul 18, 1:35 pm, "Oppie" > wrote:
> The organge colored 'Dexcool' is supposed to be rated for 5 years or 150K
> Miles.
> Some good info on this sitehttp://www.getahelmet.com/jeeps/maint/dexcool/http://www.pzlqs.com/Tech/Pdsheet/DomesticMarketing/Specialty/pdf/Dex...
>

In article . com>,
says...
> I would advise everyone not to
> buy a Saturn at this point.

Not this again... Do you even know the difference between a SL1 and SL2.
Or for that matter the s-series and any other Saturn? Your car was made
more than 10 years ago. Why should anyone not go out and buy a new Aura?
Because you say so? We are aware of the older "SINGLE OVER HEAD CAM"
engine problems. The SOHC engine should NOT be lumped in with all of
Saturn which has probably had more than 8 various engines by now.

Also did you not read my post where I said

> "You can pressurize the cooling system to check for possible leaks."

If the system doesn't hold pressure, then it must be going somewhere.

On Jul 30, 4:51 pm, BläBlä
. s!rcre4p.c0m> wrote:
> In article . com>,
> says...
>
> > I would advise everyone not to
> > buy a Saturn at this point.
>
> Not this again... Do you even know the difference between a SL1 and SL2.
> Or for that matter the s-series and any other Saturn? Your car was made
> more than 10 years ago. Why should anyone not go out and buy a new Aura?
> Because you say so? We are aware of the older "SINGLE OVER HEAD CAM"
> engine problems. The SOHC engine should NOT be lumped in with all of
> Saturn which has probably had more than 8 various engines by now.
>
> Also did you not read my post where I said
>
> > "You can pressurize the cooling system to check for possible leaks."
>
> If the system doesn't hold pressure, then it must be going somewhere.

BlaBla blacksheep; have you any brains? no sir, no sir....

Doesn't mater what new engines Saturn buys from the lowest bidder! If
something epidemic goes wrong with them and Saturn knows about it-
you'll never hear about it from Saturn until AFTER your warranty
expires.

I might not lump in the SOHC engine with all the others, but as far as
epidemic costly problems that occur after the warranty expires- I lump
in ALL Saturns on the trash heap!