[KINGTAMALE]

my coolant is thick and looks like leaking out very slowly. any ideas why?

[97_4.6L_Stang]

do you know where its leaking from? as for the thickness have you mixed orange and green coolant. coolant should never be mixed.

[jerb43]

sounds like the radiator needs to be flushed since its thick.

[1998_svt_cobra]

I would really consider flushing it out, too. It doesn't cost that much and doesn't take that much time.

[1998_svt_cobra]

hey, come to think of it, I had a Plymouth Neon that did that in the radiator, too. I ended up having to replace some gaskets ?I think the headgasket? because oil was leaking into the radiator lines and the fluid was a darkish color and super thick. You just might have that problem. How many miles is on your stang?

[starman1950]

Hey, I musta had that same Neon... Is the fluid leaking or just disappearing?? Does the car overheat ?? Have you checked the oil ?? If it's just disappearing and not showing up on the ground anywhere, could be a head gasket. That, if left go could lead to warping if the car overheats. If it's not that do as mentioned above get the cooling system power flushed and moniter it, see what happens. Cost is probably in the $100 range + coolant.

[1998_svt_cobra]

Hey, I musta had that same Neon...

Ha ha! Ya I forgot to mention what starman said, my car did overheat really fast, too. Post us back about it

[KINGTAMALE]

Ok so ill try flushing out the system. How many times should i flush it so that it wont contaminate the new coolant? The other thing is that i dont remember putting green coolant in the car, although I did lend it to my bro for a while. mixing coolant will make it look like that?
the car has a lil over 100k miles on it, and has no signs of trouble. it didnt sound, feel, or act diffrent right before I checked it.
but stopped running it immediately affter seeing this. the other thing is that it also feels a lil oily. and there seems to be low on oil.
the only thing out of the ordinary was that on the way back from work the oil pressure gauge was dropping all the way to zero for a split second then return to normal. maybe that helps

thanx for all the help so far, and anything else you guy can think of is much appreciated.

Im just worried i cracked the block. well see how this plays out

[97Cobra]

time to tear into your engine........

[96Snaker]

mmm... nothin like yellow coolant, lol.. just like Mountain Dew, delicious, j/k

Originally Posted by 97Cobra time to tear into your engine........

or stop takin leaks into his radia... j/k dude is it a rusty yellow? if so you'd just need a flush, but if it's oily yeah you're at least looking at a bad gasket if not worse (warped heads, etc. etc.)

[starman1950]

Isn't by chance blowing any white smoke out the back is it ?? My Escort GT did that when the head gasket left loose. Sorry, but by then the heads were toast, both warped and cracked. If your tearin' it down, havem' checked real good before reassembly.....just my opinion.

[KINGTAMALE]

I'm having my mechanic come down this weekend to help me check out the heads and cylinder pressure test. hopefully its just the gaskets, and not the block, but if not how much is another engine with installation?

[DropTopPony]

you didn't put that yellow/orange'ish GM coolant in did you? That stuff clogs and turns to oatmeal...

i would give a good drain/flush and refill with non GM style dexron coolant and then look again for your leak. Maybe a pressure test.

[1998_svt_cobra]

Okay, this is what you need to do. Get your mechanic to check the coolant fluid himself and get his advise on it. We haven't seen what the coolant looks like, but your mechanic will. Trust his advise that he'll give you. Check in with us about it. And by the way, don't worry about thoroughly flushing out the radiator if you come to it because I know for a fact the Prestone makes a coolant that you can mix with other coolants and not have any problems.