Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

Well I'm pretty sick to my stomach, but I'm not positive and need input. Bad head gasket, or could this be a PCV issue? 05 Limited coupe, 55k miles. As you guys know I've been working for a long time trying to get all the quirks out of my crossfire and get it back to decent shape... just when I think its finally done... This morning I happened to check my radiator cap and its covered in a milky substance, I have no signs of a bad head gasket from what I can understand. I just changed my oil no milky substance, no milky substance around oil cap etc eveything looked normal. The car does not overheat or loose radiator coolant, and when it is up to operating temperature there is no smoke out of the exhaust. If I remember correctly I did a radiator flush & fluid exchange last year and don't remember seeing this. I know its coming back fast because I just wiped off the cap and reinstalled. Any suggestions? (Video of my coolent res)
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cro...9b9d4d78ae.jpg

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

From what I understand, you don't really know the history of the car. If it were me, I'd flush the system once or twice more. I'd use distilled water, GALLONS of it. Then, the third time, I'd add distilled water and coolant and see if it comes back. Perhaps there is contamination from a past 'incident' and all ya gotta do is flush/clean it out.

I sure hope thats what it is. Is the oil looking OK? If it looks ok, seems to be it's something with the cooling system, but if the oil is contaminated, then I'd think about a head gasket, etc. a

I dont know how else to deal with it.

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

Is it an automatic or manual. If its an auto I would look at the possibility that the trans cooler is leaking into the radiator. If you had a head gasket leak there would be milky oil on the oil fill cap.

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

It's an automatic and It's funny you say that because I was suspecting the same thing.. There is zero milk substance inside or on the oil cap.

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

Yeah that's a no go on the cars history I just know it came from FL. I'll go head and flush the system again and see if this happens I sure hope that's what it is to pizza... yes the oil came out how it typically does a hair dirty but other then that no milky substance at all decent viscosity.. thanks for the reply

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

As far as the history, why not run a carfax report? Maybe there are maintenance records. There will definitely be ownership records.

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

Yeah true I should probably get around to doing that I’ve just done some much general maintenance that everything’s taken care of so I never bothered.

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

Whatever is leaking will be obvious by it losing volume. If it is water in the oil then moving components in the engine will be ruined.
I had a head gasket leak in a GM 4.3 six cylinder in the early nineties. I had to completely rebuild the engine.

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

Sorry to hear that what a nightmare. Yeah at this point my stomach is in a knot wondering what it is, hard to believe at 55k it’s a head gasket but I’m leaning towards tranny oil, it’s hard to tell but I’m not losing oil, and I’m not losing coolent, I’m not over heating there’s no milky substance in oil. I guess at this point I’m going to try and do a flush again as pizza suggests and go from there, not getting my hopes up because if I remember this was already done last year, say it is an internal leak somewhere in the tranny cooler I just replace the whole radiator?

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

Run a dip stick down the transmission tube ( you may need to break the seal) and look at the trans fluid. Maybe you will get an indication there of trouble? And Yes, you would need to replace the radiator should that turn out to be your problem.

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

Just did a transmission flush a week ago but looks like this is my only option.

Re: Bad Head Gasket or PCV issue?
 

There is a way to remove the seal without breaking it. I'll look for it.

TIP: The one time use cap that covers the trans fill tube CAN be use over and over again. The trick is to snap off the rectangular piece on the top of the cap and then use a small screwdriver or whatever and push the remaining part of the “lock” down through the cap. Keep the “lock” part, yer gonna reuse it.
Courtesy of Tighed One