CarTang

Hi everyone, This is my first post and I'm really hoping someone is able to help. I have a 2010 F-150 with the 5.4 engine. I was under the hood the other day and saw this brownish, sand like stuff in my coolant reservoir. I showed some pictures to a mechanics teacher and he said it was radiator sealant. Now I want some other opinions and advice to what it is, and if I need to take any action.


This is what I scraped off the inside.








It's probably a really silly question but I got to learn somehow.
Thanks

LOCO LAPTOP

Your radiator, head gasket, or heater core likely had a leak and someone pulled a fast one to be cheap and used this crappy can stuff.

My suggestion:

Flush the whole cooling system and do a pressure test. If it passes, fill up with coolant and call it a day.

If it fails the pressure test find out where the leak is and replace the said part. (For your sake I would hope it's a radiator). Once part is replace, pressure test again to see if it holds pressure. if yes: fill up with coolant and call it a day.

CarTang

Thanks LOCO LAPTOP, I didn't think it was anything to big as I just brought it in for an oil change at a ford dealership. I figure they would've noticed it and told me but you never know. I'll give your suggestion a try

Manuellabour247

Yikes. This is why I hate people using Bars StopLeak. It's great for emergencies, but nobody seems to want to do the right thing and repair the problem/ flush that crap out. Over time it can build up and clog passages since you will have some continuously circulating. Like said above, I hope it's the radiator as well. Much easier to repair or replace.

GLT68

Found the same thing when I bought my 2010, and after some reading here on the board it seems that it is a normal occurrence on the 09/10 trucks. Here is one thread that I found but there are others.

https://www.f150forum.com/f38/2010-r...-flush-256360/