95 WB Festiva oil in the coolant

[BrianFestiva]

Hi I am new here, I hope I have put this on an ok area.
Anyway I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem.
I have been getting a heap of chocolate brown sludge in the overflow and in the radiator cap. There is nothing in the oil cap or anywhere in the oil for that matter. I have never heard of oil getting in to the radiator but no coolant getting into the oil. I have had coolant in the oil but not in the coolant. Or even both are mixed. (if that makes sense lol) Just seems so odd.
I am replacing the head gasket in a few days since thats the most likley cause.

What do you guys think.
Also soon I will be completley rebuilding everything mechanicle in the front end (maybe in the next 6 months), engine suspention, steering etc.
So I dare say I will need some help!

Thanx
Brian

[freshtiva]

Plenty of help here. Could be a head gasket or a warped head.

BTW welcome to the site !!

[Festiva Time]

I had it on the '88 Festiva after it overheated and warpped the head. I had all hat head work done, only to find there is a crack somewhere, let the oil into the coolant! Good news! because the oil is pumped thru the engine at over 20PSI... the coolant can't get into the oil! I ended up just putting straight water and draining it out every weekend. Cleaning the Sludge out out the overflow bottle is just gross!

Kirk

[BrianFestiva]

Thanx man.

Yeah I am thinking head gasket but I was just wondering if this is a common ocurance

I haven't had much experience with the Festys but I am mechanicle minded so hopefuly I should be able to help others soon aswell!

[BrianFestiva]

If it turns out that I have to replace the head. Is there anything I should know with these engines? I have really only done push rod motors before so this is new to me. I work with classic cars so any insite would be great!
The manual tells me what to do but we all know there not worth much quite alot of the time,

Thanx

Brian

[Smedley]

Brian, what kind of manual do you have? If all you have is a Haynes, you might want to think about getting a Ford shop manual. They pop up on a regular basis on Ebay or post a WTB listing on here and someone may have one to sell.

By the way, where are you located? Good luck and enjoy your car.

[1988redfordfestiva]

if u use the kia plain aluminum gasket it will leak i have the fel pro one on it now and no oil in the coolant saved my engine from disaster. wish you luck on find out best way do a collant pressure test that how i found out so i swapped the head gasket and changed out my water pump ..another helper if u want the sludge out by clr at walmart add runn then flush cleans internals like a king do not use head gasket repair in a can you'll mess up your block

[Festiva Time]

If you get a Ford Manual, make sure it is for the same year Festiva as yours. There important differences. For Example: An '88 alternator & input (into it) are different than a '90 Festiva. You can use the other Alternator but you will have to cutoff the input plug and rewire it.

Head gasket: Go with FelPro.

Kirk

[BrianFestiva]

Hey got a felpro and its on there now and its even running so much better. Gotta retension the head tomorrow morn just as precaution. Anywho I live in Adelaide Australia, down south at Aldinga. If anyone is from where I am I have Zappas Computers plastered on the side lol. Cant miss me!

Good news I bought another Festy same model for my partner.
$420 and it over heats! lol I think the head gasket is leaking and pressurising the coolant. It keeps blowing stuff off, first a hose now possibly the head or maybe the thermostat housing. Hard to tell in the dark. All I know is it was a steamy affair lol. Gonna get a new head tomorrow most likley. If its just the gasket (I hope it is) I will replace that. Also needs clutch cable ajusted and new sparkplug leads as they were arcing onto to me when I was playing with the throttle! Otherwise she runs quite well lol.

Fun fun fun!

Oh yeah I got a haynes manual. Gonna keep an eye out for a workshop manual. Altho it seems better that a gregorys not that they make a Festy one for my model

Brian