??Blown Head Gasket??

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stlls

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HI everyone, I've been watching this board for a while but this is my first post. My car overheated today so I checked the coolant levels and I saw this frothy creamy like substance in resivoir. I work next to firestone and when they looked at it they said it was a head gasket:eek: Since it' still under warranty I had it towed to the Lincoln dealer. The service manager claims he has never saw a head gasket blow on an 01 v8 before. They said they probably couldn't look at it until next week. Here is a pic I snapped with my phone...what do you guys think?

coolant.jpg
 
stlls said:
HI everyone, I've been watching this board for a while but this is my first post. My car overheated today so I checked the coolant levels and I saw this frothy creamy like substance in resivoir. I work next to firestone and when they looked at it they said it was a head gasket:eek: Since it' still under warranty I had it towed to the Lincoln dealer. The service manager claims he has never saw a head gasket blow on an 01 v8 before. They said they probably couldn't look at it until next week. Here is a pic I snapped with my phone...what do you guys think?
Click to expand...
That is the resovoir for your hydraulic cooling fan pump........not your coolant. Since it is under warranty, take it to the dealership and have them fix it. It could be any number of things including bad cooling fan pump, t-stat, coolant resovoir cap to name a few of the most common problems with the LS. Give some specifics.....when does it overheat (city or highway).
 
That looks like air in there. If you just had work done on the fan, that should disappear. If not, it's getting in there somewhere and I would be finding out where. It can cause cavitation and burn up the pump and fan motor.
 
could also be that somebody put coolant in there and mixed with the hydraulic fluid that's supposed to be in there
 
Well if he thought this was the coolant resv. he prob added some when it got low.....
Not to HIGHJACK but How often does that need to be filled....Ive filt it 2 times in 40,000 miles.....
 
I live in Clayton right dow the street.Hydraulic cooling fan pump...? That would explain why you shouldn't put coolant in there:Bang
 
I would suggest not driving it like that. The coolant reservoir is on the driverside, up by the base of the windshield, easy to miss.
 
beaups said:
could also be that somebody put coolant in there and mixed with the hydraulic fluid that's supposed to be in there
Click to expand...

You're right. Makes sense too. If that's the case, you have a major job ahead. You need to clean and flush the entire system...probably a few times...to get every bit of that crap out of there.
 
stlls said:
I live in Clayton right dow the street.Hydraulic cooling fan pump...? That would explain why you shouldn't put coolant in there:Bang
Click to expand...

Hey, on the bright side you did not blow a head gasket right?

Clean it out and refill with the correct fluid. Drive a bit and check again. If there is still contamination drain and fill again.
 
Slow91z said:
WTF is a hydraulic fan pump??
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A cooling fan that runs hydraulically as opposed to an electric fan or a fan operated by a belt off the crank.

The pre 2003 LS's all have Hydraulic fans. Post 2003 do not. The fan can be turned on and off by the PCM thermostatically.
Some folks who have Hydraulic fans that have failed have figured out how to do an electric one instead and still have the PCM operate it.
 
Kelleyo said:
A cooling fan that runs hydraulically as opposed to an electric fan or a fan operated by a belt off the crank.

The pre 2003 LS's all have Hydraulic fans. Post 2003 do not. The fan can be turned on and off by the PCM thermostatically.
Some folks who have Hydraulic fans that have failed have figured out how to do an electric one instead and still have the PCM operate it.
Click to expand...

Wow I'm glad I read this thread now...Never heard of such a contraption before.

Seems to me that electric fans have pretty well proven themselves I don't know why they would do something like this.
 
Good news...It wasn't a head gasket. It was coolant in the hydraulic resivoir. Last time I got an oil change they topped of my fluid levels at valvoline. Which is my next stop to show them my $450 bill from Lincoln dealer
 
they should show you a mirror in return and say "why are you bringing a $40,000 car to VALVOLINE for an oil change?". Seriously, take it to the dealer or do it yourself.
 
what parts did they replace for $450??? You should take those parts to Valvoline to show them.
Best news...no blown head gasket.
 
beaups said:
they should show you a mirror in return and say "why are you bringing a $40,000 car to VALVOLINE for an oil change?". Seriously, take it to the dealer or do it yourself.
Click to expand...

$40,000 my butt...I paid 15K for mine...I know they might have been expensive new, but it ain't that expensive anymore.

I could have made the same mistake until I saw this thread...Places like that aren't that bad, the thing is if you change oil in 100+ cars a day sheer numbers demand something is gonna get screwed up somewhere along the way...As long as they pay for the fix what's the problem.
 
my point isn't what you paid for it. the fact is the car's pretty sophisticated and you shouldn't have minimum wage techs touching it. Need proof? look at the photo above in this thread...
 
I would have to agree that a "tech" pouring coolant into a hydraluic system would make me think twice about getting them to change to oil... I actually compromise by having a $42000 car and changing the oil myself--I hate when others mess with my car. I got tires at PepBoys when my car had 21K....They got grease on the door panel, the seat, on the floormat, and the carpet! Just not worth having "techs" used to working on Civics touching my Lincoln! Let us know what the quick lube says.
 
They are probably going to say Sorry Charlie. That should have been the first place you went...or at least called if it was at the dealer. But for $450, I would be doing a dance on someone's desk until it was paid.
 
Slow91z said:
Wow I'm glad I read this thread now...Never heard of such a contraption before.

Seems to me that electric fans have pretty well proven themselves I don't know why they would do something like this.
Click to expand...

The electrical system couldn't handle the extra load under certain test conditions.
 
Went to valvoline yesterday and spoke with the manager and all he offered was a year of free oil changes. After I explained to him I or anyone I knew would never take thier car to them since thats what caused the problem. He threatened to call the police if I did not leave the store. At that point I told him don't bother my lawyer would be in touch. I made a quick phone call to my friend who is a lawyer. The owner called me within 2 hours and assured me I would have a check by Wensday.
 
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