fluid colors - want a laugh?

[paook]

We bought our Fiat two weekends ago(?) and I drove it 67 miles to get it to our home... with the fluids looking like this. They all had some particulates in them.

This is what our engine coolant looks like in the reservoir:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookoverth ... 732123852/
(It didn't seem to overheat too badly though)

This is what our brake fluid looks like:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookoverth ... 732123852/
(They felt fine and obviously didn't fail...yet)

[So Cal Mark]

I'd definitely flush out all of that old fluid. The rest of the problems are pretty typical. It looks like you'll have it on the road soon

[joshuagore]

We bought our Fiat two weekends ago(?) and I drove it 67 miles to get it to our home... with the fluids looking like this. They all had some particulates in them.

This is what our engine coolant looks like in the reservoir:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookoverth ... 732123852/
(It didn't seem to overheat too badly though)

This is what our brake fluid looks like:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lookoverth ... 732123852/
(They felt fine and obviously didn't fail...yet)

I have an odd situation on one of my BMW's. Oil somehow is in the coolant, not a lot, but maybe every few months you can get a small bit floating in the reservoir. Not enough to really care about, but not something I want to go unsolved so I dig around. No coolant in oil, and no other signs. Inspection of the block reveals no obvious signs of trouble. Car doesn't overheat, but does loose some oil, but this is mostly related to a drip with only a minor portion of it ending up in the coolant.
I am guessing its possible that I have some kind of slow seeping in the head gasket somewhere.
Good luck with your fun
Josh

[kristoj]

Paook,

Given the lack of attention to the coolant and brake fluids, I would go ahead and change out the transmission and rear diff oils as well (I assume you already changed the engine oil). And while you're at it, you should check the steering box as well.

[paook]

The previous owner admitted to only changing the oil in the last six years, and driving it once in the last year (just happened to be the day before we bought it). The tires had zero tread left, so we even replaced those in the first two miles. We've already changed the engine oil and have started to plan out all the other fluid replacements. Belts are also on the to-do list because we don't know the history. A number of other things need to be done for it to become a maintanable driver.

To add to the fun, we are limiting ourselves from making the car 'not' run until we move. We've got an offer in on a short sale, so we've got no idea when we need to move the Fiat. Thankfully, the move would be only five blocks so we could drive it that far without worry (or push it, in the worst case).

[mbouse]

i see that your wife has a supervisor! always great to break the young ones in at an early age.

that coolant looks like it has some stop leak in it.