Forum:
Went for a full service and MOT about a month ago now. needed a spot of welding to the front o/s chassis just under the steering box, other than that the underside is in damn good nick for its age and went straight through MOT.
Any how, to the prob...
I have got oil in the water system, more precicely about a pint in the rad expansion bottle. As usual thought it was fubar new head gasket time (throw money at it make it stop, make it go away 
), then decided to take a closer look.
Checked in the oil filler and no tell tale signs of water in the oil, no white soapy residue anywhere, doesn't seem to burning any that i can see or smell.
First noticed this about a week to 10 days ago (hopeing it would go away, lol)kept an eye on it and there hasn't been anymore getting into water that i can see, i marked the expansion bottle and its not gained or lost any water/oil... liquid!
So today i have just done an engine flush and replaced the oil (not a hint of water at all in old oil) checked the spec sheet and put 3.5 litres of oil in, comes about 1/2 to 2/3 the way up the dip stick.
Also emptied out the expansion bottle, flushed the water system through. still got a little residual oil in system but nothing another good flush through shouldn't cure.
I will give it a week and see if i have another pint in the water system. Fingers crossed twonk at garage either put oil in wrong bottle (unfortunatly douptful as it was black) or maybe overfilled oil and its got into water somehow.
Someone sugested that there may be a bit of a pinhole in the oil cooler and its getting in that way!
If it does continue it is definatly one way though - oil into water!
Does anyone have any ideas, recomendations or first hand experiance with this and what to get checked out?
Unfortunatly i am unable to start stripping engine down myself as i dont have the place to do it! Live on a close with communal parking and whatnot.
Kinda issed off that it's only just been serviced!!
Thanks for any help in advance
regards Mark
crack in the head can do it
crack in the head can do it as well mate, best way is bypass the water to the oil cooler, and joint the two connections with a bit of hose, run it for a bit see if you get any more in the water, if so then not the cooler, dont do long distances with it though as if it is the cooler then high pressure oil will fill the water side of the cooler, however one thing i will say bout that, normally when you shut the engine down the oil pressure stops, i would expect if it is a hole then the pressure from the still hot water should be able to force itself though the same hole as the oil and you should see signs of it in the oil
Well Oiled
If the engine is not losing water, or oil, other than normal losses over time, would agree with your diagnosis, someone has filled the wrong bottle.
It is normal to get a trace of oil residue in the cooling system over time, this is due to slight traces from rubber based components such as coolant pipes. This is usually just noticeable when the radiator cap is removed on top of the coolant, any more than the slightest hint is cause for alarm.
If you have not already done so, i would suggest a chemial coolant system cleaner, this will remove all traces of any oily residue from the cooling system, if indeed, there are any left, this would allow you to monitor it closely to check for oil traces.
OK so far, but its still early
I was hoping that someone had put oil in the water by accident,
hadn't thought that the still pressurized water would get back into the oil on turn off. But there is non, i drained the oil and not a trace of water in it, neither was there any white residue in the filler cap, so it sounds like it rules the oil cooler out!
well i checked the oil and water yesterday evening after i flushed and refilled everything and it seemed ok, having said that i hadn't done too much milage. spent maybe 10 mins at full temp before having to stop to do something. did this about 3 times, so when i came out of crusty burger i popped the bonnet and had a gander.
Other than the residue left from when i flushed, there did not appear to be any new oil in expansion bottle. The oil level was still in the same place, but i doupt id be able to tell so early unlesss its pouring out somewhere.
Unfortunatley i have to go to Chelmsford from Nottingham next weekend (best man at mates wedding... arrgh!) and in the datsy! not the best idea 120miles each way but cant be helped unfortunatley.
So i will keep my eye on things this week.
If there is still oil getting through is there any addative i could use like rad weld but for the oil, i don't think rad weld would work since the transfer direction and i think it only works in contact with air?
Failing that i'll have to just empty oil from expansion bottle and top up my oil and water levels.
Any how i will let you know what happens over the next week.
cheers for the advice dudes,
Regards Mark
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If its not broken, Fix it.
If its broken, Hit it.
If its still broken, Hit it some more then get a new one!
---------------------------------------------------------
If its not broken, Fix it.
If its broken, Hit it.
If its still broken, Hit it some more then get a new one!
water/oil
Hi Again
Just keep an eye on it this week and go for it. BARSLEAKS is or was always better than RADWELD, in my opinion, I stress was as it is some years since I've used it. It had tiny copper bits in that filled the leaks and consolidated. These were suspended in a machine oil that lubricated the water pump and preserved the hoses. I used this with great success for many years. I have no idea whether it still exists but it must be stirred well before pouring it in to get the copper off the bottom of the jar and into the oil. It turns the water a creamy white and smell like the machine oil used to cool cutting tips on lathes and milling machines.
GOOD LUCK with the Sporty and the best Man Speech!!!!
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young
OIL IN WATER
Sounds incredible that some prat at the garage may have mistaken the exp. tank for an oil sump. Perhaps he thought it was the power steering as some of these on cars are white plastic. Whatever he should get the size 9 up his aris.
I would keep an eye on it for a while and if it's ok forget that garage in the future. Having just past it's MOT I would have expected the emissions to have shown up a head leak, perhaps, if it was the same garage then perhaps not.
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young