Goo in coolant?

[TeamSpatula]

If it ain't one thing it's another...

1982 Rabbit, 1.6 NA...113,000 miles, about 2000 miles on new head gasket, 1000 miles on retorqued head bolts...runs cool, no issues there...I just happened to check the oil & coolant levels, and noticed that the coolant tank has what seems to be sludgy goo on top of the water/coolant...but it doesn't smell or seem like oil, it's almost got tiny rubbery chunklets in it...but I don't see any leaks or anything, and the oil looks fine, no froth, etc...
So could this be yet another problem with the head gasket? is there another place oil could be getting into the coolant? any good links to pics of what that would look like?
I hate to think that there's yet another big problem...

current plan is to flush the coolant tonight after work and see what it looks like after that, drive, repeat, etc...
Any tips?

[82vdub]

Current plan is to flush the coolant tonight after work and see what it looks like after that, drive, repeat, etc...

At this point that's where I would start, but pay close attention to what shows up in the coolant bottle. You may want to remove the radiator and use a hose and make sure it's really cleaned out inside. If you haven't looked for combusion gasses in the coolant bottle when you start the engine (for signs of a cracked block or head gasket), maybe do that as well to make sure you don't have another issue as well. Also check the oil to make sure there isn't water in it. It will look frothy brown like caramel if there's enough coolant mixing with it.

[A1-2-A3]

Oh god if your block is cracked!! ...Lets all hope not!!

[TeamSpatula]

Oh god if your block is cracked!! ...Lets all hope not!!

well that certainly might explain why 2 new head gaskets don't seem to have fixed the problem...I am so unhappy - flushed the coolant through for several minutes, a couple times, and can't get to clear water - there's still a little of that brownish goo...at this point I'm figuring it has to be oil.

oil level has gone down a tiny bit, maybe 1/2 qt in the last 1000 miles, but before now that didn't strike me as raising any red flags...
another symptom - I'd noticed that for the last couple weeks, when I start the car, the oil pressure dash light stays on for maybe a second longer than it used to...long enough that I *think* I notice it, but not long enough to seem abnormal...
So what can I check now? I am all out of ideas...

[MPalm]

I had a blown HG and oil mixed in the coolant, I had to flush the coolant for what felt like an eternety before it looked clean. Then I filled the system and the next day I noticed the oily goo on top of the coolant in the reservoir...
Didn´t lose any oil or coolant, so I think there still was some oil residue somewhere in the system

EDIT: oh, noticed that you did indeed lose some oil the last 1000miles. Then you might have a bigger problem at your hands, considering that you had 2 heads that hasn´t solved the problem.

[TeamSpatula]

Just to clarify the history a little - oil in coolant has never been a problem before a week or so ago. Both times the head gaskets were redone, it was due to pressurized coolant/running hot. After the last head gasket, everything was running fine...retorqued the head bolts, and running great, very cool, no leaks, temp probs, etc...then suddenly the oily coolant pops up out of nowhere...so this is a completley new issue, although I'm guessing it's tied in to the past probs...

[82vdub]

You list the engine as NA, but does it have an oil cooler on it? If you don't have signs of combustion gasses in the coolant, chances are it's ok. I'd clean it well and monitor both oil and coolant for signs of changes.

[Quantum TD]

Just a quick question. When you replaced the head gasket, did you resurface the head either time?

[TeamSpatula]

Just a quick question. When you replaced the head gasket, did you resurface the head either time?

I didn't actually do either replacement, but I do know that "head work" was listed on the invoice both times, so I would assume that it was resurfaced.

As for the oil cooler, where would it be? Sorry I am still learning about all this water cooled stuff.

thanks,

[82vdub]

If your car has an oil cooler on it, it would be sandwiched between the oil filter and the oil filter flange and have coolant lines going to it. The other area where there could be water/oil interferrence not engine wise is if your car has an auto transmission with a transmission cooler in the radiator. Those can fail and you pass oil into the coolant and vice versa. However, search this forum for the threads on looking for combusion gasses in the coolant bottle and see if you've got something going on there. It's been mentioned, but you've never commented on it.

[TeamSpatula]

IHowever, search this forum for the threads on looking for combusion gasses in the coolant bottle and see if you've got something going on there. It's been mentioned, but you've never commented on it.

As far as I know, it's now fine. I wish there were a video somewhere of what normal/acceptable pulsing is, versus bad pulsing. I was looking at that last night, and it's pretty constant for a couple seconds, then it blips once or twice, then is solid again. Previously, both times the head gasket was bad, it was a lot bubblier...So I'm thinking that's fine this time, but again, with not much to compare it to, I'm at somewhat of a loss....

[TeamSpatula]

If your car has an oil cooler on it, it would be sandwiched between the oil filter and the oil filter flange and have coolant lines going to it.

no oil cooler.

So basically it seems like it's got to be either yet another head gasket, or a cracked block...any way to narrow it down? I really don't want to take it back to the same shop that has done the last 2 head gaskets, since they're obviously either not doing it right, or missing something pretty big.

[82vdub]

if it were me, I would determine if you have combustion gasses coming into the coolant system. Pulsing coolant into the bottle is likely normal based on water pump pulsation. When cold, if you're having steam, bubbles etc coming up into the coolant bottle within 30 seconds of when you start the car from being cold, that's a sign of combustion gasses getting into the coolant. Otherwise, I would clean the coolant system very well, drive it while watching the gauges and monitoring the coolant and oil levels to see if you really have a new problem, or one that was left over from the reason the head gasket was replaced the other times.