Volkswagon Passat Cooling issue. Please help

[CAITHY]

WHEN DRIVING, THE CHECK COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON. WHITISH-BROWN SLUDGE WHERE COOLANT SHOULD BE. HAD RADIATOR CAP AND COOLANT CAP REPLACED. MAKES A LOUD CHUGGING NOISE WHEN THE CAR STOPS. AFTER THE CAR WAS STOPPED, AND COOLED OFF, I WENT TO TAKE THE COOLANT CAP OFF, AND THE PRESSURE BLEW IT OFF. SLUDGE WAS PRESENT WHERE COOLANT SHOULD BE AND IT BUBBLED OVER. PLEASE HELP. I CAN'T FIND ANYONE WHO HAS ANY IDEA WHAT IS WRONG & I CONTINUE TO PAY TO HAVE THINGS FIXED, NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM.

 

[COLGeek]

Please don't post in all caps. Honestly, it sounds like a cracked head or seal and motor oil is mixed with your coolant (thus the sludge). Has any mechanic suggested this as the problem?

 

[mcnumpty23]

sounds like the head gasket or Intake Manifold Gasket

though i stopped messing around with cars quite a while ago so may be wrong

edit--thats assuming you have had the coolant replaced already?

if the coolant has been in there donkeys years then the coolant can break down and cause that

 

[cklaubur]

Even if the coolant has been replaced recently, I'd still suspect the head gasket or the intake manifold gasket. Coolant can be any almost any color, but if there is sludge, that's coolant and oil mixing together. Has anybody tried using a cooling system tester on the car? I'd bet that the results would not be good.

Casey

 

[aldan]

unless you severely overheated it the head is likely not cracked.vw didnt have much of a problem with that.it is more likely a head gasket as was said.the rad test tool will definitely tell the tale,but judging from your description it is at least the headgasket.i dont know where you took it to get it diagnosed,but any reputable mechanic could diagnose this in a heartbeat.i suggest finding one of those.dont trust this to a backyarder.