1996 Dodge Neon Substance in the radiator.

Engine Cooling problem
1996 Dodge Neon 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

Hi 2CarPros,

I have some questions about a substance that has been appearing in my radiator of my 1996 Dodge Neon for some time. Originally the substance was brown it looked like oil and because oil is lighter and generally will not mix with water it would float on top (under Radiator Cap) and it was easy to separate. Later the amount, consistency, and color have changed. There is a lot more than there used to be and on a daily basis the amount varies greatly. It does not seem to matter how far I drove the previous day. It has a sticky/thicker consistency now and is very difficult to clean. The color is now a sort dull yellow. Furthermore, there doesn’t appear to be any water in the oil or smoke coming out the exhaust (it just passed a smog test with great numbers). With daily driving the car uses a quart every couple of months.

Do you know if the physical properties of oil change over time? Do you know where I can get the substance tested to see exactly what it is? Labs seem to charge a cost prohibitive amount. Would oil companies do a test? Does oil usually flush out of a radiator easily? Do you know anything about water soluble oils? I know they use them in paints. Are they sticky?

I had the radiator flushed out just a couple of days ago. I am not sure they got everything out because I see some crud already and it is already yellow not brown. The mechanic did not want to flush the heater core as the radiator required numerous times. The hose is twisted back under itself to bypass the heater. The old one has already sprung a leak. I had a new put on at a nearby service station. This Mechanic did it about the same way. Will this sharp kink cause any problems with cooling system circulation? Should the Mechnanic’s have used an elbow?

The Mechanic at the Radiator shop also put in a Gasket Sealant and I am to use only water and bring it back in a month. I wanted him to do this and from what research I have seen online it seems to indicate that all decent sealants require you to drive with just plain water for a period of time. Thank You.



Sincerely Yours,

Craig