92 SL1, oily sludge in coolant surge tank

This doesn't look good, guys. My wife's 92 SL1 (90K miles) had the
"low coolant" light come on today. I look in the surge tank, no
coolant, just some brown oily sludge.

I had just checked a few days ago and the coolant level was fine and no
oily sludge.

Oil changed a few weeks ago, cooling system flushed and refilled a few
months ago.

No missing oil. No obvious sign of coolant in oil. Where that quart
of coolant went I dunno, it was just there a few days ago.

Is this obviously a massive cylinder head crack/failed head gasket?

I see others write here about cylinder head cracks that manifest
themselves as burning oil excessively (over thousands of miles) but
what I have happend suddenly over just a few days.

Any words of consolation? Can someone tell me this is just an
imploding water pump?

Tim.

In article .com>,
says...
> This doesn't look good, guys. My wife's 92 SL1 (90K miles) had the
> "low coolant" light come on today. I look in the surge tank, no
> coolant, just some brown oily sludge.

Likely you are confusing Ginger Root with your Brown Oily Sludge.

> I had just checked a few days ago and the coolant level was fine and no
> oily sludge.
>
> Oil changed a few weeks ago, cooling system flushed and refilled a few
> months ago.
>
> No missing oil. No obvious sign of coolant in oil. Where that quart
> of coolant went I dunno, it was just there a few days ago.

Possibly belched out some air in the system and sucked it in or its been
low and you looked at it while it was hot and in the expansion tank.

> Is this obviously a massive cylinder head crack/failed head gasket?

Er no.

> I see others write here about cylinder head cracks that manifest
> themselves as burning oil excessively (over thousands of miles) but
> what I have happend suddenly over just a few days.

I've never seen those post.

> Any words of consolation? Can someone tell me this is just an
> imploding water pump?
>
> Tim.

Imploding water pump??? Look at your system for the next few weeks while
its both hot and cold and monitor the level. Likely this is the first
time in a long time you actually checked your tank.

> Likely you are confusing Ginger Root
> with your Brown Oily Sludge.

I've maintained this car for 13 years now and you're telling me I don't
know what's supposed to be in the coolant tank?

>> Is this obviously a massive cylinder head crack/failed head gasket?

> Er no.

Well, two mechanics disagree with you. We decided to go ahead with a
remanufactured cylinder head. It's not an easy decision when the job
costs more than what the blue-book value of the car is. (Well, the
car's too old to be in the blue book anymore now, but what a '95 is
worth.)

Tim.

In article om>,
says...
> > Likely you are confusing Ginger Root
> > with your Brown Oily Sludge.
>
> I've maintained this car for 13 years now and you're telling me I don't
> know what's supposed to be in the coolant tank?

Well considering most people who come in here who dont know where their
hood latches are or "recently" discovered them... When you're ready to
decipher these post on here be my guest.


> >> Is this obviously a massive cylinder head crack/failed head gasket?
>
> > Er no.
>
> Well, two mechanics disagree with you. We decided to go ahead with a
> remanufactured cylinder head.

You asked if it was obvious and I said no. A pressure test would have
shown something unless its a head gasket that only leaked when it was
hot. Forgot to mention that...

It's not an easy decision when the job
> costs more than what the blue-book value of the car is. (Well, the
> car's too old to be in the blue book anymore now, but what a '95 is
> worth.)
>
> Tim.

Try this www.kbb.com
It goes back to 85.

> You asked if it was obvious and I said no.

Well, it was pretty obvious to me that something was majorly wrong when
coolant disappeared at such a catastrophic rate and there was oil where
the coolant was supposed to be...

I was very proud that for the first 12 years this car required like
$400 in maintenance (spark plugs, belts, oil, transmission fluid,
filters, coolant, etc.) and parts (alternator, canister purge solenoid,
motor mounts) not counting tire changes. And that I'd done it all
myself.

What makes me particularly unhappy about the cylinder head job is that
it is quite definitely beyond my ability!

Tim.