So I just got back from doing an oil change at Jiffy Lube and the tech called me over and showed me my reservoir and it was BLACK. They took a little out and showed me and the coolant is somehow mixed with some type of oil but they are not sure if it's tranny fluid or engine oil. I am very concerned and even though I'm not overheating I do not want to damage my motor. What could be causing this?

 

You're getting ripped off. Anyone I know that goes to Jiffy lube gets the oil change done for them.

 

transmission cooler is in the bottom of the rad. it could be leaking into the coolant,is you transmission level going down?

 

I dont think Im getting ripped off, this was my first time having the oil changed by someone else, I've changed it the last 3 times but honestly I was just lazy. I watched everything they did from start till finish so I doubt they put oil in there. And the oil change was only $27

 

Good call my man, the radiator works as a tranny cooler too so maybe the radiator is going bad, mixing the tranny fluid with the coolant? Hmm I changed my solenoid and tranny fluid a few months ago so I'll check the level and see.

 

My remark obviously went over your head.

 

FWIW I got it and thought it was funny.

 

Lmao just got it I only read the ripped off part..

 

Leaking intake gasket, or as already mentioned, the tranny cooler in the radiator. Have you checked the motor oil and tranny fluid for signs of coolant in either one, or if the level is rising in either over the full mark?

 

Also do you know if your Expedition has an engine oil cooler?, as this also could be the problem.

 

If it is transmission fluid you need to NOT drive the truck until its repaired. If coolant gets into the trans you will be getting a rebuild soon as the bonding agent for the clutches disintigrate with coolant. That causes big problems.

 

Tomorrow Im going to drain the coolant from the radiator to see what it looks like. What steps should I take if
a.) The coolant comes out black (mixed with oil just like it looks in the reservoir)
b.) If the coolant is mixed with transmission fluid (reddish mixture)

Btw, I dont know if Im just paranoid but I noticed now that the tranny might be slipping a little but guess this, ONY WHEN I MAKE U-TURNS! Very strange...sigh

 

If the coolant got into the trans you could be in for some expensive problems. When you check the trans fluid if it looks a bit like a milkshake in there, the coolant got to the trans and the only way to attempt a cure is to immediatly change the fluid after you change the radiator. Do not operate the truck for any reason until the radiator and TRANS FLUID is replaced. You should also get a good transmission cooler and bypass the radiator cooler. A new radiator is much less expensive than a transmission if it should fail again.

 

I had an 88 firebird with a 5.0 it got oil in overflow. My bro was still alive and had a shop he did a test on my rad and found out I was getting exhaust gases flowing in to the rad. You know lazy back then since no water was in the oil I never did replace the head gasket or check to see if it had a cracked head,but we did run it for more then 100,000 more miles.Still ran when it was parked 5 years ago.Hope yours is an easy repair

 

Upon reading this last night because I noticed the flurry in my coolant tank, I parked the 03 Nav. Can I flush out the system, bypass the radiators internal tranny cooler with a Jegs aux tranny cooler unit with a fan and still keep the radiator? My tranny has been slipping for the past month. I didn't think to see the connections of these issues.