Oil in coolant ???

[blackcat 0]

I've had my diesel golf for about 3 months now. A few weeks ago the coolant light starts flashing so I pull over and check the level (I'd only just started driving so couldn't be temp). Level was fine, so I started engine, light was no longer flashing, so I forgot about it and went on my way.

 

Has happened about twice since, light flashes so I pull over stop the engine for a few minutes, start her up again, light isn't flashing anymore.

 

Anyway, realised today that there is oil in the coolant.

 

How does oil get in the coolant? (No, I didn't put it there)

[bix 0]

The head gasket is probably leaking I'm afraid :(

[aposegil 0]

either hed gasket or oil/water cooler that sits between ur oil filter and oil filter housing.

 

I would check that first as its the cheapest fix if not its head gasket

[Henny 0]

it could also be the oil cooler that's leaking internally if it's one of the aluminium water cooler ones which sits above the oil filter.

 

Change the oil cooler before you do the head gasket and see if that cures it as it's a hell of a lot easier and cheaper to do than taking the head off! ;)

[blackcat 0]

Great now I have two cars with strange oil leaks requiring potentially expensive work :(

 

I'll check the oil cooler then.......

[Rob Heath 0]

Would hazard a guess at oil cooler.

[blackcat 0]

ok, where do I find the oil cooler and what does it look like? :oops:

[Roger Blassberg 0]

It's a metallic casing, about 100mm square and it sits behind the oil filter with 2 rubber water hoses running to it.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Rob Heath 0]

BTW, I have been told that all mk2's and mk 3's that are fitted with an oil cooler use the same one, except the vr6's, which are apparently different.

[TomB 0]

My old diesel passat had the same thing and it turned out to be the oil cooler. Any loss of power/difficultly starting/'mayo' under the oil filler cap? If not, then an oil cooler was about £40 IIRC.

Cheers,

Tom

[blackcat 0]

Any loss of power/difficultly starting/'mayo' under the oil filler cap?

 

Would these things suggest something else then?

 

Well, even though it's a turbo it didn't have much power to begin with but no, no loss of power!

Sometimes it doesn't turn over properly

And no, no mayo under the oil filler cap (haven't checked recently but did an oil change about a month ago and it was ok)

 

Thanks for your help guys, will check the oil cooler at the weekend.

What exactly am I looking for? Will there be obvious leaks?

[Roger Blassberg 0]

The leak would be internal, from the water to the oil circuit or vice versa. I don't think you could easily see it without having it pressure tested at operating temperature, which is not a practical proposition really. They are not that expensive; a bit of a pain to fit, and make sure you use new sealing gasket(s).

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[blackcat 0]

I don't really know what pressure testing it would involve but when I removed the cap of the expansion tank thing after driving for about an hour there was not much of a pressure release, this would suggest a leak somewhere wouldn't it?

 

Also the sealing gaskets you mentioned, would these be the 'seal for oil cooler' that gsf have?

[Roger Blassberg 0]

would these be the 'seal for oil cooler' that gsf have?

 

I would think so.

 

Yes, it sounds as though you have a pressure leakage somewhere in the cooling system, unless it is running much too cool so that pressure doesn't build up. Looking back to your earlier messages though, you say that the coolant level isn't falling, which contradicts that idea..

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[blackcat 0]

Does anyone know how many of these 'seal for oil cooler' I will need?

[Henny 0]

You'll only need one. It sits between the oil cooler and the oil filter housing. The oil filter has its own seal on the top of it which seals it to the oil cooler. 8)

[TomB 0]

Any loss of power/difficultly starting/'mayo' under the oil filler cap?

 

Would these things suggest something else then?

 

Well, even though it's a turbo it didn't have much power to begin with but no, no loss of power!

Sometimes it doesn't turn over properly

And no, no mayo under the oil filler cap (haven't checked recently but did an oil change about a month ago and it was ok)

 

Thanks for your help guys, will check the oil cooler at the weekend.

What exactly am I looking for? Will there be obvious leaks?

 

Sorry, I should have been more clear :oops: Those were the symptoms I was told to look for that would indicate head gasket failure rather than oil cooler failure.

Cheers,

Tom

[blackcat 0]

Ok, good, sounds like it's not my head gasket then because I don't have any of those symptoms on my car.

 

I will change the oil cooler at weekend, I'm assuming I'll need to change coolant too to get rid of oil in there? Can I use the G12+ that I bought for my 16v 'rado?

 

And, last question I promise, how easy is it to change oil cooler?

[Henny 0]

Recommended coolant for all VW cars now is G12+... makes life a little easier! 8)

 

Oil cooler is a little fiddly to change, but not rocket science. If you can do an oil change, you can do the oil cooler too... 8)

 

Drain oil

Drain coolant

Remove oil filter

Undo large nut on shaft above oil filter

Undo clips which hold the coolant pipes onto the cooler (replace these with jubilees 'cos they're crap)

Remove coolant pipes

Old oil cooler will now drop off the center shaft of the filter head.

Now put it all back together again in the reverse order you took it apart... [/haynes] 8)

 

The nut that holds the cooler on doesn't need to be mega tight... I normally use a monkeywrench and push with 2 fingers so as it's just nipped up nicely, pretty much the same as you would with an oil filter... 8)

 

Good luck! 8)

[blackcat 0]

Cheers Henny and everyone else that has helped me!

 

Wish I'd known before changing the oil last month! I'll give it a go at the weekend.

[Henny 0]

technically, you don't actually have to drop the oil, just the filter, but you may get a little coolant in the oil, so it's normally better to change the oil too... I suppose it depends on how much you value the car... :|

[Not_Aircooled_or_Taxfree 0]

I think it is just down to poor maintenance my self! :flower:

 

Thanks all i quess i know what i am going to be doing on saturday

 

The oil in the expaction tank, what is going to be the best was of removing that? and is there going to be a problem with the residue within the tank later on?

[blackcat 0]

I don't value the car at all, in fact I bloody hate the thing!! But I'll change the oil anyway!!

[blackcat 0]

Thanks all i quess i know what i am going to be doing on saturday

 

I'll do it myself thankyou.

[Henny 0]

The oil in the expaction tank, what is going to be the best was of removing that? and is there going to be a problem with the residue within the tank later on?

 

Flush it through (LOTS!!!) with a hosepipe after putting a little bit of GUNK (or similar) into the expansion tank...