Bush League 96 XJ

So after a day of wheeling i had noticed fluid was pouring down my front end so i popped open my hood and i was puking coolant. I checked my temp but it was at normal running temperature so i looked into the coolant overflow and to my surprise it was chocolate milk. Immediately i though it was a head gasket or a warped or cracked head. So i checked my oil but i didn't find any signs of water or coolant contamination. So i got her home and I drained the coolant and the oil. The coolant had a thick and milky substance that floated on the top of the green coolant. But my oil was just a dirty dark black with no signs of water or anything. Then i drained the trany fluid and it too did not show signs of water intrusion, but was a thick black witch leads me to believe the fluid has never been changed. I also pressure tested my cylinders and they checked out okay. So at this point i am thinking it is my trany cooler that has cracked a line or has a leak in the radiator somewhere. I tried pressure testing it but it doesn't seem to loose any pressure when i pressurize it. I think my next step is to take the radiator out and get a shop to test it for me... but i really don't know what else to do. So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Bush League 96 XJ

Also the 2 fluids smell very similar. And before i drained my trany fluid i drained and filled coolant with water and it seems that my trany fluid levels went down There was a significant loss of transmission fluid somewhere and it wasn't leaking so it is screaming towards the cooler but i am not ruling out engine oil entering the coolant. Is there any way to check if the coolant has ATF in it and not regular engine oil?

IdleSerivice

With just water in your cooling system you should be able to see the color of your contaminant. Your old tranny fluid looked like oil but new fluid should appear a different color then your engine oil.

freegdr

pressure tested what ?

Bush League 96 XJ

I didn't flush the cooling system and hadn't drained the old trany fluid when i filled the cooling system with water. I just wanted to see if i was getting water into the new oil i put into the engine. It would seem like a waist to change the filter and gasket and fill with new atf if i haven't found the problem.

Bush League 96 XJ

My cylinders a compression test not pressure test.
And attempted to pressure test my radiator but i don't know if i did it right.

IdleSerivice

If you have a little clean antifreeze around, put it in two dixie cups just a half cup or so, then take a little of your current oil, and current ATF from your vehicle and put them in separate cups and they should look different even if its just slight, then compare that to whats in the bucket.

I'm in the same boat with the coffee in my overflow, but I haven't dug in deep enough yet. ATF and Engine oil both look clean but my radiator is full of coffee. I wonder if the previous owner mixed coolant types

Bush League 96 XJ

I have tried that but couldn't get it to mix together enough to get the color right, also i had done a coolant flush not too long ago so my coolant was bright green before the incident. I think i just caught it early enough to where the coolant didn't contaminate the other oil weather it be transmission or engine oil i don't know.

IdleSerivice

I understand your frustration, I'm still looking for the cause in my system. I just keep checking my oils to make sure i catch any leaks asap, and i keep looking for anything that will give me a clue

freegdr

attached pump to rad neck pumped to 16 # and watched gauge...

Bush League 96 XJ

Do i do it empty or with fluid in it? And how long should i wait untill checking the gauge?

Bush League 96 XJ

I am just sick of driving my brothers Toyota haha. I want my jeep back!

freegdr

fill it and just watch gauge see if it drops

IdleSerivice

the only toyota i have liked was a little pickup where the tailgate said TOYOLET.
Good Luck, hope you find your source, I'll post back if I find mine.

Bush League 96 XJ

Thanks for the suggestions