Something in my coolant!

hi guys, a while back now i sent my 02 4.6 to the garage to fix a coolant leak, he couldnt find it so put some UV dye in it. I ran it for a month, then sent it back and he said heater matrix o rings! So i manage to fix them myself and coolant didnt seem to be leaking anymore.

Im off on a 300 mile round trip tomorrow so i had a check on all my fluid levels.
Coolant was low .
Topped it up and it looked like oil was floating around once topped up! So i dunked my finger in but the stuff on my finger was like a copper like fluid??
So is that oil and a head gasket failure?
Is it this UV dye that my mechanic added a while back? There was something visible in the coolant after he put the dye in, but was never this dark?
Or has some previous idiot owner tried putting some radweld type stuff in to fix the coolant leak it had when i bought it?

Any help would be appreciated! Its quite an important journey tomorrow and i dont have another vehicle to use at the moment!

Sounds like the previous idiot owner as you put it has successfully put some radweld in.

If its copper looking, like Wammers said probably Rad Weld ****e... When was the system last properly flushed?

How irritating! Why oh why do people feel the need to use the stuff. Ill take it for a spin later and see what the coolant looks like!

Littelwill said:

If its copper looking, like Wammers said probably Rad Weld ****e... When was the system last properly flushed?

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No idea, bought it last july. Only done 3000 miles. Will send it to my mechanic next week. He can try and find the leak for me. And flush the system! Would it be over the top for me to change the rad?

Podge26 said:

How irritating! Why oh why do people feel the need to use the stuff. Ill take it for a spin later and see what the coolant looks like!

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Probably the same as it does now but a bit warmer.

Podge26 said:

No idea, bought it last july. Only done 3000 miles. Will send it to my mechanic next week. He can try and find the leak for me. And flush the system! Would it be over the top for me to change the rad?

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Right there is the issue Your coolant maybe just that old its degrading in the system?? If you dont know when it was last change get it done...

sounds like the previous owner added something because he was losing coolant not knowing about O rings. you have fixed them so problem sorted for now. once your back from your trip flush it all out dont do it before because air locks are common and bleeding can be a pta

Littelwill said:

If its copper looking, like Wammers said probably Rad Weld ****e... When was the system last properly flushed?

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Radweld is not ****e it is bloody good stuff if used properly.

Podge26 said:

No idea, bought it last july. Only done 3000 miles. Will send it to my mechanic next week. He can try and find the leak for me. And flush the system! Would it be over the top for me to change the rad?

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If the rads leaking change it if not leave it.

tomcat59alan said:

Probably the same as it does now but a bit warmer.

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Haha :clap2: i was asking for that one!

Littelwill said:

Right there is the issue Your coolant maybe just that old its degrading in the system?? If you dont know when it was last change get it done...

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Yes could be, but i kept topping my coolant up for a few months due to leaky o rings, so most of it is fresh coolant! But suppose there would still be a bit of crap left in there!

biketeacherdave said:

sounds like the previous owner added something because he was losing coolant not knowing about O rings. you have fixed them so problem sorted for now. once your back from your trip flush it all out dont do it before because air locks are common and bleeding can be a pta

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Yeah will do! But seeing as coolant was low this morning, and its been over a month since o rings were done, i suspect i have another leak somewhere!

Podge26 said:

Haha :clap2: i was asking for that one!



Yes could be, but i kept topping my coolant up for a few months due to leaky o rings, so most of it is fresh coolant! But suppose there would still be a bit of crap left in there!



Yeah will do! But seeing as coolant was low this morning, and its been over a month since o rings were done, i suspect i have another leak somewhere!

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Need a static tester on it, mirror and lamp.

wammers said:

Need a static tester on it, mirror and lamp.

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Excuse my stupidity, but what? Haha

Podge26 said:

Excuse my stupidity, but what? Haha

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A static tester is a special tool that is used to pressurise the cooling system to either check for leaks when the system is cold engine off or to check for excessive pressure buildup with the engine running. Pressurise system use a mirror and inspection lamp to check for leaks. Happy hunting. Bit like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/15-PCS-Co...477?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3ccd510015 I have one but mine is the £400.00 version.

Podge26 said:

Excuse my stupidity, but what? Haha

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A Static Pressure Test....

This is done using a sealed cap that fits on the expansion tank, and a small pump is used to pressurise the cooling system (only a little bit mind, it won't blow it up!) and then the pump is switched off and a gauge is fitted to measure the pressure in the system....it is then left for a while to see if the pressure in the system drops, and also during the pressure test, a hand inspection mirror and a torch is used to start looking at all the joins in the system for signs of a leak.....

It is safer to test this way as when the engine is running it gets hot and there are rotating parts which are a hazard...so the static test is down with the engine 'Static' but replicates a pressurised, running system!

EDIT: Bollox.....Wammers beat me to it

Ok cheers guys! Ill ring around some of my mechanic friends, see if they have one i can pinch!
Be a nice spin for the beast tomorrow ! Havent taken her this far since ive bought it!

I've used this with great success in finding the leak - then fixed the pinhole in the radiator with Radweld!

Ring Coolant System Leak Detection Dye - RLD2

UV Dye & UV Torch Kit Leak Detection Dye For Cooling Antifreeze System RLD2 Ring | eBay

Castor said:

I've used this with great success in finding the leak - then fixed the pinhole in the radiator with Radweld!

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Its had the uv dye and only the o rings were found to be leaking! Ill have a gander with my torch later! Ill leave the radweld though! Not a fan of the stuff!

Podge26 said:

Its had the uv dye and only the o rings were found to be leaking! Ill have a gander with my torch later! Ill leave the radweld though! Not a fan of the stuff!

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If you have to use it in an emergency then the dog turd type is the best.