I recently inherited my dads 96 and it needs A LOT of engine work... Im noticing a thick rust, almost oil, colored goo on the coolant stick when I check it. When I check the radiator all seems fine inside... Any help here?? and please keep it simple, Im new to this... and a girl. Thank you!!

 

Is it losing coolant at all? I'm a girl too

 

Not me!!!! lol.
Welcome to Camaro Forums red. Have your cooling system pressure tested and get the coolant flushed.
It's possible that a previous owner put some of that goopy coolant sealer crap in your reservoir.
Could also be something more serious, but I don't want to scare you quite yet!

 

Are you talking about the reservoir? Even when mine was at the worst, (pre-engine swap) the reservoir was always clean. My first hint of anything was inside the radiator cap. My car held pressure overnight so that wasn't a help.

 

I figured she wasn't reefering to the radiator, since it's the reservoir that has the "coolant stick".

 

Mine doesn't have a "stick" :P (she's a she lol)

 

Welcome, Rose.
First item on your list should be a Haynes manual for the model.
This reference material can be bought either at your local parts store or Amazon.
The Owner's Manual tells you how to work the Camaro, the service manual tells you how the Camaro works.

You may just need to flush and rinse the reservior in removing the debris, and as Camaro suggested, get the rest of the coolant system flushed and pressure checked.
I also suggest if flushing, replace all the hoses, rad cap, drive belt, and the thermostat, unless they ar less than four years old. You are servicing a system. This service would also include taking a garden hose to the back side of the radiator and clean out the fins of debris, bugs, etc.

Enjoy the journey.
Yes, my reservior stick has alittle gunk on the bottom and the radiator is clean. I daily drive it and have had no issues. So you may be lucky.
Start the Camaro up, let her get up to operating temp, better to take it for a drive. Return, shut off the engine and let sit for about 3-5 minutes. Then squeeze the top radiator hose. It should be taut/tight as this action means the coolant system has built pressure and can hold it.
No tight upper hose, replace the radiator cap and try again the test the next day, after a complete overnight cooldown.
Still no tight upper hose, look for a leak visually outside. none found, then pressure check the system.

 

yeah, I know about the Haynes manuals... had to buy one for an old Subaru (whole other issue!) I will def pick one up, thanks.
and thanks for the step-by-step. As soon as the rain stops ill give it a try. but as for the gunk on the stick, its not just a little bit its a lot... to the point i have parked the car for fear of driving it, it just doesnt look right you know!
thanks again!

 

When your car was new it had the orange Dexcool coolant in it. When the Dex cool stuff ages it turns to a brown and forms into a sludge. I have a 96 and when I replaced the motor I backed flushed the radiator and replaced all the hoses except the heater hoses. I removed two large hand fulls of brown sludge. I then installed the green coolant. Now, 4 years later, I still get the brown sludge in the resevoir every once in a while. Car runs as cool as can be and heater works great. I am sure when I drop this car off at the junk yard some day it will still have some of the old dex sludge in it.

Any other issues?

 

gasp