re: k series - oil in coolant?

[Paul_Hedley]

I think I now know what my problem is, but I'm not sure of the best way to tackle it.

 

About 10 days ago, on a 90min journey, my engine was running rather hot, particularly in traffic, and the fan was not coming on. Having put the car away after that, it haven't moved since, but I've had two goes at trying to find the problem. The fan is working (I checked with the trick of connecting the terminals together on the radiator thermostat) but is not coming on when temp rises at idle. On opening the coolant reservoir, it seemed rather low, so I topped it up. Everything got hot on running (hoses at bottom and top of rad etc) but still no fan, and temp climbing. I went back to it today, with the purpose ot trying to clear any airlocks in the system that might be leaving the radiator thermostat in an airlock which would explain why it wasn't kicking in.

 

However, on opening the reservoir again, some of the contents seemed to be rather gloupy, and sort of browny/yellow in colour. Bit odd, I thought. So I jacked the front of the car up to try to get the top of the rad above the heater, as per instructions here, intending to run the car and manipulate hoses to get rid of the airlock. the yellowy gloup was then also coming out of the radiator bleed valve (see photo).

 

http://www.beata.org.uk/coolant.jpg

 

Does this look like emulsified oil in the coolant pointing at a deeper problem? Head gasket?

 

Would that also explain why the rad fan isn't coming on, is is that likely to be a different issue (failed thermostat)?

 

I'm guessing I need to get the car to someone to be seen to, and probably not driven there either.

 

Any input here would be welcome - I suspect I'm rather out of my depth.

 

Thanks

 

Paul

[Jonathan Kay]

It sounds to me as if you need to do two things first:

 

1 Find out why the fan isn't running when the system is hot: it works when jumped so is it the sensor or the wiring that is't working??

 

2 Flush the system and refill with approved coolant.

 

Jonathan

[Paul_Hedley]

Thanks Jonathan.

 

I guess if I unscrew the thermostat from the rad I can put it in hot water to check its operation, assuming that's how that one works. I can't see anything amiss with the wiring.

 

I guess draining the collant is not too tricky (though disposal of the stuff may be more so, if threads on here are accurate in my local area). Is flushing the system just a case of filling with suitable stuff something then emptying again?

 

Thanks

 

Paul

[Silver Machine]

Had a similar problem a few years ago with my 1997 k series super sport. In my particular case it was a head gasket problem. The gasket had failed close to the plastic dowel allowing oil into the coolant but no coolant into the oil. Dave Andrews sorted it all out. However the car was still drivable due to the nature of this type of head gasket failure. I think that I had the first sign of a problem in May and eventually got the car to Milton Keynes in October, covered about 3000 miles in that time.

[Paul_Hedley]

well although past performance is not necessarily an indicator of future performance, my car is also a 1997 k series supersport ....

 

I think I'll be making some phone calls tomorrow.

 

Paul

[Jonathan Kay]

Paul:

 

Flushing: yes, just that. Shouldn't think you need a whole fill to flush. Disposal: Ethylene glycol is poisonous, do the Council offer an approved method? It's usually described on their website.

 

Testing the temperature sensor: yes, that sounds right to me. The way you tested it already excludes most other simple faults.

 

Jonathan

 

 

 

Edited by - Jonathan Kay on 23 Jun 2013 16:11:38

[Paul_Hedley]

Just to update people who kindly posted here to assist - it was a head gasket failure, but not in the place that such things normally fail, sorted out for me by James Whiting. All of the coolant was emulsified with oil turning it into horrid sticky goo which was a pig to clean out, but the car is now back to health, having also had the original nylon dowels replaced and the cooling system modified.

 

Cheers

 

Paul