Help!!! Coolant in Oil on 944
Discussion
I've just had a bit of a panic - my 944 has just started to overheat on the way to work this morning, got to work and the coolant was low. So I thought the worst and checked the oil filler cap - mayonnaise!!!!
I've heard something about this might be an oil seal for the oil/water cooler rather than a blown head gasket, but is there anything else I could check, and what could it be, and what can I do about it?
All help much appreciated
Cheers,
Fatboy
I've heard something about this might be an oil seal for the oil/water cooler rather than a blown head gasket, but is there anything else I could check, and what could it be, and what can I do about it?
All help much appreciated
Cheers,
Fatboy
How far do you drive to work? I get mayo on my oil filler cap but I don't have oil contaminated with water, it's just condensation because my commute is 3 miles each way.
Pull the dipstick and if there's mayo on that then stop driving and get it checked out.
If there isn't then see if there's a different reason for it to be overheating. Does it do it as you drive along at speed or in traffic? Check the water level when the car is cold, check the rad for obstructions, check the fan comes on if it's overheating while standing in traffic and so on. It may well be something as simple as an external water leak and the mayo is a coincidence.
In short, don't panic yet.
Good luck,
Mark
>> Edited by dern on Thursday 13th January 12:46
Pull the dipstick and if there's mayo on that then stop driving and get it checked out.
If there isn't then see if there's a different reason for it to be overheating. Does it do it as you drive along at speed or in traffic? Check the water level when the car is cold, check the rad for obstructions, check the fan comes on if it's overheating while standing in traffic and so on. It may well be something as simple as an external water leak and the mayo is a coincidence.
In short, don't panic yet.
Good luck,
Mark
>> Edited by dern on Thursday 13th January 12:46
I had a friend a few years ago who had the same symptoms and mayonnaise everywhere, but I'd never heard of a block failing on an 8 valve Golf GTi so i checked out his oil cooler. The cooler is mounted to the oil filter head and sandwiches between the oil filter head and the filter itself. Coming out of the cooler are two rubber pipes which plumb into the cooling system.
The seperation layer in the oil cooler had failed, so coolant was leaking into the oil system (under pressure). Replaced the oil cooler for £75 (from VW dealer) and this solved the issue, but of course we also had to flush the block for coolant and the oilways.
Let hope yours is this simple.
VS
The seperation layer in the oil cooler had failed, so coolant was leaking into the oil system (under pressure). Replaced the oil cooler for £75 (from VW dealer) and this solved the issue, but of course we also had to flush the block for coolant and the oilways.
Let hope yours is this simple.
VS
Right, I've just been out and checked it - topped up the coolant (with de-ionized water, didn't put any anti-freeze in), and run it for a bit. No mayo on the dipstick - just nice clean looking oil. While the engine and hoses heated up fairly quickly, the radiator seemed to stay cold, and when I stopped the engine I noticed some water dripping from the area round the bottom of the radiator on the passenger side... Also the heater in the car was not giving hot air although the engine was hot - though this could well be an airlock I suppose.
So I'm thinking a blockage in/near the radiator, maybe popping the hoses off the radiator and a reverse flush of the whole system followed by new jubiliee clips?
So I'm thinking a blockage in/near the radiator, maybe popping the hoses off the radiator and a reverse flush of the whole system followed by new jubiliee clips?
Fatboy said:
So I'm thinking a blockage in/near the radiator, maybe popping the hoses off the radiator and a reverse flush of the whole system followed by new jubiliee clips?
If the rad inlet *and* outlet pipes are warm but the rad is cold it sounds to me like the rad is full off air rather than blocked and that water put into the rad simply falls to the bottom to be pulled straight back out by the pump. If it was blocked the outlet pipe wouldn't get as hot as the inlet pipe and your car would overheat pretty quickly. Feel down the height of the rad and see if there's a point at which it suddenly gets warm and if there is I'd suspect the rad is holed. To further confirm this I'd refill the system temporarily with water and bleed the system to ensure the rad is full and then let it get up to temp and you'll probably see water coming from the rad somewhere. You can further identify where by dusting talc on the dry rad and you'll see the path of the water but usually it's pretty obvious. If this is the problem you'll simply need to get your rad recored and you'll be sorted.
