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Oil in Coolant; No Coolant in Oil


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Hi,

 

Legacy Wagon 1995. I had my head surfaces resurfaced, my head gaskets and o-rings, cam seals, rear separator plate and oil filter replaced last fall. The symptom at the time was oil in my coolant.

 

Currently I have driven my car long and short distances, and you would not be able to tell anything is wrong with it. It does not overheat and drives like a charm. But I still have substantial oil in my coolant resevoir and radiator. I do not have coolant in my oil. I have had the coolant system flushed three times.

 

Now I have to decide whether or not to let the dealer brake down the motor again to see if the head gasket work was not done properly. If the work or parts were shotty - they pay. If it is not the head gaskets - I pay, big.

 

I want my parts warranty if it is the head gaskets, just not sure if I can gamble with the big bill if is not the head gaskets. So far I have had two separate dealers do pressure test and hyrdocarbon tests and both tests come back negative.

 

Help, why else could there be oil in my coolant.

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Sorry to hear your pain.

 

When the head gaskets went on my 97 OB, I was sure there was oil in the coolant. In hindsight though, I believe it was just a byproduct of the combustion gases pushing out thru the cooling system. The sludge came from that, not from engine oil.

 

Are you getting any bubbling in the coolant expansion bottle? After hiway runs, or towing? Something that puts a load on the engine for a period of time.

 

Commuter

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No, I don't think I have any bubbling in the coolant resevoir. I've checked the container after driving 20+ miles. The substance does look and feel like oil to me in the coolant.

 

Is there another problem I should suspect other than head gasket?

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Did you have your radiator AND the engine flushed out when you had the overhaul done??

 

If not then more than likely there was oil residue left lying inside the water jacket of the engine and the radiator and it is coming away when the engine get's hot.

 

Another way to check if your head gasket is possibly blown is to check the under side of your oil filler cap first thing in the morning or after the engine has gone totally cold, when the water that evaporates from hot oil it will rise and form on the bottom of the oil filler cap :cool:

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You may wish to consider the following:

1. Given a negative hydrocarbon test, it very possible that the oil you see is residue from BEFORE the head gasket replacement. How was the cooling system flushed? Was it flushed with an agent DESIGNED to remove oil contamination? Oil is pretty tenacious stuff. Have it flushed again, and personally verify that an appropriate cleaning, in the proper concentration is being used. Use the car a week, and see if the amount of oil in the coolant has been eliminated or reduced. There may be a good deal of residual oil in the cooling system, and you may need to flush with proper agent more than once.

2. If you have an AT, your car may have an engine oil cooler. Another possible source for an oil/coolant leak.

3. If you have an AT, the cooler for the AT fluid (oil) runs through the radiator. Another source for an oil/coolant leak.

 

Frankly, given your description, my money would be residual oil contamination.

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