Topic: 93 Ply-Caravell - motor oil in antifreeze (rad)

[K9Bob]

My 93 Plymouth-Caravel has a problem of motor oil getting into the coolant system. This is a 4 cly. eng. Now this is not the most common problem that the oil is transmission fluid getting in from the rad, No, it is motor oil getting in. My mechanic has never seen anything like it before. He is not convinced that the head gasket is at fault as the coolant pressure would be greater then the oil pressure and coolant would be in the oil, No coolant is getting into the oil. Anyone he talks to says it must be transmission fluid, and it is NOT. So before I spend a pile of cash on this oldy, anyone have any idea what might be the problem? Is it worth the effort to fix?

[dash]

How would you know if no coolant is getting into the oil, it could just be burning off? see any white exhaust smoke? No expert, but it could be still a cracked block or head. Could leakage be happening when engine is not running and coolant is cool (no pressure)?

[rrocket]

Your van have a tranny cooler by chance?

[K9Bob]

Your van have a tranny cooler by chance?

Are you referring to the rad having a section for cooling the tranny fluid .. if so yes it has .. a pressure test was done on it and there is no leak into the coolant. As I said the oil is most definitely not transmission fluid, it is motor oil.
Thanks for the question.

[K9Bob]

How would you know if no coolant is getting into the oil, it could just be burning off? see any white exhaust smoke? No expert, but it could be still a cracked block or head. Could leakage be happening when engine is not running and coolant is cool (no pressure)?

Thanks for the questions.  No white smoke. Oil level drops after only a 1/2 hour drive by about .5 l and the coolant level in the reservoir is way up and full of oil. I drained all the coolant once, cleaned out the rad, removed the hoses and cleaned out the reservoir. It is now full of an oily mess again. You suggested a cracked block.. maybe that's it.

[articsteve]

Time for a Hail Mary.  Try IRONTITE.  Found at Carquest Part outlets.  White bottle, sells for about $20.  Personally have had great success with this product on numerous used vehicles.

However, IMO, your crank bearings are already toast, but you never know.  You need to drain the oil and add some fresh stuff.  Flush the rad and just go with water for the rest of the summer.  The Irontite goes in the coolant and seals head gasket and engine block cracks.

[K9Bob]

Time for a Hail Mary.  Try IRONTITE.  Found at Carquest Part outlets.  White bottle, sells for about $20.  Personally have had great success with this product on numerous used vehicles.

However, IMO, your crank bearings are already toast, but you never know.  You need to drain the oil and add some fresh stuff.  Flush the rad and just go with water for the rest of the summer.  The Irontite goes in the coolant and seals head gasket and engine block cracks.

OK.. Just the type of answer I was hoping for .. I will give it a try.. she's worth $20.. Many thanks Steve. I will let you know.

[articsteve]

Irontite is a product of the USA.

If it doesn't work in 10 minutes then I dunno.   If it is succesful you still might need to change the oil again.

http://irontite.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1

[maritime_storm]

Reality is that you most likely need a head gasket, oil pressure is far higher than coolant. The 2.2/2.5L engines were well known for blowing head gaskets, though not as much in the later versions. Try Artic Steve's solution, if it doesn't work, find a new tech and replace the head gasket.

[johngenx]

Try Artic Steve's solution, if it doesn't work, find a new tech and replace the head gasket.

I wouldn't spend any more money on that car.

[Honda Owner]

I would not spend a plum nickel on the thing but it is almost definitely a head gasket. These cars were notorious for head gasket failures. They usually leak internally from between #2 and #3 cylinder and yes, you usually don't see any smoke when they fail.

Sell it for scrap. It ain't worth anything more.

[maritime_storm]

Gentlemen, one man's junk is another man's treasure. If the car is in good shape and the owner likes it enough to justify the expense then why shouldn't he repair it?

[tpl]

Is this a new thing? It is to me. That you should throw away a car because of a leak in the head gasket. In my experience, albeit with time expired old Brit cars, replacing head gaskets and doing a decoke while you were at it,  at the side of the road,  was just one of those things you did when you owned old cars.

[johngenx]

Is this a new thing? It is to me. That you should throw away a car because of a leak in the head gasket. In my experience, albeit with time expired old Brit cars, replacing head gaskets and doing a decoke while you were at it,  at the side of the road,  was just one of those things you did when you owned old cars.

With labour rates of $100/hr and a head gasket easily topping the $1000 mark (or a great deal more), keeping a problem-prone old car on the road can be very expensive if you're not doing the work yourself.

[K9Bob]

My 93 Plymouth-Caravel has a problem of motor oil getting into the coolant system. This is a 4 cly. eng. Now this is not the most common problem that the oil is transmission fluid getting in from the rad, No, it is motor oil getting in. My mechanic has never seen anything like it before. He is not convinced that the head gasket is at fault as the coolant pressure would be greater then the oil pressure and coolant would be in the oil, No coolant is getting into the oil. Anyone he talks to says it must be transmission fluid, and it is NOT. So before I spend a pile of cash on this oldy, anyone have any idea what might be the problem? Is it worth the effort to fix?

I have been away for a number of days and just logged in. There was a message on my phone from my mechanic, who I suggested to; "Try IRONTITE and let me know". He indicated he has worked on it and has something to tell me.. I will have to wait until Tuesday for the answers. This car owes me nothing. It was sold to me by my stepmom after dad passed for $400. She had 93K klicks, the car that is and now has 26K. It has some semental value but if it costs more then its worth so be it, junk is junk. If the IRONTITE helps I will keep it until the next major fault or until the goverment gives cash for clunkers in Canada. I have a 03 Windstar that is also near the end of life so a newer car is in my future. I appricate all the feed back positive and negative, thank you one and all. I will let you know what happened with the IRONTITE tomorrow, it may be of some value to someone else..
BOB

[shawcross]

its the head gasket u need to replace it