hpservertech

Took a look at my anti-freeze tonight. Surprise! Light brown color. Would this indicate a blown head gasket? Other cars I have had have had similar issue, but they were always just rust in the radiator/block and after a few flushes i cleared out. Should I be worried or just have it flushed & backflushed a few times and try the spay n wash tecnique? Car does not overheat, but does leak oil which looks like it is the oil pan gasket (next weeks project). Oil is ok and doesn't smell.

thanks all!

Calmchaos

if the oil is ok..... I wouldnt think the head gasket 1st...
If there is oil in the coolant my 1st guess would be oil cooler is shot.

Do you get heat out of the climate control?

Neither job is easy, as the cooler is nicely tucked away.

What kind of antifreeze are you using? Blue green or red/pink/purple?

Cass944

have you checked the oil? hopefully it doesnt look like this...

hpservertech

haven't added or flushed the antifreeze yet. Ocassionally get the heat to work. I think the problem with the heat though is vacuum hoses. I have one or two that look to be cut. While on a 12hour drive back from Baltimore the heat finally started to work when we got within 90 miles of home.

Thanks for the quick reply!

Calmchaos

Yeah as long as your oil doesnt look like Cass's milkshake it shouldnt be the head gasket.

If there is oil in the coolant and not the other way around, the pressure is focing the oil up into the coolant... obviously If it were the head gasket it would be t'other way round.

I remember seeing somewhere that oil in coolant was the cooler. Can anyone confirm this?

35thSLP

When my oil cooler seals cut loose I had coolant in my oil and oil in my coolant and cottage cheese in the AOS.

Cass944

you can sometimes rule out whats getting into what because the oil pressure is much higher than the water pressure. so oil is going to push its way into the coolant before coolant pushes into the oil.

Vjgtrybno1

I would try replacing the oil cooler seals first, then clean and flush the cooling system with the spray-n-wash method. Head gasket would probably result in lots of white smoke out of the exhaust.

hpservertech

ok, real dumb question, but where is the oil cooler located? I can't figure it out from searches or the Haynes manual. Picture would be great if someone has one.

yellowline

Only when the car is running. When the car is off, the coolant is under more pressure than the oil.

Techno Duck

The oil cooler is the same thing that the oil filter screws onto.

hpservertech

Ok, got the new seal kit today. Following Clarks steps I am stuck at removing the oil pressure sending unit. The thing wont budge. Will the housing still come out if I leave this in?

also once i get it out what should I use to clean the inside of the housing as well as the cooler itself? Given how the coolant looked I imagine that the cooler will be full of the same milkshake.

TIA!

Herb

35thSLP

You could clean the cooler but you don't have too. When I did my oil cooler seals I cleaned the housing with carb cleaner or you could use simple green or equivelant. I then put fresh oil and antifreeze and let it run until the temp got to the first mark. I then shut it off and changed the oil again. it has stayed nice and clean ever since. I am not sure you will have enough clearance to get the housing out with the sender still on. have you tried a stuby open end wrench from sears? that's what I used and it came right off.

hpservertech

yea tried that. I think the only way it's going to come off is by putting it in a vise and torch, then a new sending unit. UGGHHHHH!

jmporsche944

Ok.. I did this job a while ago.. so I dont remember exactly.. but I think I had the same problem you have, couldnt get the sender off.. but Im pretty sure I removed the oil cooler with it on, pretty sure that is