Hi I really could do with some advice please...
I just checked my coolant levels on my Renault Megane Coupe, 1996, 60k miles. The coolant bottle was so gummed up that I could not even see the water level.
Upon opening the bottle there was significant amount of gunk like stuff that went from dark brown to a creamish colour coating the entire inner surface of the bottle. The coolant was a medium dark brown.
This mouse stuff is very thick and difficult to break up with soap, it dissolved very easily in Petrol and WD40 - so I`m guessing it is oil based.
Interestingly I scooped up some of this gunk on a screwdriver and put a lighter under it - after the water was driven off it burnt like a sparkler!
Looking at some of the dissolved gunk it seems there are thousands of time metal particles, varying from about 1mm square downwards.
I would start to guess that my head gasket is shot, but there does not seem to be any sign of water in the oil.
Does this sound reasonable?? Also where did all these bits of metal come from?
Obviously this gunk has got down all the coolant tubes, causing who knows what to block up. Can any one suggest a way of thoroughly cleaning the coolant system?
Thanks in advance.. Steve