Oil/Coolant migration issue.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 766
Likes: 5
From: Texas
Oil/Coolant migration issue.
My C6 Z06 is loosing coolant without external signs and no engine smoke. The oil is now contaminated with what appears to be coolant (foamy chocolate milk). Could this be attributable to a head gasket failure or something internal? The block is a Darton resleeved LS7.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
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From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
Any white or swirls in the oil is almost always coolant. There's an coolant test kit available from napa that will test for exhaust in the coolant. If you have either coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant, you've lost a head gasket or worse.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: San Clemente CA
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,897
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From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Could be from a couple different area's.
Do you have a radiator with a engine oil cooler built in? Check to see if there is a leak there....the engine makes more oil pressure than water pressure so the oil level would drop and would go into the water.
If the head gasket is blown, there is more cylinder pressure than water pressure, and the cylinder pressure would then force the water out....when the engine is shut off, it generally leaks into the cylinders and hydro locks, or burns out through smoke.
There can be a leak at the head gasket, that would cause oil draining back from the top of the engine into the water system. This would cause a milky oil condition as well.
Generally you will see oil level rise as well as coolant dropping.
Do you have a radiator with a engine oil cooler built in? Check to see if there is a leak there....the engine makes more oil pressure than water pressure so the oil level would drop and would go into the water.
If the head gasket is blown, there is more cylinder pressure than water pressure, and the cylinder pressure would then force the water out....when the engine is shut off, it generally leaks into the cylinders and hydro locks, or burns out through smoke.
There can be a leak at the head gasket, that would cause oil draining back from the top of the engine into the water system. This would cause a milky oil condition as well.
Generally you will see oil level rise as well as coolant dropping.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 766
Likes: 5
From: Texas
Could be from a couple different area's.
Do you have a radiator with a engine oil cooler built in? Check to see if there is a leak there....the engine makes more oil pressure than water pressure so the oil level would drop and would go into the water.
If the head gasket is blown, there is more cylinder pressure than water pressure, and the cylinder pressure would then force the water out....when the engine is shut off, it generally leaks into the cylinders and hydro locks, or burns out through smoke.
There can be a leak at the head gasket, that would cause oil draining back from the top of the engine into the water system. This would cause a milky oil condition as well.
Generally you will see oil level rise as well as coolant dropping.
Do you have a radiator with a engine oil cooler built in? Check to see if there is a leak there....the engine makes more oil pressure than water pressure so the oil level would drop and would go into the water.
If the head gasket is blown, there is more cylinder pressure than water pressure, and the cylinder pressure would then force the water out....when the engine is shut off, it generally leaks into the cylinders and hydro locks, or burns out through smoke.
There can be a leak at the head gasket, that would cause oil draining back from the top of the engine into the water system. This would cause a milky oil condition as well.
Generally you will see oil level rise as well as coolant dropping.
Anthony:
The radiator is a Ron Davis with an engine oil cooler. The radiator is pulled and being pressure tested. The car had no smoke, and the oil level was higher (hot) with the milky brown froth but but returned to normal level when it cooled down.
Jim
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Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Any word if the radiator was busted?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 766
Likes: 5
From: Texas
Anthony:
A delay with the radiator shop and I have been out of town since the end of last week. I will hopefully know something tomorrow.
Bobby:
The plugs were clean - without any evidence of unusual discoloration or oil. Most of the contamination appeared to be in the oil and not the coolant, although the coolant was slightly milky and had been recently changed. The front catch can was full of coolant/oil mix (mostly coolant) and the back catch can (you will remember I have the ARE system with the breather) was full of oil (little or no coolant present).
Bill:
She is parked until the problem is sorted out.
A delay with the radiator shop and I have been out of town since the end of last week. I will hopefully know something tomorrow.
The plugs were clean - without any evidence of unusual discoloration or oil. Most of the contamination appeared to be in the oil and not the coolant, although the coolant was slightly milky and had been recently changed. The front catch can was full of coolant/oil mix (mostly coolant) and the back catch can (you will remember I have the ARE system with the breather) was full of oil (little or no coolant present).
She is parked until the problem is sorted out.
Last edited by Corvee; Oct 31, 2011 at 11:02 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 766
Likes: 5
From: Texas
Thanks Louis. Anthony and Bobby helped me out of tight spot last spring.
The radiator checked out fine, so it is not the engine oil cooler. My local mechanic is going to check the head bolts and then pull the heads tomorrow if necessary.
Jim
The radiator checked out fine, so it is not the engine oil cooler. My local mechanic is going to check the head bolts and then pull the heads tomorrow if necessary.
Jim
Last edited by Corvee; Nov 1, 2011 at 06:47 PM.
