Here's your fun fact of the day. Windstar minivan radiators always crack. I have yet to find one without the cracked radiator which in turn kills the van.

 

Bag it and send it to trace. Then walk into the lab a couple hours later for immediate results.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but what is trace?

 

The trace evidence lab.

 

yeah what he said^^^

 

Update:

1.) Re-ran compression check. 149 -150 across the board.

2.) White sludge had crystallized into white crust where the water had dried. Not oil I'm guessing but additive?

3.)Found chunks of timing chain in oil pan.

4.) Found the batter to be dead.

Hoping for a better tomorrow

 

Some radiators on some vehicles crack. not all radiators on all vehicles crack. When they do they usually crack the plastic tank. This will not make oil and water mix, unless as a side product of the radiator cracking the engine overheats and breaches the cooling system(blown head gasket or cracked head or block) The only way a radiator can cause the 2 fluids to mix by itself, is if the internal transmission cooler inside the radiator is leaking into the radiator itself. so again check your trans fluid for clarity as it would most likely have coolant in it as well. This is more likely do your statment that there was no "goop" when you removed the valve covers.
let us know what you find. Note; there is no good scenario when oil mixes with coolant, unless the "goop" you are refering to is from someone greasing the radiator hoses when installing them to make them go on easier. you know the same idiots that spray their belts with wd40 when they squeek.

 

subscribed for later viewing.

 

While you are correct, it was meant as a generalization. Much like " '98 4.0 jags always break the tensioners". Not every single one will break, but it is a known problem area on that particular vehicle.

I run an auto auction and have yet to see a Windstar without the coolant and tranny fluid mixing. Thus My first guess as to the jags issue was to latch onto information I already knew in a low road transfer kind of way. SO I was figuring that the radiator had cracked internally and was sharing more fluids than Jenna Jameson. At least given my personal experience and lack of water in the oil. Of course my blind hope might also have had something to do with that conclusion.

Someone on the "other" forum made a good point; Which was that perhaps someone dumped some sealing agent, like stopleak, into the cooling system in an attempt to remedy another common failure, the cracking thermostat housing. His theory holds water, no pun intended, because there is a bit of a leak in the thermostat housing. So hopefully that's all it is...

I might break down and cry if it's got head gasket issues or a crack in the block or head or something.

Ps. did you figure out how you are going to get rid of the tacked on lights on the front of the car?

 

My guess is the prior owner fell for the stop-leak marketing hype. I've been on here along time, and nobody has ever documented a transmission cooler/radiator fluid breach. i'm staying positive on your behalf...an optimist it appears I am.

Get the timing chains done, thermostat housing, and report back post-haste.

 

Congratulatons your the 69th post in this thread!! WHOOO streamers and confetti all around.

See that your optimism paid off.



(disclaimer: excluding the Original Post)

 

Some pics...
This car was dealer maintained has had all services done since new. I have the records to prove it. It currently has 63k on it or so.

Notice the broken tensioner guide


I crammed a magnet into the oil pan to see what I might get. (I haven't pulled the pan yet) and found this lovely piece of timing chain.

 

nice photos. I wish I could take shots like that lols

 

I cheat, just a little... www.kolohephoto.com

 

Got the tools today. Thanks Gordo. Hopefully I can get back to it tomorrow...

 

You got me confused with someone else. I wouldnt be seen driving anything that tacky

 

Sigh..So i spent all day today putting the timing gear in...I then ran out of daylight and put the valve covers on in the pitch black under flashlight. I said to myself, I NEED to turn this thing over.. which i did. Without a radiator...not thinking about the oil cooler in it. it ran like a champ, an promptly spit all the oil out on the ground. That took n hour to clean up. Fortunately it was only on for 10 seconds. It purred like a kitten no pun intended.

And then my friend pointed out all the joy that is white smoke from the tailpipe. Once I put the radiator back in I'll know for sure, but it's looking an awful lot like a blown head gasket to boot. Damn. Damn. Damn.

When it rains it pours.

 

I thought Hawaii did not have snakes. You appear to be bit.

 

Just replaced ALL the timing gear. It ran for roughly 15 seconds, and has a blown head head gasket. YEAH! I'm crying inside.

 

you're not losing it viscous, I moved your post over here.

Hey, head gasket surely is easier than the tensioners.... almost done my friend.