We bought a car 6 weeks ago, and today I was told that there was oil in the cooling system. Help!!?

We have been driving the car with no temperature problems. Nothing is over heating, the air con works etc. Is the car safe to drive? What effect does oil in the coolent have? We haven't topped up the coolant. Any info anyone can provide will be gratefully received! thanksWe bought a car 6 weeks ago, and today I was told that there was oil in the cooling system. Help!!?
if what you say is absolutely correct in every detail it is possible that somebody topped up the raditor with oil which should have gone in the engine! It won't do a lot of harm but it would be better out of there. If you run the car with the radiator cap off and introduce washig up liduid slowly to the radiator it may absorb the oil. You then add water to the radiator until it overflows (keep the engine running.)We bought a car 6 weeks ago, and today I was told that there was oil in the cooling system. Help!!?
Oil in the coolant usually means a head gasket leak. The car will drive fine... for a while. The coolant will lose it's effectiveness because of the oil, and the coolant may get foamy, which will cause cavitation in the coolant pump and subsequently will cause the cooling system to stop cooling. You need to get it checked by a mechanic to find the source of the problem.
May be best to go to a garage you trust. Ask them to drain, flush and refill the cooling system. Ask them for an oil and oil filter change.


This will now mean that you can monitor the clean coolant and oil. Make sure both levels are correct.


Keep a close check on levels and condition of fluids. If you now get oil contamination in the coolant then it is probably the head gasket.


The above shouldnt cost any more than 拢100. At least this way you can be sure that there is a problem with the head gasket before getting the engine rebuilt.





Who told you there was oil in the coolant? Have you a warranty of any kind?





All the best and good luck
Before you have a coronary, remove the oil filler cap and see if it has a covering of light brown gooey stuff (emulsified oil). Usually when a head gasket goes, the water contaminates the oil, not oil in water, it may be something as simple as someone else has said, the previous owner may have poured oil into the water reservoir.
Oil in coolant means your gaskets are bad.
I can understand every ones opinion of head gasket etc.but if running fine,not overheating etc,has someone put ... oil in the rad,women perhaps? mine did!!
It generally means that the head gasket has gone ... i would get it looked at quickly
was it a cheap car - less than 拢1000.00?


if so run it into the ground %26amp; keep putting oil in.
first of all..... just who told you. to check it out take off the radiator cap look at the bottom of it if there's a substance like a nasty milk shake then check the oil dipstick if the same stuff is on it change both fluids then if it happens again you have a problem if not, you were lied to witch is not uncommon.
if you leave it the engine could get gummed up as the oil and water solidify then its BANG and your engine is dead
I would not Drive this car untill the problem is fixed if it is trans. fluid then youn will need a new radiater becouse your trans cooler is leaking if it is oil from the moter then you most likely need a head gasket.
sounds like the head gasket has gone, water and oil galleries are close to each other in an engine, when the head gasket goes the oil escapes into the water gallery and ends up in the coolant, not a good idea to drive it too much thought, you could end up with water getting into the piston chambers and that would be catostophic.
Since the cooling system pressured up when hot, you should also have a foamy chocolate look to your oil if it is the head gasket [which is the MOST LIKELY diagnosis]. If you have a automatic transmission and the ';oil'; that is in your cooling system could be trans fluid you may have a hole in the trans cooler [where the trans fluid passes through a coil in your radiator]. There is also the chance that someone got sloppy and put oily stuff in there in the past. Check for the froth in your transmission as well as your engine because water and oil don't mix BY THEMSELVES but will with mechanical mixing!
Sccccccchhhhh, Head gasket... Sounds expensive!
oil in the cooling system is normally produced when the head gasket fails or if the car has auto transmission from the oil cooler in the radiator,but since you dont have any problems with running,or loss of coolant or oil my guess would be that the problem has been resolved but the oil has not been fully flushed from the system,[this can be quite difficult to fully remove]dont worry just regulary check oils and water for loss,the car is safe to drive,good luck.
The mans got it in one


The haedgaskets gone
Keep driving it until and unless it gets worse...the oil film could have come from the brand of col lent that is in the car
Duff cylinder head gasket,if you have a warranty,O.K,otherwise it could be pricey;depending on make of car
OH MY GOD ITS A ROVER !!!


don't pay for it to be fixed because it never lasts and you can buy a reconditioned engine cheaper , believe me I learnt the hard way .


PS when its fixed keep it serviced an it'll last years . Good Luck
Oil in the water suggests that the cylinder head gasket has gone, very big engine job I,m afraid. Who told you about it, a garage or friend. Call one of the motoring organisations to confirm before you start spending big bucks.
From what you have described, it is the head gasket. This problem will only get worse...get it fixed now....or you may want to sell the car (not sure how much you paid for it)
This may indicate a blown head gasket(interior), or a warped head. Have it checked by a qualified ASE mechanic.
If you bought the car from a dealer, then you have some re-dress. If it was a private sale, then tough titties.





Oil in the water is a sign of either a cracked cylinder head or head gasket gone.
Sounds like the head gasket has gone out. It is important to immeidately get this fixed! Oil dilluted with Coolant will not lubricate well, and may cause undue wear and the car to overheat. Coolant sludged up with oil won't cool as well and may clog passage ways. A leaking head gasket can also allow combustion gasses to blow by the gasket into coolant passages causing the vehicle to overheat. Your car may burn enough oil or coolant this way to run you dangerously low.
It CAN be the 'head gasket' - a VERY expensive repair.





However, it MAY be the oil cooler / heat exchanger found on some engines.





Basically it's a mini 'radiator' that the OIL flows through that is immersed in the coolant system. Occasionally these can develop a leak %26amp; oil flows out of the oil system and into the coolant.





Another check for possible head gasket faults in if you undo the OIL filler cap - it it is VERY white %26amp; creamy (known as mayo!) there is definate contamination BOTH ways. (a little mayo is acceptable if your car only does short journeys)
Not a mechanic but I had same thing %26amp; that was the head gasket, sorry.
the seal is gone so the engine oil mixes with the coolants water.
The bigger problem to worry about is that if your oil is getting into the coolant, the coolant will likely end up in your oil when up to temperature due to the pressure. That will ruin (if it has not already) the head of the engine. Do not drive it and get it looked at by a professional.


If you you bought in a state with a lemon law take it to the dealer you got it from. This could be very expensive. If you bought it from an individual you may have to eat it.


Good Luck
might help a bit more if you give make and model of car, could indeed be headgasket but as someone else has already said many cars have an oil cooler and this can give the same problems. I hope its not an audi a8 4.2, very expensive!