I have a '96 Windstar with at 3.8 V6, with about 85K on it. The radiator overflow tank has some coolant in it.The tankalso has 1/2 teaspoon of a black substance that looks like very black dirty oil. I pulled the oil dipstick and it looks clean and clear and isn't low. The oil is clear not milky so, I don't think that I'm getting coolant in the oil. To my knowledge the coolant has never had any additive put in it. It's been about3 years, less than 10K miles since the coolant was flushed out. The temp gauge reads normal. The van doesn't run hot. Does anyone have an idea of what the black "stuff" is?

 

Oil in the tank will be milky as well. I never did figure out why my 95 had that black goop. I can tell you that cheap coolant always left an oily look in the overflow tank. I cleaned mine out andflushed the system and refilled with Prestone and did not notice that oily filmreturn.

 

I'm wondering if the black stuff is oil or another contaminat from cheap or recycled coolant. Do they recycle coolant and sell it back to us? Anyone know?

 

yes there are repair shops that do recycle coolant.they put the old coolant in a drum they use an empty drum put an additive in the empty drum then pump the old coolant througha machine which filters it and goes into the empty drum making new coolant.it tests good as new coolant but am not sure about length of time for coolant breakdown meaning how log it will last......

 

The oil in the coolant overflow looks and smells like power steering fluid.I had a power steering leak in the line that goes into the radiator. Yes, radiator. A mechanic friend told me that these Windstars were built for soccer moms and the engineers anticipated overheating the power steering pump. Long van, short parking lots equal hard turns that could over heat the pump. I've never heard of cooling the steering fluid. I had him unhook the line. I couldn't justify the need to cool it. I'm not a soccer mom. I'm now wondering if unhooking the line some how made the tank in the radiator overheat and is passing power steering fluid into the coolant? I am also losing coolant someplace. Have been for some time and cannot find out where it's going. The motor oil isn't milky. It doesn't seem to be coming out the tail pipe.