I purchased this car as a project and was told that there was coolant in the oil and it needed head gaskets. He changed the oil before I purchased the car and I was unable to see this.. I pulled the cap and it was a frothy white color an indication of moisture in the oil. I checked the coolant and it wasn't pretty much non existent. I've done a compression test and they were all similar and well within limits. I did a leak down test and that even passed. There was no bubbles in the coolant and a minor amount of air coming out the oil cap. I had it running and there was no sweet smelling white smoke out of the exhaust. I did however find out that someone had duct taped the intake pipe after the maf since they were to cheap to get a new one therefor leavening a massive air leak... any ideas what I'm missing? I didn't want to do head gaskets when all the signs point to there still good.

 

Maybe the oil cooler is failing or the water pump gaskets are shot?

 

Can you please explain how these are possible?

 

The water pump has two gaskets on it. One of them separates the oil and the other separates the coolant. Maybe one of them has failed and is allowing the coolant to sneak in.

The oil cooler has coolant running through it and oil running through it. Maybe there is an internal failure causing them to mix together?

When you changed the oil was it chocolate milk looking? A little bit of moisture in the crankcase might not be unusual.

 

I have not personally changed the oil myself yet.. I have looked at it and it looks fine but it has not been running lately. I'll run it up maybe and drain it and see what sin there. He did tell me it overheated.. maybe the water pump gave up life? I looked in the coolant and there is little speckles of silver in it..

 

Update I drained the oil and it's a milky color. I put a collant pressure tester and put it to 25 psi and water comes out from the oil pan drain. Not a lot but some. I've had the pressure tester on for a day or so and it's holding 20 psi still. There is no oil in the coolant thou.. any ideas?

 

Blown head gasket, cracked head, or cracked block. If pressurized coolant is making it into the oil pan something broke. It may have all started with the duct taped MAF, extra air (unmetered) being ingested for a long enough duration causing a constantly near-lean condition and a LOT more combustion heat since it's a more explosive mix and not a controlled burn anymore. The coolant system can only dissipate so much heat before the system is overloaded and the engine temps climb. Once you peg the temperature gauge it's too late, metal warps and cracks at those temps, warped heads from overheating would be your best scenario.

Either way it's a significant amount of work to fix the issue, sorry.

 

Found the problem it was the water pump, it was leaking down into the oil pan.

 

You are one lucky dude to have an overheated engine with oil in the water and it was only the water pump

 

Congratulations! New water pump, oil/filter change and you're back on the road. I would change the oil in another K miles to be 100% sure there's no moisture in the system, cheap insurance!
Enjoy the ride...Gary

 

It was probably those gaskets I told you about on the water pump. You did lubricate the oil gasket with oil and the coolant one with coolant right?

If you had a cracked head, block, or something drastic like that it wouldn't have held to 20PSI. It would have dropped down a lot faster probably. Good fix though!

My car hasn't been driven in months and is now having all kinds of gremlins coming out!