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radiator flush/ thermostat advice please?

dogsbody

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Ex partner mk 2 removed the thermostat from my VR commodore and also rerouted the heater hoses to disconnect them after my car had a series of overheating issues. Now, several months later, my car is overheating again, having dropped a ****load of water/coolant that I really hoped was from the car parked in the same spot before me. It wasn't... and there is oil in the radiator water.
Ex mk 2 (a little knowledge is a dangerous thing) suggested head gasket and having no money and dubious mechanical advice I tried the black pepper thingy and went off and bought some 'CarGo metallic seal up' magic potion.
The instructions tell me to flush the radiator first so I bought some radiator flushing stuff and another thermostat and a gasket. I read the thread on flushing radiator procedure in this forum and it says to have the heater on hot. This is difficult as stated, the heater is disconnected (heater core problem?).

Ex Mk 1 is a mechanic (helpful in advising me to buy another car, not in repairing or anything useful like that) and he told me that having an iron head made it less likely that it has blown a head gasket and that was more a falcon problem. He also asked me if the oil was creamy although I didn't find out why. It isnt.

My questions as follows.. please help because I am really confused and know you guys know your stuff:

1. Can I flush the radiator without having a heater connected? (Not optimal but is it possible?)

2. Is it just a matter of disconnecting the hose out the bottom of the radiator and refilling and running it?

3. the thermostat housing is that diamond shaped bit where the hose comes from the radiator to the motor isn't it?

4. What is the creamy oil thing all about?

I imagine that ex mk 1's advice is sound re changing cars but there is no way I can afford to do that nor can I afford to take it to a mechanic. I have 4 kids, am single and my youngest one has just started prep this year, it is too far to walk to school for him, so I am pretty reliant on the car.

Sorry for the length of this message, thanks for any advice I can receive.
 

BowTie

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1. yes

2. no

3.yes

4. oil blended with coolant is creamy
 

EDGE3

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1.YES
2.NO you have to flush the whole system,read instructions on the radiator flush bottle.
3.YES,and you dont need to get a new thermostat all the time but a new thermostat gasket yes.
4.Its oil in the coolant which suggests maybe a blown head gasket.
If its the head gasket then it wont be cheap sorry
 
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