VW Golf 1.8 GL (Gut Less)

[oldbastard]

I just got a 1992 (mk3) golf as a winter hack. Not proud of it, especially since I found it has oil leaking into the cooling water. And not vice-versa. so it's pump pressure oil leaking into the cooling water system somewhere

As far as I can make out, there are 2 main possibilities
1. leaking head gasket
2. Leaking oil WARMER.....bizarre but apparently they have a heat exchanger to warm oil up from cooling water (which heats up quicker from cold) . these units could potentially leak, and as oil supply pressure is greater than water pressure, any leak would be into the water and not vv. But I can't find the bloody thing.

Can anyone shed any light? I don't have a manual so I don't know where to look for it. From what I can see, it MIGHT be behind the alternator mounting plate, there seem to be a couple of water hoses heading in that direction, the oil connections must come directly from the block...

the other possibility is the cylinder head is cracked, but they seem to crack mostly around valves, not the high pressure oil connection to the camshaft.

Any clues welcome

[Snake the Sniper]

The oil warmer/cooler is far from unusual. It aids with engine warm up, and then once the oil is warm, it's kept, hopefully, cool by the coolant. It's probably under the oil filter, although I have no idea where that is on the VAG units. I've never heard of one leaking, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.

[sidgolf]

the cooler is in the form of a sqarish ally housing about an inch thick,with two small diam.water hoses sprouting off it,sitting on top of the oil-filter, i.e. the filter screws directly ino the bottom of the cooler.

[oldbastard]

thanks guys