2008 suzuki grand vitara 2.7L v6...205000 miles...busted heater hose and discovered tan colored oil in the coolant. Changed all the hoses and flushed the system...drove it about 60 miles and after getting gas in the tank...the engine became hard to keep idled. After 3 starting attempts I get it home and pop the hood and discovered black oil in the coolant reservoir. Before jumping to the conclusion that it could be a head gasket is there anything else it could be that would be easier to fix?
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Hello, it wounds to me that you could indeed have an internal engine oil / coolant breach -- there really is no other way for oil to get inside your cooling system other than pouring it in on accident. For sure, don't jump to any conclusions -- have a professional diagnostic test performed that can determine that there is hydrocarbons actively getting into your cooling system, which would confirm something internal to the engine failing - such as a cylinder head gasket leak, cracked cylinder head, or similar. Good luck.
IF automatic transmission - possible fluid cooler *inside the radiator* has ruptured - difficult to identify lubricant type after it has mixed with antifreeze.
Simple - low psi - air pressure test will confirm.