VR Calais Oil Problem

[St3alth187]

Hey guys, Newbie here. . Just recently bought a VR Calais. My first Car ! Im quite happy with it and how much i paid for it.

There seems to be an oily mix in the radiator. It foams up to a rusty/dog vomit colour. I know this is signs of a blown head gasket. But there seems to be no other signs.

The engine doesnt miss a beat. Even at high RPM.

Exhaust is normal. Theres no oil/fluid leakages externally visible.

Its an auto so i was curious to know if the radiator could be leaking transmission fluid into the coolant ? Would this result in the oil mixing to this colour?

Thanks in advance.

Jake

[darcycammo]

try flushing the system then have a looking in a week or so just to see if it is a leak somewhere or just old rusted water

[St3alth187]

Will do =)

Rather learn how to do all this stuff myself. Then to trust some guy thats obviously going to rip me off.

Thanks =)

[darcycammo]

thats how i learn't i bought a VS last year shit condition i have fixed most of it by reading threw this sight atleast you learn how to do it and you save a hole load of money witch you can then spend on better part's for your car

[edals]

Hey Mate.
Not always the case of a Blown head gasket. ALOT of the times its the Vally cover gaskets. Mrs old VR had oily coolant, i changed them over been bright green since.
But first give it a good flush and see how you go. If you Have Coolant in your oil that too can be fooled into thinking its a head gasket. You need to do a compression test to confirm it.
Dont forget to bleed the air out of the system :-)

I Made a how to on the work involved for inlet (valley cover) gaskets - Vr inlet gasket replacement

[brodster]

Mate it is prob just off coolant just flush and change

[hako]

The correct Holden coolant also includes inhibitor tablets - these are about the size of a panadol and are rust coloured - when you add them (6 or 8?) to the coolant they break down and tend to leave a brown oily deposit on the radiator cap. Their purpose is to lubricate the water pump as well. So maybe it is just this.

[BlackVXGTS]

Unless you are very sure of the car's service history, it would be a good idea to replace all fluids (coolant, engine, transmission, brakes, diff, power steering) and associated filters.

[St3alth187]

Thanks alot guys. Much appreciated. I'll follow advice of flushing the radiator. If that fails ill follow edals suggestion of changing Inlet gasket =).
I'll return with how i went.

Cheers

Jake.

[St3alth187]

Found coolant leaking out of the drivers side corner of the transmission. So either its mixing in the radiator and leaking there ? or i have a bigger problem.

Its gone for compression tests to see if the gaskets are gone.

[hako]

If it mixed in the radiator with the oil it would be like an emulsion...there are no coolant lines near the transmission except for the heater tap so there can be no reason for coolant to be where you say (unless the heater tap leaks and coolant sprayed back. Be very careful about what the mechanic says and get a second opinion.

[St3alth187]

Been a couple of days and i havent seen any coolant leaking from anywhere. I clean it up tomorrow check coolant levels and flush it all out. Being in isolated NSW it takes a bit of time to get a well known brand of coolant out here =)

[spirto]

sounds like the trans cooler that is part of your radiator has a leak. letting in trans coolant into the radiator causing it discolour. To fix either bypass the radiator for the trans lines running an external trans cooler, or replace radiator. To do a simple check, disconnect both trans lines (connect them together with a bit of 3/8 pipe or a joiner)..., from the radiator. temporarily plug up one of the two trans line connections on the radiator remove radiator cap (engine cold). if you have access to compressed air shoot some into the other non plugged line in on the radiator, if the coolant bubbles you've got a broken transmission cooler. hope this helps....

[St3alth187]

Good news!

I did the full flush, cleared all the crap out of the radiator and block. Seemed to have cleared out most of the residing gunk.

A little bit left in there but, much less .. and just enough to keep me happy =)


The crap that i flushed out must have been something residing in the radiator/block, stale coolant was mentioned before?
Thanks for the help.

Cheers,
Jake

[nemesis_adrasteia]

when coolant isnt changed at the correct interval, it begins to lose its rust inhibiting propertys. effectively it starts doing the opposite of what it was meant to do and starts rusting the inside of your engine/radiator/heater core.

[St3alth187]

Im not Mechanically minded, but it doesnt take a genius to figure out that rust in anything important = Bad.

Glad i did the full flush.

Cheers,
Jake