So I was flushing my power steering fluid today, and I was alarmed by an apparent green hue to the old fluid in the power steering reservoir. I dipped several absorbent materials in and looked at it with a flashlight, and I don't htink there was an actual green tint to the fluid.

I looked in the coolant reservoir to see it's nearly bone dry; just a little dampness on the bottom. I popped the cap on the radiator, and it was full and the fluid color was tan appropriate green color. I haven't checked the fluid level in several months. I haven't experienced any overheating or boilovers.

I don't think there is a compromise in the wall that separates the engine coolant from the tranny fluid on the base of the radiator as the coolant in the radiator was not discolored nor have I been experiencing any problems with the tranny which I think I'd experience if the entire contents of the coolant reservoir was in that system.

My number 3 cylinder's spark plug coil has quite a bit of oil due to a bad valve cover gasket. Is it possible that gasket may also be failing near a coolant fluid duct? If so, where's it going? I haven't had any chocolate milk bubbles on my dipstick, so I don't think it's ending up in the oil system.

Edit: Of course, I checked for leaks and I don't see any.

 

Ok first, the only way for oil and coolant to mix is head-gasket or a crack in the block/head. If the valve cover gasket is leaking oil on the plug, you have to replace whole cover OR what i have done on some vqs is take RTV Silicone and put it around the plug tubes and it works.

The fluid in your power steering fluid, if its a different color than red, drain it and flush it out. If its red but low, just top it off no problem.

And i dont know how many miles you have but its usually a good idea to do a coolant flush after 70k mark. You can tell by the color if it needs a flush.

 

I had a flush about 20K ago. Before the flush, the fluid color was appropriate.

My old PS flid was a red-brown color. I have a minor leak on the drivers side of the rack die to a torn boot allowing contaminates in and destroying the o-ring, so I believe the discolor is due to contaminates in the system. My new fluid (prestone) is crystal clear, so it will be easier to monitor changes and contaminates.

Oh bother, why won't someone steal my car??