I have a "whiteish sludge" in my coolant tank cap (overflow tank for radiator). It may be engine oil (blown head gasket) OR transmission fluid (supposed leak and exchange between tran. fluid radiator and the coolant radiator).

The compression is good. There is NO SMOKE or sweet smell in the exhaust. The previous owner replaced the head gasket Sept. '99. (Maybe it's just residual from the OLD blown gasket?).

Before I found this out (about the previous work) and we only had the gunk to go by: One mechanic said it's a blown head gasket. Another said that's unlikely, since usually with a blown gasket you see coolant /water in the oil but not oil in the coolant/water, since the coolant/water system has higher pressure than the oil system. This guy suggested that it might be tranny fluid in the coolant due to a break in the two radiators that sit side by side. That seems unlikely to me.

What's the best way to determine which is which. The car runs fine, there was just some gummy white gunk on the cap of the coolant resevoir.

Maybe an oil analysis? Should I see emmulsified oil or tranny fluid in their respective cases?

Please also copy answers to my email at: jim@siliconbeach.com

thanks!!

[Edited by jim@siliconbeach.com on 01-24-2001 at 04:06 PM]