Oil in coolant
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4wd Low
Joined: Oct 2021
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Likes: 1
Oil in coolant
Good morning all,
I'm new here and apologize if this has been posted before, (can't seem to find the thread), I have recently acquired a 1997 f250 and was doing a coolant flush on her because I don't know when it was last done and noticed oil in the coolant. Was just wondering if it could be the oil cooler. Everything else send to be fine with her at the moment. Thank you for your help
I'm new here and apologize if this has been posted before, (can't seem to find the thread), I have recently acquired a 1997 f250 and was doing a coolant flush on her because I don't know when it was last done and noticed oil in the coolant. Was just wondering if it could be the oil cooler. Everything else send to be fine with her at the moment. Thank you for your help
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 5,104
Likes: 1,521
From: western SD
How much oil was in the coolant? If it had a very slight amount, it could be left over oil from a previous happening. If there was a large amount, it very well could be the oil cooler. Either the O rings are leaking, or the tubes in the cooler body have eroded.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 27,352
Likes: 5,946
From: Lake Hartwell, GA
@moschops , welcome to the FTE!
It is OK if you could not find a thread, the FTE search function is not the best and sometimes difficult to use.
Farmert has some great advice for you. In addition, a way to keep an eye on the coolant for oil contamination is to check the degas (coolant) bottle for oil floating at the top after the engine has cooled and/or sat overnight. You can also use a clean portion of paper towel and dip it into the bottle opening after removing the cap and see if there is oil that way.
Keep us updated!
It is OK if you could not find a thread, the FTE search function is not the best and sometimes difficult to use.
Farmert has some great advice for you. In addition, a way to keep an eye on the coolant for oil contamination is to check the degas (coolant) bottle for oil floating at the top after the engine has cooled and/or sat overnight. You can also use a clean portion of paper towel and dip it into the bottle opening after removing the cap and see if there is oil that way.
Keep us updated!
Thread Starter
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4wd Low
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 14
Likes: 1
Morning,
Sorry I have not gotten back, work has been a pain. It's not a little bit of oil that is in the coolant. Coolant was definitely more on the black side of green and the degas bottle was bone dry. I'm hoping to be able to change the oil cooler and O rings after work today and finish the coolant flush. If all goes well, I'll let you guys know and if not, I'll definitely be back to pick your brains some more.
Thank you
Sorry I have not gotten back, work has been a pain. It's not a little bit of oil that is in the coolant. Coolant was definitely more on the black side of green and the degas bottle was bone dry. I'm hoping to be able to change the oil cooler and O rings after work today and finish the coolant flush. If all goes well, I'll let you guys know and if not, I'll definitely be back to pick your brains some more.
Thank you
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4wd Low
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 14
Likes: 1
Morning,
Finally have an update for you guys. Oil cooler is installed in the truck finally (was a major pain in the *** trying to get everything put back together) and we can now continue with the coolant flush. When we put new oil in her, there was a slight knock that lasted about a minute then went away as the truck warmed up. Don't know if it was because she didn't have any oil in her for about two weeks or if it was because she was cold when she started up or a bit of both but it went away. We took her for a test drive and she handled fairly well for as old as she is. There was a bit of smoking that smelled like breaks, could be because they are new but we are going to be doing calipers today when I get off work just Incase.
Finally have an update for you guys. Oil cooler is installed in the truck finally (was a major pain in the *** trying to get everything put back together) and we can now continue with the coolant flush. When we put new oil in her, there was a slight knock that lasted about a minute then went away as the truck warmed up. Don't know if it was because she didn't have any oil in her for about two weeks or if it was because she was cold when she started up or a bit of both but it went away. We took her for a test drive and she handled fairly well for as old as she is. There was a bit of smoking that smelled like breaks, could be because they are new but we are going to be doing calipers today when I get off work just Incase.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 27,352
Likes: 5,946
From: Lake Hartwell, GA
Thanks for the update.
It sounds like things are working out in your favor. A lot of times with these old vehicles, there is something to fix for quite a while. Until you can get tobacco good baseline of mechanical history and build from that.
Calipers are easy compared to an oil cooler and you will do great!
It sounds like things are working out in your favor. A lot of times with these old vehicles, there is something to fix for quite a while. Until you can get tobacco good baseline of mechanical history and build from that.
Calipers are easy compared to an oil cooler and you will do great!
More Turbo
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 664
Likes: 129
From: Columbia, MD
I probably sound like a broken record to some, but if you're opening the brake hydraulic circuit to do calipers (or any partial replacement), that's a good time to look over the entire system and replace all pressure parts at the same time. Hard and soft lines are the immediate candidates, master cylinder and wheel cylinders also are candidates. Bleeding is a significant time portion of the job, so open once, bleed once may make sense.
Blown brake lines are not fun.
Blown brake lines are not fun.
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Logistics Pro
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From: Marble Falls, Texas
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I'm hoping he's already fixed the problem because this thread is from 2021.
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1994.5 - 1997 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel
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Oct 7, 2014 04:49 PM