So after loosing water from over heating and a buggered water pump... I removed radiator I noticed a pinkish trans oil/ water seeping from radiator hose that leads to water pump... radiator its self was not leaking on overheating only discharge was from water pump bearing...

Do I presume when I topped up with cold water and heard cracking sounds the trans cooler in radiator has split and cross contaminated with engine water cooler ...??

What tests should I do to determine other damage to transmission, engine etc

Yet to refit new water pump as parts companys are all still closed ...

Cheers

What does the transmission fluid look like? If it is contaminated at all, do something about it. Transmissions and torque converters are more spendy by far than a fluid flush.

Yet to get any check on trans oil condition ..presume I remove bottom trans plug drain to see colour ...I have removed that plug once before thinking it was engine sump plug as engine sump plug was hidden under alloy lines ...I now know the position of both plugs .

I have not split all the 3x radiators yet P/S, Air con,electric fan, engine cooler... as removed all as one unit ...

I would do a pressure test on the oil cooler in radiator also the radiator whilst I was at it.

As ro suggests take a look at your ATM fluid.

Thanks guys ...will get tested at rad shop as don't have the tools here to test hopefully they open on the 4th or maybe the following week

Well...upon further research on-line it appears the pinky foam water in radiator is possibly power steering oil, though mine is yellow not trans oil which is red ...so yellow PS oil must turn pinky coloured with heat...trans oil does not go through main radiator to cool on 270 cdi ...

New question ....will my power steering lines be contaminated water ? will flushing new PS oil through system be enough to clear ? or will this need a full removal and clean. ?

Hopefully stores open today to get parts ...

Cheers

I don't know your car, but most cars have a trans cooler in the radiator, and few have a power steering cooler in the radiator. If your power steering fluid is yellow it will not turn red. If you have a tranny dip stick, pull it and look for milkyness. Coolant can kill an automatic transmission, while ATF does little harm in the cooling system.

Thanks Nelbur...conflicting radiator parts images for ML some show trans cooling to radiator and others PS cooling ...so tracked my ML lines back to surprise/surprise PS pump and reservoir..even though I have topped up PS with Prestone PS oil (clear/yellow) by nearly a litre over 12 months due to O'ring leak under reservoir.... it would appear all the topped up Prestone oil stayed and or leaked from reservoir and the lines kept the red oil ...there is still only red oil bleeding from PS lines as I flushed...hence my confusion...
Will flush completely to clear any water and old oil and fit new radiator.
Turning into an expensive overheat ...
Cheers