Please tell me this is some kind of mold

[BennyM]

While I was replacing the intake manifold seals today, I spotted this:

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h132/bennyboym/sludge.jpg

Ahhh! Please tell me there's a chance that this whitish paste isn't indicating a hole in my M50's head gasket. When I bought the car a year ago, the seller (who used to own an engine shop in the city) told me he had replaced the entire head (and gasket) with a younger one only a few months earlier. Perhaps he botched the job?

There are no other signs of oil and coolant mixing. No white smoke out the tail pipe. The engine suffers from hunting idle, but not rough idle or loss of power. The coolant needle has never gone even a hair past middle. Also, am I correct in thinking it's far less common for a HG to fail on the outside edge first? Could it simply be a matter of retorqueing the head bolts to the block?

I'm really hoping that the unhealthy glob is actually left over residue from the previous head and gasket last year...or a mix of oil from a leaky PCV valve and a seeping/loose coolant hose (left side of image)....or something.

Please, tell me there's a chance.

BennyM

[whiskychaser]

Looks like emulsified oil:( Any coolant loss?

[Jehu]

Andromeda Strain

[BennyM]

A tiny bit, but the oil level hasn't changed.


Looks like emulsified oil:( Any coolant loss?

[Ross]

Looks like coolant weeping a bit to me. Nothing to worry about.
This is one example where a bottle of stopleak would help.
He might not have cleaned the block surface well when installing the head.

[BennyM]

Thanks for giving me a little bit of relief, Ross. I'm wary of the StopLeak stuff, but I'll do a bit more research, and I'll definitely keep my eye on the leak (well, as best I can, since you can only see it if you remove something else).


Looks like coolant weeping a bit to me. Nothing to worry about.
This is one example where a bottle of stopleak would help.
He might not have cleaned the block surface well when installing the head.

[Ross]

Clean all that crap off and watch it for a while.
Bars Leaks is a good brand

[632 Regal]

get the powder stuff that works with cars with the heater screen (IE cadillac) so it dont clog the heater screen. not the chunks and stuff or youll be bummin in the winter.