oil in the radiator

[bukaki_bob]

guys i really can't wrap my head around this i keep finding oil like THICK oil in my radiator but then time after time i check the oil and no water um and i recently change the oil soo i really don't know what to do so reply asap!!1!!!11!!

thanks,

bob

[c.d.iesel]

.....VERY BAD .

assuming you DO NOT own a 2002 Automatic ?

which, if it is, has the trans oil cooler built in to the

bottom of the radiator - that is a possible source

for oil in the coolent ??? when the bottom of the radiator fails

so if you own a MANUAL TRANSMISSION car,

drain and flush the cooling system.

take another 100 mile test drive, and see

what you have and report back A.S.A.P.

by the way - did the car ever have ANY over heating?,

any head removal in the last 20 years?

any motor repairs in the last 30 years ?

help us here with more detailed history

[Richard]

C.D. is dead on. Sounds like a cracked head or a head gasket... I would lean more towards a cracked head.....He is also right identify the problem asap as the longer you drive it will increase the cost of fixing it....

[TobyB]

I disagree. Oil in your water doesn't do any damage to anything.

Until you overheat.

Water in your oil, however, IS death to bearings.

A crack in the head that leads to an oil- into- water leak's pretty unlikely-

there's only one passageway that can, and it's the front left bolt hole.

A head gasket leak's also pretty rare, but more possible, and the

first place to start...

hth,

t

[aa/fd]

I have to take Toby's approach here as the coolant is under pressure and with a gasket or cracked head it would empty itself if ran long enough. There is no mention of overheating or having to add water, just some goo in the radiator

[Guest Anonymous]

So oil sludge continuing to coat the internals of the cooling system is no big deal???? Rubber hoses never meant to see oil??? So flush it out with water????Last time I checked oil was heavier than water????Clean out the block how????

[aa/fd]

I don't recall saying it is no big deal, just advocating taking a more analytical approach.

Toby's assessment of a head gasket is a good target and I concur.

All the oil in my shop is lighter than water, really it is.

[TobyB]

Yeah, when the Mitsu decided to oil the water,

it all ended up in the top tank of the rad.

After a few months, when I finally fixed it,

I had to clean the top tank of the rad.

It was a slow leak, and I am lazy. Cost me

a LOT less to do it when I had free time than to

pay someone else to do it when I first started

noticing the symptoms.

Mitsubishis have a LOT less aluminum in the head

than BMWs do.

But they mostly work. I like my Montero, most days.

t