Is this oil in the expansion tank?

[beastie4126 0]

I managed to get stuck in a fair bit of traffic on the way home the other day and all of a sudden the coolant warning light started flashing on the dash. After a quick inspection in the heavy rain I could see that the coolant level was fine and carried on my merry way assuming that the level sensor had gone south and was next on the list of parts to be renewed. Further down the road my gauges went compleley schitzo with the temp, tacho and indicators turning off when the lights are on but I'll worry about that later.

 

Took the cap off today to check out if I was right or not and I have now been presented with this mucky mess which I can only think is oil in the coolant system. Now I would have expected to see some kind of milky residue on the dip stick as well but nothing showing at the moment.

 

What do you experts out there reckon?

 

[andy 0]

It doesn't overly look like oil to me, how did the water get on the outside of the bottle? Is that a result of running the engine again, if so it looks like your coolant is escaping under pressure. That could be indicative of several things.

 

You don't necessarily get water in oil (ie milky dipstick) if the reverse happens btw.

[dannyboy 0]

could be the oil cooler/exchanger seal is on the way out.oil in coolant-usually exchanger.coolant in oil- sometimes HG,or exchanger

let it cool down completely then check to see if its oil.

[beastie4126 0]

It doesn't overly look like oil to me, how did the water get on the outside of the bottle? Is that a result of running the engine again, if so it looks like your coolant is escaping under pressure. That could be indicative of several things.

 

You don't necessarily get water in oil (ie milky dipstick) if the reverse happens btw.

 

The water on the outside is from where I flushed the system previously and then ran the engine up to temp with the cap off to make so I didn't have a vapour lock. I had managed to clear the expansion of the brown gunk but once running the engine again more turned up. I may have another go tomorrow to see if I can get it all cleared out but it does have an oily smell and feel to it unlike anti freeze which is a bit oily between the fingers.

[beastie4126 0]

could be the oil cooler/exchanger seal is on the way out.oil in coolant-usually exchanger.coolant in oil- sometimes HG,or exchanger

let it cool down completely then check to see if its oil.

 

Thank fully that is one thing it isn't as I have switched mine to a mocal oil cooler and done away with the exchanger. Shame as that would have been a nice easy fix :D

[dannyboy 0]

have you taken the exchanger completely off?

[beastie4126 0]

have you taken the exchanger completely off?

 

yup I switched it some time ago for a Mocal thermastatic adaptor which goes straight to a 16 row oil cooler, the water pipes are just connected to each other.

[SIMONG 0]

whats it look like under/in the oil filler cap. if its mayo like then that would be a sign of oil in the coolant ie header gasket gone fooked. i think the picture does look like it could be oil

[volksworld13 0]

put your fingers in the coolant, and rub your fingers together is it slippery like oil.also smell it , i might smell a little oily.is the header tank bubbling up at all?

[beastie4126 0]

whats it look like under/in the oil filler cap. if its mayo like then that would be a sign of oil in the coolant ie header gasket gone fooked. i think the picture does look like it could be oil

 

That was my 2nd port of call but the cap is as clean as a whistle and no mayo to be seen.

 

put your fingers in the coolant, and rub your fingers together is it slippery like oil.also smell it , i might smell a little oily.is the header tank bubbling up at all?

 

Well smell wise it's hard to tell although I have convinced myself it has an oily whiff to it. It deffo feels slippery like oil but after grabing a bottle of anti freeze and trying the same test that also is slippery between the fingers.

 

I suppose the only thing I can do bar yanking the head off is to wash out the coolant system as much as I can and run the engine to see if this gunk returns. That and make a note as to where the oil shows on the dip stick from cold. Just seems so odd as the engine starts first time every time and it isn't missing or misfiring which I would expect.

[andy 0]

Yes coolant can feel slippery too as you say. No need to yank head off anyway yet, compression test will reveal most things first.

[beastie4126 0]

Yes coolant can feel slippery too as you say. No need to yank head off anyway yet, compression test will reveal most things first.

 

Didn't think of that - thanks Andy