I know all about the gasket problems on the venture. I have about 130,000 miles on my 2000 venture. I bought this van new in 2000. I haven't had much trouble with it other than replacing the intake gasket at 80,000 miles. I am noticing brown sludge in the radiator which has been going on for about four years or so. and I add about a quart of antifreeze every 3000 miles. The car runs good and I don't notice any antifreeze in the oil. When it started getting cold this winter (around 0 or below there is antifreeze dripping on the ground when the car sits over night.I am planning on replacing some gaskets again this spring. Someone said that the transmission could be leaking fluid into the antifreeze. I had a new sensor put into the transmision and the transmision flushed last year and the dealer said nothing about this problem

 

The permanent agent was removed from anti freeze years ago, if you don't flush and replace it every so often, say every two or three years , the anti freeze turns acidic, and will eat away at your engine.. that could be why it is discoloured..... I have seen more than one person recommend using the green stuff in place of the long life ...I did my intakes in my 2001 last summer, flushed the cooling system, and used the green stuff, no problems so far.......

 

This weekend I checked to see is there were any bubbles cooming through the radiator indicating a blown head gasket, there were none. I changed the fluid when I did the intake gaskets at 80,000. I get some milky stuff around the oil fill cap but it has always done that. I don't notice any antifreeze in the oil. Is there a test you can buy for that? i do have some antifreeze leaking around the front passenger side of the engine. A mechanic thinks it is the timing cover.

 

If you are using Dexcool it will cause the slime crap around the cap and in the radiator. I suggest you flush completely including the overflow tank and start over with the green antifreeze.