Hey all, I just bought a 2001 Honda Accord from a private party a couple weeks ago. I took it about 400 miles a week after I bought it for a little road trip. I made sure all the fluids were filled and topped off. But about 3 days after I got back to my hometown. I pulled into work Saturday morning and saw that my engine had white smoke. So I popped the hood and I had a very tiny slit in my upper radiator hose, and that was shooting anti-freeze all over my engine causing the smoke. But I then looked at my coolant reservoir and it was filled with the brown stuff. Looked like a very watery peanut butter. Very thick. I am not sure what it could be, I was told it is most likely a blown head gasket. My transmission oil is still red and fine, as well as my oil still brown and not peanut butter looking at all. The car did not shoot out white exhaust and it did not ever over heat. So I am quite puzzled on what this issue is. It ran smooth and had a strong engine. It is a 2001 Honda Accord 4-cylinder vtec with 160,000 miles on it. As far as I know everything mechanically is stock.

Any suggestions on what it could be? My mechanic said he would fix the head gasket for around $600-700.


Here are some pictures below!

 

That's oil in the cooling system. This is one way that head gasket can fail. Unless someone poured oil in system, a head gasket leak is highly likely. You might drain/replace coolant and see if oil comes back, but be prepared for a head gasket replacement.

This was likely a pre-existing condition and you may have recourse to sue in small claims court. Difficult and probably not worth cost/effort to pursue.

good luck

 

How would you know if it was a pre existing condition?

 

There is no way to prove it was a pre-existing condition, but it is highly likely. You could try to jaw-bone some help from previous owner.

Did car overheat badly in the time you've driven? That is usual reason for blow head gasket.

good luck

 

I'm thinking even if the car did overheat in the last couple of weeks, I don't believe that would be enough time for the oil in the coolant to emulsify to the degree I see in the overflow tank or attached to the pressure cap. I'm thinking this is a pre-existing condition; that said, most private party sales are considered "As-Is" from a legal perspective so there typically isn't much one can do unless they can prove the sale was done under deceptive circumstances.

 

"I took it about 400 miles a week after I bought it for a little road trip. I made sure all the fluids were filled and topped off"

If you didn't notice the oil in the coolant when you were topping it off, must have happened during the trip.

 

It never over heated at all, and never lost coolant. :/

 

If it was a pre-existing condition, do you think the head gasket finally just took a blow? or would there be any other issue as to why that much engine oil and anti-freeze mixed together..

Could that mix because by the tiny slit in the upper radiator hose at all? or would it most likely be a blown head gasket..

 

Ya, there was no oil in the coolant at all, I inspected the car pretty carefully when I bought it. I even dumped all the old coolant out before the trip and refilled it with some new coolant. I just wonder what must have caused it to mix that bad, because it never overheated. I can faintly remember it shifted oddly just once when I took a turn into the parking lot of my work and when I pulled in to a spot I check the engine and was greeted to the oil in the overflow tank.