Oil in vt 5l radiator had head gasket check seem ok !! Help !!

[3.8L of executive power!!]

hello,
i have a 1999 vt ss 5.0 v8 series 1, done 175.000 kms
there is oil in the radiator, brown sludgy stuff, i had a head gasket check and a radiator pressure test done all seem ok,
car seems to drive fine, blows no smoke, no aparent water in the oil,
i really want to get this fixed, mechanic says doesnt seem to be a head gasket,
so im hoping someone will know what it is, could it be an inlet manifold gasket???

[graham7773]

Yours is V8? I have a VT V6 which had the same problem. Turns out that the transmission oil cooler in the radiator was cracked allowing trans oil into the cooling system. New radiator, problem fixed. The radiators can not be repaired, must be replaced. Seeing that yours is V8, might be different but somewhere to start.

[3.8L of executive power!!]

i have thought of that, but wouldnt the oil appear redish in the coolent?,
the oil in there is definately brown, not black or grey or anything just plain brown, but theres too much of it to be ignored, i clean it out once a week at the moment, and i keep driving the car as per usual, i really want to get it fixed asap,

[pablo]

How long since you changed the coolant?
Those 'pellets' that are put into the coolant system tend to go a brown sludgy mess if left in too long. Noticable under the radiator cap. Could be your problem!..For your sake, I hope it is.

[3.8L of executive power!!]

unfortunately not, this problem was discovered when i got a proffesional cooling system flush, and they told me there was oil in the coolent, and sure enough, ever since brown oil has been coming up thru fresh coolent

[gungazza]

i had the same prob in my v6 i thought it was the inlet manifold gasget but when i droped the water it seemed to have a red tinge in it so i think maybe the transmision oil cooler also there was brown gunk under the cap

[graham7773]

yep, my coolant had brownish gunk, made me think engine oil but it was transmission fluid. new radiator fixed it.

[3.8L of executive power!!]

so i shouldnt rule out the radiator despite the oil being brown? the radiator had a pressure test and came up ok, should that show a trans leak?
i tried to do a smell test on it today trying to see what sort of oil it is, but just smelt like coolent,
i ite hav to go try another mechanic, im just reluctant to spend any more on just the diagnosis, its cost me $200 already for the radiator pressure checks, head gasket checks etc just to be told keep an eye on it because'we cant find anything wrong with it'