My main thought is I’ve cooked the head gasket when I had the leak, although I never had the gauge go up. Resulting in oil getting in. So far I’ve done the following checks to try eliminate anything.
Compression test, 175,175,155,165.
Sniff test, 3 times, all negative for c02 in the coolant system.
Have no over heating.
Not loosing a noticeable amount of oil or coolant as well as no increase in either.
No noticeable smoke from the exhaust.
No signs of contamination on oil cap or dip stick.
I still need to gove the coolant system some flushes as well as drain the oil to check for coolant. Is it possible I’ve got a leak between the oil gallery and coolant gallery. Or is this something simple like mixed coolant types?
Anything to check or tests would be great as I really would like to narrow down a fault before spending £££ on a head gasket change.
It certainly looks like oil is getting into the coolant. I wouldn’t put that down to mixing coolants. What condition was the coolant in prior to the heat pipe failure? If this issue wasn’t present before then I’d suspect that as the cause. It is possible that there is a leak between the coolant and oil system, maybe a crack in the cylinder head. Are you able to pressure test the cooling system?
I thought it certainly smelt like oil. Wasn’t in that condition as far as I know. Can’t remember the colour type used. That’s my biggest worry, i don’t have the kit to pressure test the cooling system but could look into finding someone that will. The worst part is I wasn’t even supposed to drive it on that longer journey but had no choice.
I did think 3 was an outlying reading, seen all sorts of values for tolerances. However even assuming there’s a fault there I have no exhaust gas in the coolant system, so my leak on the cylinder could be valves or rings.
I wish this was the case, but as far as I’m aware there is no oil cooker as standard. Although I am curious to see if there are any other areas where the two fluids are in close vicinity that isn’t the head/ block
Edit- further information provided below “probably” negates the heat exchanger.
From the information provided already.
Technically, what you have fitted is a “Heat Exchanger”. (Commonly referred to as an oil cooler).
Albeit small where coolant and oil flow in close proximity with each other in separate tubes/compartments to stabilise the heat for the engine.
This maintains constant temperature and hopefully to prevent hotspots and thus causing damage.
In my opinion, it is quite clear that has failed and allowing the oil to flow into the coolant.
(As you have rather a lot of oil in there and no coolant in the oil?)
A true oil cooler does not have coolant near it and is generally cooled by air flow.
Personally I wouldn’t run it again until that has been changed.
IF it is not that then it can only really be the head gasket.
Good luck.
Thanks, I’ll drain the oil tonight and check for contamination. Then potentially try remove the heat exchanger to see if I can notice anything. Hoping it is that and not the head.
Is yours an automatic? If so, there are gearbox cooling lines that go to the bottom your radiator. Possible that the gearbox oil could be seeping into the coolent.
Unfortunately mine is a manual so that isn’t an option. Has anyone known of a the oil cooler (heat transfer) to fail? Or am I grasping at straws when it’s mostly likely the gasket.
Just my 2p: You’ve got a duff compression reading and oil in the coolant, so either it’s the head gasket (or a cracked head, etc.) or there are two things wrong…
Guessing there’s no way of knowing which it is. Also is there any other jobs majorly worth doing whilst doing the gasket, hopefully not finding a new head.
I keep reading your original post and following on……
You say the temperature gauge didn’t go up.
I take it you lost quite a bit of coolant when the hose went?
Or you didn’t notice, (it happens)?
How far/long was it driven after you think it had split……
Did you drive it home or have it recovered or repaired at the roadside?
It could be that you lost the coolant quite quickly in which case the gauge wouldn’t go higher or move “because” you lost the coolant and therefore nothing for the sensor/sender unit to register to send it higher.
Which “may” mean you unknowingly ran it too hot (lack of coolant) and damaged the head/gasket/block.
You later changed the coolant, topped it up and now have oil in it which is a sign of damage.
You will probably only ever know by getting the head off.
Thoughts?
I think that is the best explanation of what has probably occured. It was an hour drive so it could have happend anywhere along that journey. Only noticed the steam once I pulled up to the drive way. Im getting it into the garage tomorrow hopefully as I’m not confident enough to do the job myself. My main thinking now is repairing the best route in hope it’s just the gasket and not the head or block. Or is a swap the better route. At least one way I then know the condition of the engine but depending on damage, not sure which is more cost effective
Thanks for the reply.
I don’t think we can advise on anything more reference replacement or repair until you know what the diagnosis is.
It could (hopefully ) just be a head gasket.
The money will mostly be in labour rates sadly.
) just be a head gasket.