Coolant leak & mixing with oil

nick124 · 09-20-2012, 06:04 PM

After further review, it is still likely that the HG failed, but after discovering where exactly the leak is, I think that after the leak is fixed, I will be good to go. I'll explain further...

When the HG goes, as I'm sure you all know, the coolant will mix with the oil (current problem with my car), but the oil will also mix with the coolant causing the overflow cap to pop off and various other signs of oil mixed in with the coolant stream. This is not the case with my car. There are no chunks of oil in the rad or overflow or any other signs of oil.

I also talked to the mechanic more and there was a screw missing from when the previous owner replaced the water pump. As a result, the mechanic said that the seal broke which was the cause of a small oil leak that was declared by the previous owner, and eventually the coolant leak that I have now.

To the part that matters... http://www.zhome.com/~aktar/zcar/engine/blockDec17.jpg ... in the picture you will see that at the bottom left of the front of the block, there are holes for coolant (top hole) and oil (bottom hole). This is the gasket that is leaking on my car. It makes sense (to me at least) that the oil started leaking first, and as the seal broke further, the coolant began to leak out and also into the oil stream.

I hope this helps some of you to understand the issue and why we don't think it is the head gasket (which supposedly has been replaced with a MHG and ARP bolts).

I am going to get the shop to take care of it as they quoted me just over $700 including the timing belt since they will be in there anyway.

Thanks again.

09-20-2012, 06:04 PM	#7
nick124 Stock Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Brantford, Ontario Posts: 10	After further review, it is still likely that the HG failed, but after discovering where exactly the leak is, I think that after the leak is fixed, I will be good to go. I'll explain further... When the HG goes, as I'm sure you all know, the coolant will mix with the oil (current problem with my car), but the oil will also mix with the coolant causing the overflow cap to pop off and various other signs of oil mixed in with the coolant stream. This is not the case with my car. There are no chunks of oil in the rad or overflow or any other signs of oil. I also talked to the mechanic more and there was a screw missing from when the previous owner replaced the water pump. As a result, the mechanic said that the seal broke which was the cause of a small oil leak that was declared by the previous owner, and eventually the coolant leak that I have now. To the part that matters... http://www.zhome.com/~aktar/zcar/engine/blockDec17.jpg ... in the picture you will see that at the bottom left of the front of the block, there are holes for coolant (top hole) and oil (bottom hole). This is the gasket that is leaking on my car. It makes sense (to me at least) that the oil started leaking first, and as the seal broke further, the coolant began to leak out and also into the oil stream. I hope this helps some of you to understand the issue and why we don't think it is the head gasket (which supposedly has been replaced with a MHG and ARP bolts). I am going to get the shop to take care of it as they quoted me just over $700 including the timing belt since they will be in there anyway. Thanks again.