Is this engine oil or tranny fluid in my coolant? - and where's it coming from?

[AZScrambled]

Thanks, I should have clarified my cooling setup. The truck has the OEM style radiator with only the auto transmission cooler lines running through the radiator. I was hoping the chocolate colored water might be cooked tranny fluid since a radiator replacement is pretty simple.
It looks like the consensus is the brown goop is indeed engine oil and most likely due to a blown head gasket. Not sure what caused it though. I've owned the truck since 2006 with 28K miles and have never had any cooling problems. I guess 190K miles with no problems is pretty good and maybe the head gasket just wore out.
So here's my last few questions before I tackle the head gasket replacement :
- Before I dive into this project is there any chance this oily mess in my coolant could be caused by a bad timing chain cover gasket ? Just want to be certain there isn't some kind of test I could perform. I'd hate to repalce the head gaskets and find out it was the timing chain cover.
- Fel-Pro sells a complete head gasket kit with all the additional gaskets and seals as well as a head bolt kit. What's everyone's opinion of Fel-Pro or is there another preferred gasket brand ?
- Lastly, any advice on how to get those rusty exhaust manifold bolts off as gracefully as possible ? They've never been off since the factory and I hear they tend to break off pretty easily.

Thanks again for everyone's help !!
Jerry

 

[rumblecloud]

Fel-Pro = Good.
Used on my 94 4.0.

 

[helpme]

Must have run hot at some point. My Ranger has 304K on it and I have never had that issue with it. BUT its never run hot. (I bought it new.) I used to wonder about those Rangers I see on Craigslist and FB Marketplace.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Some engines are prone to have head-gasket failure with age and miles. Usually the failure will be in the same spot on these engines.

My first new car was a 1988 Ford Festiva, made to a Mazda design in Korea. It had a 1.3–liter four. My brother got the car from me and discovered it had a head gasket failure (it had never overheated for me in 300,000 miles). He took apart the engine and discovered the failure was right by the No. 3 cylinder. Turned out, when he checked Festiva forums, that with high mileage those engines were known for that in the same exact spot by the No. 3 cylinder.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Thanks, I should have clarified my cooling setup. The truck has the OEM style radiator with only the auto transmission cooler lines running through the radiator. I was hoping the chocolate colored water might be cooked tranny fluid since a radiator replacement is pretty simple.
It looks like the consensus is the brown goop is indeed engine oil and most likely due to a blown head gasket. Not sure what caused it though. I've owned the truck since 2006 with 28K miles and have never had any cooling problems. I guess 190K miles with no problems is pretty good and maybe the head gasket just wore out.
So here's my last few questions before I tackle the head gasket replacement :
- Before I dive into this project is there any chance this oily mess in my coolant could be caused by a bad timing chain cover gasket ? Just want to be certain there isn't some kind of test I could perform. I'd hate to repalce the head gaskets and find out it was the timing chain cover.
- Fel-Pro sells a complete head gasket kit with all the additional gaskets and seals as well as a head bolt kit. What's everyone's opinion of Fel-Pro or is there another preferred gasket brand ?
- Lastly, any advice on how to get those rusty exhaust manifold bolts off as gracefully as possible ? They've never been off since the factory and I hear they tend to break off pretty easily.

Thanks again for everyone's help !!
Jerry

Take your truck to an exhaust place and get them to remove and replace the exhaust bolts. They have the tools and expertise to deal with them.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

- Before I dive into this project is there any chance this oily mess in my coolant could be caused by a bad timing chain cover gasket ? Just want to be certain there isn't some kind of test I could perform. I'd hate to repalce the head gaskets and find out it was the timing chain cover.

The only oil in the timing cover is being slung by the timing chain. Any leak between the oil and coolant in there would put coolant into the crankcase.

You have pressurized oil meeting coolant somewhere.