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.

 

[gaz]

@AZScrambled
If you are going to remove the exhaust manifolds yourself:
• start by putting a penetrating oil on them 2-4/day until you have to take action and after each time you touch one of the bolts
• I do this by hand (only) and slowly, 1st tighten each fastener a little, if it works, then loosen a little. Keep track of which cooperated and go through all 12.
• now they are (hopefully) each loosened a tad; one at a time tighten a little, then loosen a little. If you manage to get approximately ⅛", snug it back up and go to the next fastener.
• next pass repeat the process plus a ¼", once it moves approximately ¼", snug it back up
• the reason not to take any of the fasteners off is to maintain a reasonably even pressure across the flange surface untill they are all able to come off completely; even here, don't take them off all the way, maybe 1 full turn each, then go another full turn. This will take longer but it is the only way I have ever been able to remove an exhaust manifold without snapping off half of the fasteners flush to the flange.

NOTE
• do not reuse these fasteners unless they are somehow pristine.
• I always replace them with "Stage8.com" locking bolts, haven't to retorque one yet!! While they are NOT the cheapest solution, they are a one and done solution. I also slather them with anti seize grease.

 

[AZScrambled]

Thanks everyone ! I really appreciate your help on this as I figure out what the heck happened and why.

One more question - sorry if it sounds kinda silly :
Does pressurized oil pass through the head gasket from the block up to the cylinder head ? I assumed the oil in the cylinder head came up from the hollow tube pushrods and then drained back into the block through the pushrod tube passages. Are there also pressurized oil passages as well. When recalling the head gaskets I've seen in the past I remember lots of coolant passages but no pressurized oil passages. Am I missing something ?
Thanks !

 

[helpme]

Usually with a blown head gasket, you get mocha on the underside of your oil cap (and smoke). I would check the radiator first for the transmission oil leak. I would pull the radiator, flush it several times with water and check if water exits the cooler lines.