smartone_109

I have a 2000 Ford Taurus with a 3.0 Flex Fuel engine. It has been losing coolant a lot and the oil level increased. We thought it was overful becuase of the fact that it was not creamy colored or anything. We changed the oil, and as I was draining it, the oil came out as sludge. We couldnt think of what did it. We let it sit and no antifreeze settled to the top as it should if it were in it. The oil level jumped again the next day and coolant disapeared. It seems like it is not burning coolant either. Today we torn into the engine and got the intake off. The valve covers are covered in a gel of coolant and oil and the bottom the the intake is too, and the rest of the top of the engine. Does that make it seem like intake gaskets more than anything like a cracked block or head? Any suggestions?

KimMG

Since the valve covers have a mix of coolant and oil, I would suspect the head gasket has blown.

smartone_109

The valve covers are on top of the intake too, if the head gasket blew, how does that much cooleant get into the oil in one day?

mwt878991

It gets by the head gasket instead of staying confined to the coolant passages like it is supposed to.

Intake gaskets aren't going to help you on this. You have blown the head gasket at the very minimum.

You will need to have the heads checked by a machinest for cracks and warpage.

You probably don't want to hear that.

Mike

smartone_109

Nope, did not need to hear that But how does coolant get into the oil from there? I figure it would at least burn it, which it is not.

KimMG

The head gasket separates the cumbustion chambers, coolant passages, and oil passages. Your head gasket failed between an oil passage and a coolant passage, but may be ok around the cumbustion chambers (cylinders).

smartone_109

Update: It was intake gaskets; I drove 300 miles now and everything is OK. Thanks for the input!