Hi
have a feeling my head gasket has gone and pondering what to do next. The cars been with me 3 years and clocked 75k miles in its life, 98R 2.5 petrol. Car has always had a water loss problem sinse i purchased, not much, about a pint per month, so never bother to chase at dealer. FSH history with Vaxhaull for everything else though.
Now just as i'm about to try and shift car on, for an upgrade to something newer, i get this guilty feeling i shouldn't be selling a car with a water loss problem, so i start looking into causes. Had compression test done and all seems ok, all cycliders(x6) around 16. All hoses look ok, no visible leaks, so thinking its the water pump.
Borrowed the tools from a mate to deconstruct all the gubbins at front end, and new problem reveals itself before i get chance to start.
Now i've got oil in my water system. Not a little. Very noticable when cap removed, this thick film of emulsified oil. Also now seeing a mist of white in the oil filler pipe.
Is this definately now the head gasket to blame. If so what are the options.
Is it possible to pass this problem though with a p/x for an upgrade and go un-noticed. Never p/x before but was considering with the water loss issue, but now a bet wary with oil in water as noticable to anyone removing radiator cap.
That said, do p/ex deals involve this kind of inspection or not.
Thinking if i go to a Large Supermarket, where they simply pass these cars to an auction, they probably dont care... as are giving you rock bottom any way....
Donning flame-proof poncho awaiting responses...
Mak
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I reckon its pretty likely to be the head gasket, but i should await confirmation from one of the resident professional mechanics here.
If so, i reckon you could get away with p/xing it quite easily, as long as:
There's no loss of power
There isn't an overheating problem that is instantly evident during a short test drive
Checking the oil level doesn't reveal anything unusual.
As you would presumably drive the current car to the dealers in order to p/x it and then drive away in the new purchase, the dealer will almost certainly not open the coolant expansion tank cap, as doing so whilst the engine is still hot would shower the dealer in scalding hot coolant due to the pressure still left in the system.
In which case you may get away with just your conscience to worry about
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Don't jump at head gasket,these v6 omega engines suffer with engine oil cooler leaking into water system.Cooler sits in vee below inlet manifold.
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Just thinking its too much of a coincidence having water loss, and now Oil in Coolant. After a 30mile run, there is also now evidence of white coating on the oil filler tube. No evidence of any such white residue on the dip stick YET!
Have my doubts though as compression test about week and a half ago showed all cylinders to be pretty much the same, 1st time ever done a compression test and have a flat battery now for my learning experience.
Are there any quick checks i can do to eliminate Oil Cooler(for the oil leak) & Water pump for the coolant loss.
cheers
Mak
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I agree with earlier post. Check web site for lots of advice on this subject.
Lots of oil in coolant I would suspect oil cooler first of all.
Eventually you will have an overheating problem as oil blocks radiator.
Good Luck
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IIRC if the oil cooler is knackered then you get oil in the coolant; but not vice-versa. Anyway I'd post your question over on the Yahoo 'omega owners' group; where it seems to be a frequent topic of discussion :-(
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Not familiar with the Omega at all.
First compression test is not proof positive of sound head gasket (too crude a test).
Best way is to squeeze the water side, most garages have the kit for this IIRC it is a pump and adaptors to go on the expansion tank and the idea is to squeeze it to just over operating pressure, say 1.5 bar (ish). If it does not hold then there is a leak.
Now to finding the leak, made more complicated by the fact you have an oil cooler, a study of the layout and fittings will enable you to determine how to carry out the test with the oil cooler out of circuit (blanked) and then in circuit. Alternatively if you can remove the oil cooler it may be possible to put a squeeze on separately.
Good luck
NormanB
I would have thought
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