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MGA MGA Antifreeze Turned to Goo?

Tullamore

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Anyone ever seen this before? was taking off the top radiator hose and the end of it above the thermostat was filled with a green goo of the consistency of Vaseline. The heater core and radiator drained of regular looking fluid, I only found this stuff above the thermostat.
 

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I have found a similar situation from a replacement of the thermostat. Replacing the thermostat usually requires a new gasket but some people also use the gasket sealant for an extra seal. In my case it was like this because they used way to much and while tightening it all ran into the thermostat and plumbing network around it. From, there it dries and becomes part of the internal guts. Other then that Im not to sure. I do know when coolant looses its mechanical properties over time ( and years of sitting ) it will not gel up yet only turn a rusted color.
 
Were it mine, I'd first backflush the engine (while the radiator was in the radiator shop getting boiled, pressurized & repaired)....if backflush didn't work, I'd pull the engine apart & have a machine shop boil the block, head, & everything that the antifreeze touched.....to include the heater core!

& that thermostat cover forebodes bigger problems; so, sending engine to machine shop might be the best way to go!
 
WOW! How many years has that engine been setting idle? Looks like a chemical reaction on the aluminum goose neck. Never saw one that bad.
I bought a new Elderado in 1983 and GM required putting pills in the radiator to prevent a similar reaction in their aluminum blocks and water pumps. That was on a 4100 engine. The pump still went bad around 50,000 miles.
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Even so, that was still my favorite car.
 
I just bought a '72 FIAT Spider that had been sitting for 25 years and it had the same goo. The rad was fine, but it seemed to happen where there was aluminum. The passages in the head were plugged too, but hopefully since yours is iron it's ok.
 
Tullamore,

I am with Tony. Better safe than sorry.

First, try the backflush and see what happens...It's only time right? Right.

Let us know what happens.

Cheers.
 
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