AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I think I might have a serious PROBLEM! PLEASE HELP ME!

**Ryanater** · 05-17-2007, 06:50 PM

I was driving my 98 ws6 today and all of the sudden this little red light comes on showing some sort of radiator and an arrow pointing down. So I am assuming that it is the low fluid light. So when i get home i checked the radiatior and the coolant was a pinkish color and it was all foamy. And then i checked the power steering and the fluid looked exactly the same as the rad coolant. the engine oil was fine though.

Is the radiator broken or something else?

Any help?

I know if antifreeze gets where your engine oil is supposed to be i would have to rebuilt the engine.

**shady milkman** · 05-17-2007, 06:55 PM

change your oil...if it looks like chocolate milk..your screwed..um also check on the collant cap..if there is nasty whitish film on it ..your screwed too..foamy coolant almost sounds like your coolant was overheating..might be a bad thermo ...i would suggest not to drive it too much.

**Ryanater** · 05-17-2007, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by shady milkman

change your oil...if it looks like chocolate milk..your screwed..um also check on the collant cap..if there is nasty whitish film on it ..your screwed too..foamy coolant almost sounds like your coolant was overheating..might be a bad thermo ...i would suggest not to drive it too much.

I don't think it was overheating. But yes the cap does have a white film in it. But it doesn't look like chocolate milk. The car always heats up to about 210 then goes back to 180ish.

btw: I am parking it for now.

**shady milkman** · 05-17-2007, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by Ryanater

I don't think it was overheating. But yes the cap does have a white film in it. But it doesn't look like chocolate milk. The car always heats up to about 210 then goes back to 180ish.

btw: I am parking it for now.

hmm yea get a coolant flush and have them check the rad and thermostat..dont loose hope just yet.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-17-2007, 07:04 PM

The power steering fluid looked the same because you have a power steering cooler which keeps the p/s pump cooled down. Whatever happened in the radiator went through the power steering cooler into the p/s fluid reservoir.

**Ryanater** · 05-17-2007, 07:05 PM

ok but if the radiator is broke wouldn't I have that milk crap in my engine oil.

Could it be anything else?

**Heartbreak1** · 05-17-2007, 07:07 PM

Might be a good idea to flush the P/S too then, right? Do yourself a favor if indeed you need to replace the termo and get a 160 powerstat.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-17-2007, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by Ryanater

ok but if the radiator is broke wouldn't I have that milk crap in my engine oil.

Could it be anything else?

Read my above post, the power steering cooler is why you had the foamy stuff mixed into your power steering fluid.

**Ryanater** · 05-17-2007, 07:16 PM

So how do I go about fixing it? Are the power steering cooler and the radiator all one piece?

**Mr. Luos** · 05-17-2007, 07:20 PM

No.
The cooler is in the middle of a hose off the radiator.

**Ryanater** · 05-17-2007, 07:28 PM

So you guys think that the cooler broke, not the radiator?

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-17-2007, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by Ryanater

So you guys think that the cooler broke, not the radiator?

No, the radiator is your problem. The cooler allowed the problem to affect your power steering is all we are saying.

**Ryanater** · 05-17-2007, 07:32 PM

OH, I get what you are saying.

I have been reading some other threads and some people are mentioning something about ruptured coolant lines. I don't think that would be my problem, because if I had a ruptured line wouldn't I be leaking fluid?

**Y2KPewterSS** · 05-17-2007, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by Ryanater

OH, I get what you are saying.

I have been reading some other threads and some people are mentioning something about ruptured coolant lines. I don't think that would be my problem, because if I had a ruptured line wouldn't I be leaking fluid?

Probably, but you might have a small leak that is so small you can't notice it.

**Ryanater** · 05-17-2007, 07:49 PM

So how big of a job is replacing the radiator.

I have absolutly no time as it is. And I can't afford to have it done at a shop

**Ryanater** · 05-17-2007, 08:00 PM

"My problem started with the low coolant light coming on. I am a fanatic when it comes to maintenance on my vehicles. Initially it was diagnosed as bad sensors, which were replaced several times. On one of my warranty field trips back to the dealer one of the technicians said, "it looks like you have power steering fluid in your antifreeze" I asked how is this possible and he said it isn't they are 2 completely separate systems. Long story but it was finally diagnosed as a ruptured coolant line in my radiator hose. The coolant looked like glue on the dipstick just like the picture. Cost me 2K (+) to get fixed and GM would not cover it under warranty even though this was the cause of the low coolant sensor being replaced so many times."

I found this quote in the "Yuck" thread. It sounds exactly like what is happening to me.

**TACE02** · 05-18-2007, 02:09 PM

If that sounds like your problem, you might want to check your oil again. I do believe "TX WS6 02" author of "YUCK" ended up being a blown headgasket. In any case good luck man.

**Ryanater** · 05-18-2007, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by TACE02

If that sounds like your problem, you might want to check your oil again. I do believe "TX WS6 02" author of "YUCK" ended up being a blown headgasket. In any case good luck man.

Well if it was a head gasket that wouldn't effect the p/s oil. So i am almost positive the radiator broke.

has anyone changed their radiator before. Is is it very hard with an ls1 car?

**Mr. Luos** · 05-18-2007, 02:34 PM

Couple hours with basic tools.
Shouldn't be too bad.

Drain...pull the hoses...remove.
www.ls1howto.com
Look at the cam swap procedure. The first couple steps show the removal of the radiator.

**sirenformula350** · 05-18-2007, 02:35 PM

if your head gasket is blown you would have radiator fluid leaking into your oil making the oil look like chocolate milk. I had this problem on my 89 formula its a bitch to fix. Lets just hope all you have to do is replace the radiator. that would be cheaper than fixing a blown head gasket.