Dark Coolant (Oil?)

[MiniMopar]

So I think the Daytona has a very slow oil leak into the coolant system. There is a very small amount of film under the cap, but more importantly the coolant is turning grey and dark. I've noticed some black junk accumulating in the overflow bottle since I put the car together a year and a half ago and started driving it. There is also a very slow loss of coolant...maybe a quart in 6 months or so, but that may or may not be related. I've done 3 oil changes and have never seen any coolant in the oil (I watch for it). The oil is nice and clean even with a couple thousand on it.

I'm hoping it's just a HG and not a crack somewhere, but to leak oil into the coolant and not the other way makes it less likely in my mind. Found a few threads on TD with lots of suggestions but never any follow-up from the original posters. The turbo was "new" at the rebuild...a TU S70. It's probably a reused bearing housing, though.

Any ideas?

[Turbodave]

Send the oil out for analysis, you can get back a nice report of what's in it and that may lead you towards the problem. I think it's about $20 for an oil analysis.

[overlordsshadow]

I've usually seen my coolant turn biege then brown when oil gets mixed in there. If you are seriously getting oil in there then it will be at the top of the coolant resevoir bottle.

[MiniMopar]

Send the oil out for analysis, you can get back a nice report of what's in it and that may lead you towards the problem. I think it's about $20 for an oil analysis.

How does one go about this?

[Turbodave]

How does one go about this?

Here is the first company I could find, never done one before but have thought about it.

http://www.polarislabs1.com/oil-analysis.htm

Go to their store - A standard anaylsis is $21, an advanced one is $26. They mail you a sample container that you fill with oil and mail back, then they send you an analysis of the metals, fuel and what not that are in the oil.

[MiniMopar]

Found these guys too:

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

I like their attitude. (read the FAQ)

[turbovanman²]

Usually, a blown head gasket will put coolant into the oil and pressurize the system. A crack into an oil galley will put oil into the coolant and the oil will stay clean.

[Turbodave]

Found these guys too:

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

I like their attitude. (read the FAQ)

That's the place I was trying to remember....

I've heard good things about them.

[BadAssPerformance]

When I have had oil in the coolant it stays seperate and looks like oil bubbles in the green coolant. Coolant in the oil looks like a nasty milkshake.

[MiniMopar]

Usually, a blown head gasket will put coolant into the oil and pressurize the system. A crack into an oil galley will put oil into the coolant and the oil will stay clean.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. That would royally suck.

[MiniMopar]

When I have had oil in the coolant it stays seperate and looks like oil bubbles in the green coolant. Coolant in the oil looks like a nasty milkshake.

Yeah, the car had just been driven when I checked it today, so I will check it in the morning to see if it is more what I would expect to see with oil floating on top. I don't know what else it could be, though. I'm running the yellow coolant (Zerex G05) if that matters.

[black86glhs]

Russ, Do you think it could be some left over radiator seal from a previous owner? I don't now how far you went in the rebuild, but have seen the stuff come loose and it sounds like a similar scenerio. Just a guess on my part.

[MiniMopar]

I had that problem on my CSX. In fact when I flushed it out that's when the core plugs started leaking (rusted through). Anyway in this case I don't think so. I bought the short block from a local guy (MoparBoyy) which was clean and in good shape. The head is from Steve M. and was sparkling. The radiator was also only a year old. The heater core is original, though. All new hoses and so forth. Alex didn't run that block all that long so if there is a crack somewhere he may never have noticed. Could be the head or the turbo too, though the head doesn't operate with much oil pressure given the restrictor. i would think coolant would get in the oil if it were the head.

I'll draw some out in the morning to see what color it is. Also ordered one of those test kits. Some bits of something tend to collect on the oil drain plug magnet too, so maybe something is wrong with the block.

Never had anything quite like this before....

[MiniMopar]

OK, so it's oil. When I stick my finger in the coolant, a few droplets of oil cling to my finger. It isn't much though, considering it's probably been like this for a year and a half.

[BadAssPerformance]

My Z did this at one point, I think I got oil in the coolant during a HG swap and it stayed for a few HG swaps afterwords.

[MiniMopar]

Yeah, I'm thinking I'm not going to have time to swap the hybrid on there and all that before SDAC, plus all the stuff that needs to be fixed like the tranny. This setup has been solid, so I'm thinking a really thorough flush and some fresh coolant.

[Turbodave]

When I built the engine in my shadow I had a nasty film of oil on the coolant int the overflow for the first few months of driving it. I guess in my efforts to prevent rust after cleaning the block, I got a lot of oil in the coolant passages. No problems after I flushed it out.

[MiniMopar]

So I pulled an allnighter replacing the shift fork pads in the trans and a CV boot on one of the axles. I drew out some coolant and it looks much cleaner now that it has sat. There is just a hint of a film of oil on the surface, so it may just be residual as some have suggested. If not, the leak is very slow and I am not going to worry about it unless coolant shows up in the oil.

Thanks all,
Russ

[BadAssPerformance]

Sounds good! except the all nighter part!