Oil in Coolant
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Joined: Nov 2002
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Oil in Coolant
I bought a 91 F250 a few days ago from a dealer. Today was warm so I thought it would be a good one to flush the cooling system, add the additive etc so I know what I've got.
I was awfully, awfully disappointed when I found the coolant to be black with lube oil. The viscosity is like anti-freeze, but the color like lube oil.
The truck drives pretty well and the body is very nice for this vintage, and upper midwest region. I only drive 6000 miles per year and pull a tree stump grinder for my fun job. I have need for 4WD on occasion, which my older Dodge doesn't have.
Does anyone know where the oil leak might be and how to fix it? If it's a head gasket, can that be fixed in the truck?
Should I RUN from this truck if the dealer will allow me to reconsider?
I'd really appreciate any help, I'm new to the Diesel thing.
I was awfully, awfully disappointed when I found the coolant to be black with lube oil. The viscosity is like anti-freeze, but the color like lube oil.
The truck drives pretty well and the body is very nice for this vintage, and upper midwest region. I only drive 6000 miles per year and pull a tree stump grinder for my fun job. I have need for 4WD on occasion, which my older Dodge doesn't have.
Does anyone know where the oil leak might be and how to fix it? If it's a head gasket, can that be fixed in the truck?
Should I RUN from this truck if the dealer will allow me to reconsider?
I'd really appreciate any help, I'm new to the Diesel thing.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,465
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From: Indianapolis
Oil in Coolant
Check the torque on your head bolts. The head gaskets on this truck are not prone to failure unless the head bolt torque is low. The most likely place for oil to enter the coolant is through one of the injector cups in the head. If the dealer will take it back, let him deal with this problem. If not, flush it out the best you can with hot water, put in some new antifreeze and keep tabs on your oil loss and antifreeze contamination. It is possible that the contamination is a result of a problem that has already been fixed (it is equally possible that the problem hasn't been fixed). If the dealer is willing to cut you a break, I'd take advantage of it.
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 295
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From: Fort Wayne, IN. USA
Oil in Coolant
I would be heading back down to the dealer and talking the situation over with him. Might be as simple as oil cooler o-rings, but it might not be. The first sign of cavitation on my engine was oil in the coolant, then it started with the white smoke and finally hydro-locked. Then after a few weeks and a credit card just about maxed out, it was back on the road. All of this within few months of ownership.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Western Colorado USA
Oil in Coolant
Cat sells a soap based fluid just for flushing oil from the radiator, although I can't remember the name of it, I'm sure other companies have a similar product availible.
Oil it will collect in the heads being that it is lighter than water and will adversly affect the cooling systems ability to transfer heat away from the heads. This can happen in gassers as well as diesels. While the temperature gauge may read well within normal limits, the heads could be running quite a bit hotter. I've seen this happen on both Cats and Cummins engines and the first indication of a problem was when the pyrometer started running hotter. The extra heat can warp or crack the heads or burn the valves, you should try to flush as much oil out as possible and then take Joe's advice about keeping a close eye on all fluid levels.
Oil it will collect in the heads being that it is lighter than water and will adversly affect the cooling systems ability to transfer heat away from the heads. This can happen in gassers as well as diesels. While the temperature gauge may read well within normal limits, the heads could be running quite a bit hotter. I've seen this happen on both Cats and Cummins engines and the first indication of a problem was when the pyrometer started running hotter. The extra heat can warp or crack the heads or burn the valves, you should try to flush as much oil out as possible and then take Joe's advice about keeping a close eye on all fluid levels.
Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,465
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From: Indianapolis
Oil in Coolant
Travis is correct -- I forgot about the oil cooler. That is probably the first place to look.
Alan Scott: Thanks for the tip. My son has a Plymouth Breeze that got similarly contaminated when his head gasket failed. We've since fixed the problem but the contamination persists even after several hot flushings. I'll look in to it.
Alan Scott: Thanks for the tip. My son has a Plymouth Breeze that got similarly contaminated when his head gasket failed. We've since fixed the problem but the contamination persists even after several hot flushings. I'll look in to it.
