Is it the head?

[NUT777M]

Hi folks

I've got a 1991 2.4TD Surf which is currently off the road. I think it must be the head gasket but it is only showing half the symptoms so thought I'd get the opinion of you guys as you know more than I do.

There is a LOT of oil in the water and it overheats if under a heavy load (pulling a full 16' trailer or heading up a very steep hill) but most of the time runs fine. It smoke on start up but this clears fairly quickly and there is oil coming from somewhere on the engine but I cant find where. There doesnt seem to be any water in the oil and the head gasket was changed a year past august by a garage for the previous owner. Apparently the oil has been getting into the water since then.

The oil is now corroding the rubber pipes and they are starting to give up, hence it being off the road. It was in a different garage a while ago to get the crankshaft pulley and MOT done, which was passed with no probs, the garage reckon it could be the head or the block. Anything else to check before I spend the £££?

Apologies if this has already been asked.

[darkdezigns]

in a a word.......................... .....yes

[nero279]

the only sure way is to get the coolant tested for combustion gases or get the head pressure tested or something.

It's unusual for the cracked heads to show by oil getting into the coolant from what i've read on here. Is it definately oil and not transmission fluid as it could be the rad has rusted through internally between the transmission cooler and radiator, which i would imagine would lead to it not being very happy under load. If it's the head the way i understand it is it would show pretty much as soon as you get moving not just on hills or towing.

I'd get it pressure tested or get the test for gases in the coolant done anyway, i don't think it's too expensive and it'll either confirm the head or rule it out.

[NUT777M]

Oil is black so I assumed it was engine oil, certainly not an expert. Problem now is I have a slight leak from the water pipe at the back of the engine and live 20 miles from a city. Are these tests specialist or should most garages be able to do them?

[nero279]

i think most garages should be able to do them, there were kits on ebay so you could do the combustion gas test yourself but i can't find them now never know whether to trust things like that on ebay or not :

[Vagrant No2]

Oil in water will possibley be the oil cooler by the oil filter . Been several on this site with unit leaking across the oil way into the coolant . Worth checking before buying a new head .

[coolsv650]

i think most garages should be able to do them, there were kits on ebay so you could do the combustion gas test yourself but i can't find them now never know whether to trust things like that on ebay or not :

I got one of these kits from e-bay, it did work & proved my head was cracked. Does the vehicle use any water, or any signs of pressurising the system?

[NUT777M]

Yeah it does use water a fair bit but theres a small hole in the top of the radiator. It doesnt seem to want to take water out of the expansion tank, previous owner left the pipe out to minimise the oil going around the system. Pipe is possibly clogged with oil tho. What do you mean pressurising the system?

As previously mentioned it has only badly overheated twice in the year i've had it. Once pulling a 16' trailer with a dismanted garage in it and once climbing a mountain road on the west coast, both after reasonable long journeys so could have been due to most of the water having gone. Has pulled 8' trailers full of logs and gravel with no problems on shorter journeys.

[Diezel Weazel]

[QUOTE=NUT777M;403747]Yeah it does use water a fair bit but theres a small hole in the top of the radiator. It doesnt seem to want to take water out of the expansion tank.

Had a similar problem with a pin hole in the Rad (Souldered it up) it now returns water from the expansion tank back into to the system .....
ya find this stops the water lose n maybe a new rad cap ??

There's always a Payback .... Ya just never see it Comin !!!!

[NUT777M]

To be honest i just chucked some radweld in it cos figured i'd be best to stop the oil then just replace the radiator when i'm doing the hoses. Probably not my best idea!

Is there any way of telling if its oil from the engine or transmission like nero suggested? I know that might be a reaaly stupid question but working on engines is something i usually try to avoid so know nothing about really.