I was in the Ford shop today getting an oil change and they noticed that the coolant was very dirty (possibly oil residue?) and should be flushed. I have 30,000 on the truck and it is totally stock. Going in again tomorrow to see what is cooking, but thought I would ask if any of you have ideas on what this contamination might be?

Many thanks!

Rick

 

Well, if it's sort of milky-gray, it would be heavy oil contamination. In that case, your oil would read very full on the dipstick and you would have a bad seal or something, possibly head gasket? Not sure about that part, but if oil is getting into your coolant... that's bad.

Did you look at the coolant? Is it still orange kind of like orange soda?

 

The coolant is clear, but there is heavy residue on the bottom and sides of the overflow container. The color is a very pale orange (not a bright color at all).

 

I know of this. My truck dirtyed the coolant the day I drove the truck off the lot, new. There is something International is doing. The whole inside of my overflow bottle is stained brown. Get the system flushed I am going to add a coolant bypass filter from Dieselsite.com

 

Same thing with my 06 f350 with 58k. Turned out to be th head gaskets

 

So, looking in my overflow container, what color should my coolant be. Right now it's a dull yellowish look and there's all sorts of brown and black specks in the container. Any thoughts??
Oh yea my lat two oil reports have shown very high levels of iron and also I am showing traces of silicone too. (as blackstone says" possible anti-freeze)
My truck is a '06 built around mid-november of '05.

 

i just put a dieselsite coolant system on my 2006 ps, (pics in gallery) when i was installing it i got coolant on my hands and it was very oily, i think the motorcraft coolant has a some lubrication additives in it, i just bought 2 gallons of it from ford and it is yellow in color and it also was oily......................get the coolant filter system., might save u money in the long run, if u plan on keeping your truck.

 

I just had my coolant flushed and replaced on my 05 F350 /33k.

Mine looked dirty too, as well as foamy. Inside the bottle it looked like a dirty fish tank on the sides, like algae or something. They checked it all out, no oil contamitation and all is well.