willmapp

It was outside, it was warm...

I was performing the final trip prep for the drive to my parents for Easter weekend when I noticed that the engine sounded strange.

I popped the hood as the car was running and heard a sloshy mechanical sound. I looked at the coolant reservoir and it was bone dry!

I recently had the radiator and hoses replaced, so it couldn't be that. I pulled the dipstick and saw that the oil was milky.

How can I diagnose this sympton to determine if it is one of Hayne's problems:

1. Faulty head gasket
2. Cracked cylinder head
3. Oil cooler

How difficult is it to fix 1 & 3? What are some of your experiences?

Thanks,
Will

Mighty Shilling

oil cooler can be fixed in a day... it's just a beeeeeeeeeyatch to get out... so good luck there... head gasket will take a little longer, just cuz thhere's so much to take off...

jmporsche944

Id rather do a head gasket then an oil cooler. Thats how much that job sucks

yellowline

90% of the trouble with the head gasket consists of 2 bolts which break for everyone. They go through the front coolant pipe at the top of the engine, through the head, and into the block. They run right next to a cooling passage, so they corrode. Taking those out took about 3 hours and required helicoils for me. Other than that, it's straightforward dissassembly/cleaning of surfaces/assembly.

Granite 944

Diagnoses for this condition? I'm not a good source for that. I can tell ya this though. I've had coolant in the crankcase. (Funny, I always hear everyone say oil cooler gasket failures result in oil in coolant). I've not experienced that one yet. Twice, different 944 cars, Both times, oil cooler gasket problem. I disagree totally with the comment about the cooler replacement being worse than a headgasket replacement! I'd MUCH rather do the cooler gaskets, than the headgasket job, any day of the week! And, I've done both.

Check the level on your oil dipstick. Is it showing higher, along with the "milky"? Drain the crankcase, and look at the milkshake that comes outta there. Change the oil cooler gaskets first, flush and flush again the crankcase, and change filters. Do a search here, others including myself have had to go thru this. To many headgasket replacements are being made for not. Do the simple/cheap things first, then look at that headgasket, if this turns out not to be it. This oil cooler gasket is MUCH easier to do than the headgasket! I don't care what anyone says about that.

Mighty Shilling

the only time I'd say the oil cooler is more difficult than a head gasket... well, I don't think there is a time... with the head gasket, you have to take off the timing belt and such... oil cooler, it's just like a rubics cube tryin to get the housing out... as Ken said, make sure you flush both the coolant AND the oil many many times. we did 10 times for the coolant, and 3 times for the oil when my friend's went... Also, when doing the oil cooler, it'll be easier if you remove the power steering pump.

Vjgtrybno1

Also, when flushing the coolant , add a few ounces of shout or spray-n-wash to the coolant reservoir tank and run that for a day or so to get all of the oil in the cooling system into the coolant so it can be flushed out.

Mighty Shilling

Thanks Vince! forgot about that one last night...

Legoland951

The oil cooler gasket is much easier than the head gasket. Just take the exhaust manifold off first. I am not even sure if its possible to change the gasket without removing the exhaust first. Make sure you take the car to a high pressure self car wash first and spray all the junk out from around the area as it tends to be very messy. Let the car cool down first when you drive it to the car wash for about 5 minutes and spray lightly first around the exhaust manifold to allow slow cooling. Otherwise, it may crack from rapid temperature change.

Mike C.

Ditto. With the exhaust manifold removed it wasn't that difficult to do the oil cooler.

Mighty Shilling

It can be done without the exhaust coming off, but it is a hell of a headache. best o luck!

MM951

Get the exhausat off, you will have much more room to do the oil cooler. I suggest doing it as its only $30 for the kit from paragon and one less thing to fail in the near future Have you done a compression check?

willmapp

Haven't done a compression check.

But since the coolant reservoir is empty, and the oil is chocolaty (ummm, umm good!) could this indicate a head gasket failure.

My primary concern is that I don't know how long this problem has persisted and I don't know what damage I could have done.

Even though the temp gauge didn't show an overheat, is that possible?

Will I need to replace the water pump now since it was working with no coolant flowing through it?

Your thoughts...

Will

Mighty Shilling

Will, most likely it is the oil cooler. you can do a water pump if you want, but that's a rough job...

if it had gone on a long while, you may have toasted your bearings. but I doubt it. it seems you caught it soon enough (didn't overheat). Have you done a waterpump at all? if not, do it. they are normal wear items. they go bad...

good luck!

willmapp

Also is there a possibility for internal components to corrode?