Welp..current vehicle couldn't last until my order came in

[dutchman187]

In preparation for selling my current 05 Escape private party once my truck arrives, I took it in for an oil change. Bad news, my coolant is milky white. Very likely a head gasket. I was hoping to sell it for around 3K-3.5K before it, but would have taken a bit less. Considering taking it down to a rural garage near my hometown that quoted me about 1k to fix. Spend 1K to hopefully sell for 2.5-3 is probably still worth it compared to simply calling the junkyard for a quote. Bad luck that it couldn't have made it just a couple more months.

Side note, no other symptoms such as overheating or white clouds, etc. Oil is also not discolored. But still seems pretty clear based on the white coolant in overflow.

 

[356]

Did you actually see the fluid and look in the radiator? Around here (Kansas City area), this was one of the more common "you need a new head gasket" schemes. Did the oil change place want to give you an estimate or "recommend" a garage? I mention this because it was in the news recently.

Assuming they gave you the right information (BTW, testing for a head gasket leak should cost $75-100), don't panic. Here is a helpful link to provide more information. On the farm growing up (and yes, I am a trained mechanic), we often used Bars Leak on older equipment, and some of them went for years without issue. My son used that in his 1999 Ford Expedition and it held up for four years--which is when the tranny finally died.

 

[dutchman187]

Did you actually see the fluid and look in the radiator? Around here (Kansas City area), this was one of the more common "you need a new head gasket" schemes. Did the oil change place want to give you an estimate or "recommend" a garage? I mention this because it was in the news recently.

Assuming they gave you the right information (BTW, testing for a head gasket leak should cost $75-100), don't panic. Here is a helpful link to provide more information. On the farm growing up (and yes, I am a trained mechanic), we often used Bars Leak on older equipment, and some of them went for years without issue. My son used that in his 1999 Ford Expedition and it held up for four years--which is when the tranny finally died.

I did look in the overflow. Looks milky. Dealer actually said just get rid of it and don't fix it, but said they would be about 2k minimum. Hmm, I'll have to read that link. I was thinking the hometown mechanic of 1k might be my best option.

 

[farf02]

I did look in the overflow. Looks milky. Dealer actually said just get rid of it and don't fix it, but said they would be about 2k minimum. Hmm, I'll have to read that link. I was thinking the hometown mechanic of 1k might be my best option.

Isn't your truck due soon?

 

[dutchman187]

Isn't your truck due soon?

Yep. Waiting for a train. And I have my father in laws vehicle to drive in mean time. Just trying to figure out best value decision for this vehicle.

 

[farf02]

Yep. Waiting for a train. And I have my father in laws vehicle to drive in mean time. Just trying to figure out best value decision for this vehicle.

Sell it as a mechanics special. I wouldn't stick 10 cents into it, you run the risk of a possible $1000 job becoming much more and MAYBE recouping your investment in repairs

 

[dutchman187]

Sell it as a mechanics special. I wouldn't stick 10 cents into it, you run the risk of a possible $1000 job becoming much more and MAYBE recouping your investment in repairs

That's a pretty good point. Any advice on how much you think I could get someone to bite on it for?

 

[Tat2GirlAz]

That's a pretty good point. Any advice on how much you think I could get someone to bite on it for?

Down here in AZ that'd garner 1500 to 2k depending on how the rest of it looks. My brother in law buys mechanically challenged cars, tows 'em down to Mexico, drops if off at a shop he deals with to fix 'em fix and sells it down there for a decent profit.

 

[farf02]

That's a pretty good point. Any advice on how much you think I could get someone to bite on it for?

Id start out at $2000, you can always go down!

 

[dutchman187]

Did you actually see the fluid and look in the radiator? Around here (Kansas City area), this was one of the more common "you need a new head gasket" schemes. Did the oil change place want to give you an estimate or "recommend" a garage? I mention this because it was in the news recently.

Assuming they gave you the right information (BTW, testing for a head gasket leak should cost $75-100), don't panic. Here is a helpful link to provide more information. On the farm growing up (and yes, I am a trained mechanic), we often used Bars Leak on older equipment, and some of them went for years without issue. My son used that in his 1999 Ford Expedition and it held up for four years--which is when the tranny finally died.

Took a look at this again this morning and I might take it in for a confirmation test to a reputable shop. Yes, the overflow coolant is milky. But I am not overheating, nor have I ever. I do NOT have any bubbles in the overflow with it running and cap off. I have never lost any coolant and my level is fine. I do not have any white cloudy exhaust. I am not running rough or misfiring. My engine oil is NOT milky or discolored in any way. Not saying it isn't a head gasket, but there are enough typical symptoms missing that it is worth confirming. My mobile mechanic called me and rattled off a list of possible other things it could be and noted it could have even been a mess up at the service center when they were adding fluids, causing contamination. I could also grab a kit from napa, but I'm not sure how hard that really is. I notice my Escape only has the overflow reservoir, not an additional cap on the radiator to remove/test from.

 

[dutchman187]

The plot thickens. Ran the block test and the color did not change, indicating no combustion gases in the radiator. Very interesting. At least I have a mystery to solve while I wait for my truck to arrive.

 

[356]

Could be a mix of various types and colors of antifreeze. They aren’t all green these days.

 

[356]

In preparation for selling my current 05 Escape private party once my truck arrives, I took it in for an oil change. Bad news, my coolant is milky white. Very likely a head gasket. I was hoping to sell it for around 3K-3.5K before it, but would have taken a bit less. Considering taking it down to a rural garage near my hometown that quoted me about 1k to fix. Spend 1K to hopefully sell for 2.5-3 is probably still worth it compared to simply calling the junkyard for a quote. Bad luck that it couldn't have made it just a couple more months.

Side note, no other symptoms such as overheating or white clouds, etc. Oil is also not discolored. But still seems pretty clear based on the white coolant in overflow.

What did you find, regarding this car?

 

[dutchman187]

What did you find, regarding this car?

After the block test was good, I did some more searching. Ruled out transmission leaking into coolant based on color. Found a few threads on engine oil cooler failing and it seemed to match my symptoms. Confirmed that with an online Ford mechanic and so I called my local guy. He agreed and so he cam out and put a new engine oil cooler on. On the ford escape, it is located by the oil filter and not in the radiator, so that helped. He showed me the cooler and how it was definitely bad.

He also showed me my power steering hose was leaking. I said go ahead and replace that, but it turned out being a bit more of a pain with that because Ford made the pump and hose all one piece, so I needed a new pump too.

But now I do have zero leaks, clean antifreeze, and can sell with confidence. The mechanic said he would honor all the parts warranties to the new owner and to list his name when I sell it with that info. Only thing left to do is go get another coolant flush and a power steering flush.