Mark
Edited to say: you probably know this but it's worth mentioning that if it subsequently overheats the block the head gasket may go so given something like this I'll generally get myself towed home unless I'm absolutely sure it won't overheat on the way home.
Further edited to add: obviously it's a bit difficult to diagnose from a distance so please only take the above as a guide but it's what I'd be looking at.
>> Edited by dern on Thursday 13th January 13:57
99% of oil-in-water scenarios in the 2.5/2.7 944 engine are to do with the oil to water heat exchanger (oil cooler to you and me) located in the housing that mounts the oil filter. It will probably be one of the o-ring seals that go on the in/out stubs of the matrix, but in rare cases the matrix fails normally as a result of being frozen at some time.
The gaskets are around £50, the job takes an afternoon of swearing.
The gaskets are around £50, the job takes an afternoon of swearing.
The quick method is to park the car with the left hand side higher than the right (best bet is on a kerb) and undo (one turn only) the bleed plug from the top of the housing on the front of the cylinder head, the one that the top hose goes to. Fill up the header tank until water runs out of the bleed plug then just nip it up gently. Tighten up your filler cap and away you go.
IF it starts overheating on the way home turn the heater on max until you can top it up more.
IF it starts overheating on the way home turn the heater on max until you can top it up more.
If I were you, I would drain the lot.....Might sound drastic, but you havent had the car long, so the rad may have silt up to its ears....
I had the car on a ramp so it was easier for me, but I took the radiator out, and flushed it through.
Brief instructions...
1. Take undertray off,
2. Undo bracket holding airbox to intake,
3. Take airbox out
4. Undo top hose
5. Disconnect 2 electrical connectors on nearside of radiator (about 4 inches from the top left corner)
6. Disconnect lower hose, situated bottom right hand corner of the rad....There is another connector on the right hand side you ahve to release.(watch your feet, coolant by now will be up your sleeve...
(JOY) 7. Then it is a case of undoing the nuts holding it in, and drop it.
Be advised though, that the rad comes out from underneath, it is much easier to drop it out. I have never lifted one out, it may be able to be done....
Then hose the little badger out. Mine was pretty clear, but the header had cracked.
Refitting is the reverse as removal which sounds easier than it is...
Hint......The rad has a rubber stopper on each corner. keep your eye on the top one when you pull the bottom one out. One of mine is still missing. God knows where it went.....
Mayonaise on the filler cap is pretty common if the car hasn't been used much, condensation does that....Yes, it is a symptom of a head gasket, but there would be lots of it. The coolant tank would be obviously full of water/oil mix....
Sounds like the rad to me to be honest....You can flush it when it is in the car, top and bottom hose off, hosepipe in, bobs your uncle....I had to take mine out...
Ahhhh, joys of tinkering...Good luck, if you need any help I will do my best.
>> Edited by silverback mike on Thursday 13th January 19:03
Hi Guys,
I've just done a proper bleeding etc of the system - go tons of hot air coming out of the heater, but the rad is still stone cold, even when the engine gets really hot, so I'm guessing the radiator is blocked/silted up. I'll flush the radiator tommorrow and see what that does.
Only other thing is that the fan doesn't always come on, so I'm thinking it might possibly be the thermostat is knackered and not opening, stopping hot water getting into the radiator?
Cheers,
Fatboy
I've just done a proper bleeding etc of the system - go tons of hot air coming out of the heater, but the rad is still stone cold, even when the engine gets really hot, so I'm guessing the radiator is blocked/silted up. I'll flush the radiator tommorrow and see what that does.
Only other thing is that the fan doesn't always come on, so I'm thinking it might possibly be the thermostat is knackered and not opening, stopping hot water getting into the radiator?
Cheers,
Fatboy
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