Scooby125

Hiya I recently got my cambelt changed and they obviously had to drain the coolant from the car. The fluid in the header tank was always a good lean colour. When I drove the car back home I just checked the levels in the header tank and it was slightly down so I topped it up with a bit more coolant.

All fine but when I checked it the next time there was a slight bit of pink sludge on the header cap which worried me a small bit. I was thinking later maybe I mixed different colour coolants and that was the reason. Possible but I am not so sure, could this be a head gasket problem also?.

It is not loosing any coolant but last night I opened the header tank and it was full but after squeezing the main radiator pipes a few times the level dropped a bit, the level was still visible but went down an inch or so. Is this normal or could there possibly be an air lock in the system.

Final question is, if the cooling system was not filled properly and an air lock happened and the system was not circulating properly, could this bring on head gasket failure. The reason I ask is that the coolant was a perfect colour before the cambelt change.

I hope the traces of pick sludge in the header cap are not any signs of head gasket failure. Are there any checks I can do to make sure the system is fully circulating and to ensure that I do not have a gasket problem.

Thanks for the help

BANKER

Hi scooby

what model and year is it mate
you dont have to drain the coolant to replace tha cambelt.
if youve mixed 2 different types of antifreeze then you can get a reaction between the 2 types.

Karl

Scooby125

Sorry mate, meant to say that its a 95 Sti version 2. Re the draining, they did do this as just as I came to collect the car, they were filling the 3L of coolant.

Scooby125

bttt

Turbotits

iTrader: (2)

As already said I'd be concerned at why they drained the cooling system for a belt change,Unless the water pump was changed at the same time.Overheating can certainly bring on headgasget failure.

Scooby125

No they just replaced the timing belt and the tensioner, is it not easier with the rad out of the way? I checked last night and both the top pipe and bottom pipes on the rad were equally as hot so I presume that coolant is circulating ok. These pipes were very hot but I persume this is normal. The coolant in the expansion tank was perfect and not bubbling or anything.

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Its not uncommon to take the rad off on a cambelt change. You don't have to though

ticky

It is a lot easier to change the timing belt with the rad off. You can see all the cam timing marks clearly.
But if I had to do it again I would just remove the fans.

scoobfan

Is it blowing coolant out of the small top up pipe behind the passenger side headlight? (it has the small yellow cap on it)

Or are there bubbles in the top up pipe when the engine is running, it needs to start getting warm/hot before it will do this.

If you have either of the above i'm afraid it's the head gasket.

Rob

Scooby125

Nope, after a very hard run last night, I checked the expansion tank and the water was pure still and no bubbles. When you lift the bonnet alot of heat comes out but I suppose this is normal, yeah??

punkie

Your OK then bud, it's not the head gasket.

As for the heat, yes the under bonnet temprature is quite high !

Rob

willsy369

Hi mate, have you checked your oil for the correct level and for any signs of contamination? If your coolant level is getting lower with no signs of a leak may be worth checking you oil isnt being watered down! Sludge is a good sign of oil/coolant mixing but its normally a whitish/creamy colour. Willsy