Engine coolant has crud in it!

I went to check my oil today and noticed a slight green tint to the oil on the rag. When I checked my coolant I found the dipstick had crud on it and in the coolant when I wiped it. Have I blown a head gasket? Has anyone else had this problem? It is a 2002 Z28 with 20,000 miles. I just installed an SLP lid and CAI, could this have caused any problems? The temp gauge was always running cool, never got over 210 ever.

Shouldnt you be using the reddish antifreeze made for aluminum radiators not the green?

Heck I have no idea what color they put in. I could have sworn it was green. But it had crud in it and that is what worried me. Was like small black pieces on the coolant dipstick. Lots of them.

My coolant has crud in it too. Every time I check the coolant dipstick, it's coated with brown residue.

So is this normal? I checked the color and it is pinkish. I wiped the crud off and rechecked a few hours later and it was clean.

I don't have it in my car, but I have seen it in other GM vehicles which use Dexcool coolant. The reservoir gets all gunked up, and I've been told by the dealers that it is 'normal' build up that some vehicles experience. Doesn't sound normal to me, but as long as nothing overheats as a result, it can't be too harmful. IMO.

Yeah I have never run hot. I even installed a Lid and CAI 2 weeks ago and it runs about 195-200 all day long now. It only hits 210 when I idle for a long time. It was just weird seeing so much crap on the coolant dipstick, got me worried.

I had planned on changing my oil today as well. So i took a little drive to heat up the engine and oil before i change it. Anyway as i got back home 20 minutes later, i popped the hood and noticed coolant was overflowing from resevoir!! So i noticed the stick had brownish "crude" coated on it as well! I cleaned it off and checked anit-freeze but didnt see anything unusual. And the car didnt seem to be running hot! So what gives?? need a radiator flush?:confused:

Thanks Kevin

If you open the hood on any car with the same mileage and look at the opaque coolant overflow bottle it will have a line of black crap where the coolant level is. You are seeing the same thing, just on the dip stick. It is usually leftover machining oil and stuff that was in the engine block when it was filled with coolant. I would say unless you notice anything unusual - the coolant in a 2002 Z28 is orange, not green, I would not worry about it.

Mine kind of reminds me of the old crud you would find in a fish tank that hasnt had the water changed:(

Originally posted by kevin97z28
I had planned on changing my oil today as well. So i took a little drive to heat up the engine and oil before i change it. Anyway as i got back home 20 minutes later, i popped the hood and noticed coolant was overflowing from resevoir!! So i noticed the stick had brownish "crude" coated on it as well! I cleaned it off and checked anit-freeze but didnt see anything unusual. And the car didnt seem to be running hot! So what gives?? need a radiator flush?:confused:

Thanks Kevin

Sounds like a faulty radiator cap,try changing it.

Dexcool+Green Stuff= Mud

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

I know you arent supposed to mix Dexcool and "green stuff"
I havent ever used the green stuff since i bought my LT1! Both my LT1 and LS1 both are running Dexcool coolant ONLY
never have mixed the two coolants together, but the LT1's coolant doesnt look like the LS1's "fish tank gunk" I guess i wont worry about it much until it starts running hot.
Kevin

i had my '98 z28's coolant flushed with 39,800 miles
yes there was a lot of crud on the reservoir stick but i think that's normal/nothing to worryabout.

the thing i had to worry about was my radiator cap, which was no longer keeping pressure...get that checked. i got a new cap for about 13 dollars hope this helps :)