White Gunk in header

White Gunk in header

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Original Poster:

24 posts

226 months

Tuesday 28th August 2007
quotequote all
Hi - Im about 2 days into owning a 93K 190E 2.0
and I noticed some off white gunk in the header expansion tank.
It looks like someone has tipped some heinz chicken soup in there.

The car runs well and I do get some drops out of the exhaust but nothing that doesnt look like condensation or water vapour from the cat.

The car doesnt smoke and doesnt overheat, the oil is spotless.
All the evidence on the net points to head gasket failure -
so I was wondering what to do,

a) panic.
b) flush the system and hope its some old residual gunk perhaps from a previous failure.
c) assume it could be the beginning of a new failure somewhere and prepare for remedial work.
d) ask for opinions - does anyone else have a benz with bits of gunk that doesnt cause them problems.

Ive run the car well up to temperature, the oil pressure is 3 dropping to 2.5 when hot.
The fan runs all the time (im hoping its not a wiring bodge to cover something) - the thermostat seems to open fine (filling the top hose) - the small thermostat run off to the header runs pretty much all the time and everything that comes through is clean and blue.

Im going to flush the system and clean the header tank and keep my eye on it.
I hope the dealer hasnt done the same, changed the oil and sold me on a dud.
their are no signs of pressure/bubbles in the expansion tank when revving it.

thoughts.

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

241 months

Wednesday 29th August 2007
quotequote all
Could be condensation from short journies.

Wipe it clean and take it for a few good long drives. Then check again.