Milky antifreeze
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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oily milky stuff in antifreeze
I have a 1997 4cyl. ford ranger. Noticed a little anitfreeze in the driveway on two occasions over the weekend. No smell, present, oil and transmission fluid look fine. Took it to the garage today and the antifreeze looks like a milk shake. The garage changed out the antifreeze and wants to monitor it for a few weeks. I don't travel allot, but the truck is on the road 5 times or so a week on short trips. Please advise as to your thoughts on diagnosing this problem. I am new here and sure do appreciate it, not to mention I love my ranger.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 336
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From: Dumas, Texas
Have you put a stop leak in the radiator? Bars Leak sometimes make the antifreeze look like that. OR worse case scenario oil is getting in your radiator. Most times it is antifreeze getting in your oil but stranger things have happened.
KitsKid
KitsKid
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: Kansas City, Missouri
you might have a radiator problem. If the tranny cooler lines go through the radiator to cool the fluid, you might have an internal leak. It might be worth having the radiator shop pressure test it. It could be slight enough that it doesn't show a big drop in the tranny fluid level.
Bryon
Bryon
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Joined: Jan 2008
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Sorry Guys,
This thread belongs in a TECH forum
The User Announcement forum is for User Announcement's (ie : I'm getting married) & Introductions, etc.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=300691
Just a reminder to all user's to read the title of the forum & the text describing it.
This thread belongs in a TECH forum
The User Announcement forum is for User Announcement's (ie : I'm getting married) & Introductions, etc.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=300691
Just a reminder to all user's to read the title of the forum & the text describing it.
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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breather cap looks okay
Originally Posted by dafuz
Sounds like your blowing oil into your cooling systemwater. Maybe a leaky head gasket. Check the inside of yout oil breather cap. Shouldnt be milkshake like there either.
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Thread Starter
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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Milky antifreeze
Hello, this is my second post, I apparantly put the first post in the wrong forum. I have a 1997 4 cyl auto. ford ranger. Love the truck. Saw a small amount of antifreeze on drive way. Not more than a 3 inch circle. Took it to garage, where they found the antifreeze to be milky in color. The oil and the oil cap look normal as does the tranny dipstick. I am getting heat, and the truck is running as usual. I really need some expert opinion on what the cause is. I don't want to run into an expensive repair only to find out that it is something else. Thanks for your help, and Merry Christmas
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,221
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From: Homer, Alaska
Probably the first priority is to find the leak. It may be a bad hose, water pump, or possibly just overflow. I would try to stop the leak, then flush the entire system (turn the heater on too), and see what happens. Usually oil contamination is the culprit when fluids turn milky. Possibly some transmission oil is migrating into the radiator. It's probably not engine oil but a compression check would let you know if that is something to check further. Good luck and keep us posted.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Homer, Alaska
If you are taking it to a shop, have them pressure test the cooling system. That will tell you real quick if there are any internal leaks. I would still try to find the leak, even if it is small. Sometimes the water pump seal will start to fail and you will see fluid around the weep hole. If that is happening, the seal probably won't last much longer.
Posting Guru
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do the 97's still have the radiators with the plastic on the sides? i know about this time of year i get leaks from were the plastic and metal meets because of the cold.
thats if the puddle was at the front of the engine compartment. if not, where abouts was the puddle (front of engine compartment, back of engine compartment,...)??
thats if the puddle was at the front of the engine compartment. if not, where abouts was the puddle (front of engine compartment, back of engine compartment,...)??
Thread Starter
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Junior User
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milky pinkish antifreeze
yes the plastic is on the sides of the rad. The leak is almost dead center under the engine, but it is not from the middle, it is runnin down along the tranny lines, can't find exactly where the leak is, could be from the overflow. The truck does not overheat, my son in law was over yesterday for Christmas and looked at the truck, he claims and I concur that the color of the antifreeze is a cloudy very light pink color. which seems to indicate tranny trouble. I need to know how to proceed to get this fixed, your advice is appreciated and really needed, thanks for your help.