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Author Topic: brown oily sludge  (Read 4835 times)
Elmo the Espace
Jr. Member
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Posts: 46


« on: March 09, 2010, 10:51:03 pm »

over the last few months may be a year I have been monitoring the coolent in my 94 2.0i Petrol Espace 135,000 on clock.
usualy i would say head gasket.
But
compression is good and equal between cylinders
thermostate i replaced at the weekend thinking it was sticking open due to slow warm up. It has never overheated
It has never used oil and when i changed the oil at the weekend there was no sign of any problems.
I pumped up the cooling system and no fluid loss.
The coolent level has never raised or droped.
The only thing is it only ever will do local trips once or twice a week then a 30 mile trip and back once a week.
Im not a great lover of coolent flush and diddnt get chance to fully drain the system.
I will next weekend,
The compression i checked cold then hot just incase.

The last time i changed a head gasket there has no sludge just over heating problems and i cant remember how close the oil gallerys were in relation to the coolent ones.
This was a totaly different Espace





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1965 Land rover 2a SWB
1966 Land Rover 2a SWB
2 x 1994 2.0i Espace's
Transit 140 bhp limited SWB 2009
jack daniels
Sr. Member
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Posts: 132



« Reply #1 on: March 10, 2010, 07:52:54 pm »

hi elmo the espace,

how often has the cooling system been flushed out over the years?, or how often has the coolant fluid been replaced? Is it the standard blue fluid with a 2 year life span or renaults' glaceol RX fluid?
I'm also scepticle to radiator flush products and prefer fresh water.
I cant answer about the oil galleries but if it is just needing flushing then I guess the heater core/s and radiator will need a good flush thru with the gardin hose so that nothing gets the chance to settle out there and cause problems later.
The glaceol RX has a pretty good cleaning effect over time.
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Espace, Grand (magnifique, formidable, grandiose, considérable, noble, ample) III  
2002   JE02   F4R  DP0   2.0L 16v auto
colin4255
Sr. Member
****
Posts: 119



« Reply #2 on: March 10, 2010, 08:02:05 pm »

is it oily or just brown?  I had a car oncde who's water went brown, it was rust due to lack of antifreeze and a partially bolcked radiator. Not a commin issue these days though.

While it doesn't sound like  you have head gasket failure, I can not think of any other reason for oil to enter the water systems, maybe unless you have an issue with your water pump, but thats not likely if you have no water loss and no overheating.

It is a mystery!
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Elmo the Espace
Jr. Member
**
Posts: 46


« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2010, 12:06:21 am »

Hi All
I flushed out the coolent last weekend did a 200 mile trip with no problems.
Before i bought the Espace it had just had a water pump replaced so i wonder if the garage did not use a ethylene glycol based coolent which may off reacted with the original coolent.
Will carry on monitoring.
Got the MOT soon so this weekend i will be replacing a top arm ball joint on the near side and on the off side front lower arm rear bush.
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1965 Land rover 2a SWB
1966 Land Rover 2a SWB
2 x 1994 2.0i Espace's
Transit 140 bhp limited SWB 2009
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