Was doing a check on the wife's car today (2000 Outback, EJ25 SOHC 333,000 miles) and found the timing belt is showing some cracking, so I'll be doing that job next week when parts get here. I had to remove the coolant overflow tank to get to the timing cover and found an inch and half of this at the bottom of it.

 

 

Never seen that sort of stuff before. Pulled the radiator cap and found a little more sludge. It's like a fluffy sponge cake consistency. Not oily. Radiator took maybe a quart of fluid to top it off. It has been performing normally and running at normal temperature. Any thoughts on this? Car seems perfectly fine. Just due for a new timing belt and found this weird stuff.

 

Since I'll be draining the radiator anyway, I'm planning on a good flush at the very least.

Heehee...yeah.   Weird stuff has been known to grow in odd places.

 

 

I don't know...silicates?

 

 

All I know is brake fluid smells just like lemonade to me. 

 

Damien

Someone probably dumped a bottle of stop leak into the overflow and it solidified.

 

Or someone didnt like their banana pudding...

maybe a dexcool/glycol mix-up?

Whatever it is developed fairly recently. We've had the car for a few years now. Always quality coolant and never any additives. Definitely going to swap the thermostat when I do the timing since there's gunk in the system. Hope it flushes out easily.

maybe a dexcool/glycol mix-up?

 

http://autos.aol.com/article/coolant-color/

 

It sounds like that, but I've only ever added green stuff.

I have NEVER seen that before.

 

How the hell do pine needles get into your radiator?

i had something similar in my 00 lego L when i swapped it out due to a bad rod bearing.

 

i assumed it was due to the coolant conditioner, additive.

but since the engine was coming out i didn't worry about it.

 

you might pull the t-stat and see if there is any gunk there.

that's where i found mine.