Date:         Tue, 2 Aug 2005 15:12:12 -0700
Reply-To:     John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Bange <jbange@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Oil contamination... with coolant
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2005080216534144@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> What is you're suggestion about that problem... when the oil is so
> contaminated... that it's a pale brown color...
> 
> When the oil drain screw was remove, about 1 liter of clean coolant came
> out, after it became that messy sticky brown stuff, it'all over the internal
> componants....

Ah yes, the muddy, whipped, milk chocolate looking stuff. That's the
famous oil and water froth. That usually comes from a crankcase being
filled with coolant, raising the liquid level inside till it reaches
the crank-- that's how you get the "whipped mousse" look to the oil.
Judging by the amount of coolant (1liter) you drained from the
crankcase, I'd suspect a fairly good internal leak. Oil cooler
perhaps?

> 
> #1 was FULL of coolant, 

#1? Like the #1 cylinder? 

> strangly, the collant color is perfect with no trace
> of oil....  

I've had 2 cars come down with "whipped oil/coolant mix" in my life,
and the oil never got into the cooling system. Usually the cooling
system is operating at a higher pressure than the oil system in the
places where they are in close proximity, so it stands to reason that
you'd only see water in the oil and not vice cersa.

-- 
John Bange
'90 Vanagon
"Keine Bange, wir holen die Zange!"