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Oil residues in the coolant reservoir tank

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Old Jan 31, 2009, 06:09 PM
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Oil residues in the coolant reservoir tank

I was changing my engine oil today and notice that there were some oil residues in the coolant reservoir tank. My car is an 04 with 19K miles; it has never been drag race or auto X only street driven. I do not use it much. I bought it about a little over a year ago with 15k miles and now it has 19K. The previous other owner never abuse it and it was completely stock when I purchased it. Car runs fine without any signs of problems. The oil was not brown, milky, or white when I changed it, actually it was a little black with 2800 miles on the oil. How do I know if the head gasket is blown? Any other possibility? Should I just change the coolant and see if it happens again?

Last edited by racer135; Jan 31, 2009 at 07:05 PM.
Old Jan 31, 2009, 06:39 PM
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I believe that if the hg was blown the oil you just changed should have been milky
Old Jan 31, 2009, 06:49 PM
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hey man i have the same promblem i think my headgasket is leaking to in the front right of the head. I guess thats a common spot and in the back where you cant see it. but i am planning on a complete rebuild now kelford 272s supertech dual springs and tit retainers valves and headstuds and probaly just standerd oem mls headgasket. Was told the mls is one of the best to use
Old Jan 31, 2009, 06:52 PM
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Send an oil sample for analysis. This will tell you for sure if coolant is getting into the oil.
Old Jan 31, 2009, 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by johno
....dual tit retainers....
There is a lot of useful aftermarket stuff coming out indeed.
Old Feb 1, 2009, 04:33 PM
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Any easy way to determine if the problem is a blown head gasket without having to take the head off?
Old Feb 1, 2009, 05:30 PM
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white smoke from tail pipe
Old Feb 1, 2009, 05:43 PM
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It's quite possible the oil is leaking past the gasket into a waterway, without any evidence of water in the oil.

It does sound like the gasket has been breached I'm afraid.
Old Feb 1, 2009, 05:57 PM
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Originally Posted by racer135
I was changing my engine oil today and notice that there were some oil residues in the coolant reservoir tank. My car is an 04 with 19K miles; it has never been drag race or auto X only street driven. I do not use it much. I bought it about a little over a year ago with 15k miles and now it has 19K. The previous other owner never abuse it and it was completely stock when I purchased it. Car runs fine without any signs of problems. The oil was not brown, milky, or white when I changed it, actually it was a little black with 2800 miles on the oil. How do I know if the head gasket is blown? Any other possibility? Should I just change the coolant and see if it happens again?
I had a little oil residue in my coolant tank, also. My mechanic did a coolant flush. I ask him about it, and he said "it's normal". I am going to start changing my coolant every 6 months.
Old Feb 1, 2009, 06:05 PM
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The heat gauge heading North and the coolant taking leave of the engine by way of the bottle is how 99% of the blown head gaskets on the 4G63 act. If that isn't happening stop worrying.
Old Feb 1, 2009, 06:18 PM
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You wouldn't happen to have been using redline water wetter have you?
Old Feb 1, 2009, 06:53 PM
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Originally Posted by rcheung
You wouldn't happen to have been using redline water wetter have you?
Yes I added a bottle of Redline Watter Wetter after I purchase the car. Maybe it has been about 6~8 months since I added a bottle of Redline Watter Wetter. Why do you ask?
Old Feb 1, 2009, 07:00 PM
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You can try to do a cooling system pressure test and see how that turns out as well...
Old Feb 1, 2009, 07:08 PM
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Originally Posted by racer135
Yes I added a bottle of Redline Watter Wetter after I purchase the car. Maybe it has been about 6~8 months since I added a bottle of Redline Watter Wetter. Why do you ask?
Water wetter breaks down into little brown greasy droplets which look like motor oil and end up in your coolant resevoir. Its not motor oil because motor oil doesn't look like that when it mixes with coolant. Many people including myself have thought they had blown a headgasket when this happened. As a matter of fact there is a mega thread on this very topic. I really dont recommend that stuff.

Heres the thread.

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/ev...nt-merged.html

Last edited by rcheung; Feb 1, 2009 at 07:10 PM.
Old Feb 1, 2009, 07:28 PM
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rcheung,

Thanks a lot for the heads up. This is what I had in the reservoir tank.



I have to read that link get more info on that. I hope I do not have a blown headgaket. Does this look familiar. On the top of the radiator there was also that oily stuff. The water wetter is oily but red before you put it in. At least there is still hope.


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