12 Valve 2nd Gen Dodge Cummins 94-98 Discussion of 12 Valve 5.9 Liter Dodge Cummins Diesels with P7100 Injection Pumps

black sludge in radiator

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Old 10-03-2012, 02:31 PM
98ram's Avatar
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Default black sludge in radiator

My truck only.has 140,000 miles on it and this morning when I drove it everything was fine. But about an hour later it was starting to over heat so i parked it and just now had time to look at it and there is a thick black sludge all over the radiator. I checked my oil it was a little low and it was thick as well. I have never herd of this happening before so I'm lost on this one and need it fixed fast.
 
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Old 10-03-2012, 04:27 PM
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Check under the oil fill cap for any mud-colored build up, white colored exhaust, hard radiator hose, turn your heat on and if it smells sweet it could be coolant. Sounds possibly like a bad head gasket.
 
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Old 10-03-2012, 09:42 PM
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Originally Posted by 98ram
My truck only.has 140,000 miles on it and this morning when I drove it everything was fine. But about an hour later it was starting to over heat so i parked it and just now had time to look at it and there is a thick black sludge all over the radiator. I checked my oil it was a little low and it was thick as well. I have never herd of this happening before so I'm lost on this one and need it fixed fast.
In the rad or all over the outside ?
 
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Old 10-03-2012, 10:18 PM
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if you mix the red coolant with the green coolant it turns to sludge and clogs the radiator
 
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Old 10-04-2012, 04:06 AM
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Originally Posted by lunk
if you mix the red coolant with the green coolant it turns to sludge and clogs the radiator
blue, red, orange, green.... none of them mix... you should always add the same colour coolant...
 
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Old 10-04-2012, 06:27 PM
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If your oil level is low also, i would bet on a head gasket or if you get lucky, maybe the oil cooler gaskets.

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

drain some in a clear jug and let it sit for a couple hours. If it seperates and you have green antifreeze on bottom and bleack oil on top, then that would rule out mixing different antifreezes.
 

Last edited by hounddogks76; 10-04-2012 at 06:27 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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