GAH Oil in coolant, but coolant not in oil??

[Jimbeaux]

Hey guys I've owned this 2000 modded convertible AUTO with a 04 cobra motor for bout a year now, and have had some weird issues i've sorted out with the search engine..

problem now being I was about to change the oil and do a flush but my coolant is all muddy water I check the oil and I cant smell any antifreeze on the dipstick... doesnt look like its mixed into the oil, but there is definately somethin goin on in my coolant.

I flushed it out halfway (couldnt figure out which was the plug on the block to drain that and i didnt want to fudge up the brass bolt or whatever, im new to these engines, my last car was a freakin neon...like legos age 4+.

Anyway i filled it back up after flushin half of that crap out and with the cap off it idled fine, i revved it a little and it just overflowed a little, ive seen it spit more out after topping it off before.) Maybe I didnt fill it properly I figured the hoses would have more pressure.

So anyone have any insight as to what else could cause the muddy poop comin out of my coolant system? ;(

And is it possible to replace the head gasket without pulling the block?

I just had the bottom end rebuilt and tuned a few thousand miles ago, do you think there could have been some error on their part?

As much information as you can provide i'd much appreciate, I search alot on here but it's hard to find relevant information.

...and ps, it stalls sometimes at stop lights, totally random once every few weeks but did it twice in the past week.

[[EDIT]] I'd also like to throw in that on http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/how-230/435249-03-04-cobra-engine-coolant-flush-how.html I'm pretty sure i Know which hoses to disconnect to purge the system, the "cross over pipe" confuses me, i need pictures badly lol, you basically just end up disconnecting both ends to the thermostat housing right? but what about the bolt on the block for those 3 gallons hiding in the block/heater? Can anyone post a picture or more detailed information on where this block coolant plug is?

This is my first mustang, or cobra, and I effn love it more than anything, ever, Im gonna need help from you guys here, I've already searched over an hour...

Please and Thanks (my first post btw)
gimme some good answers get your good karma on
-- Jim

 

[mobius]

the oil cooler is notorious for leaking into coolant system. That would be my guess

 

[BIGV]

I had a head gasket go on a toyota pickup had oil in the coolant but not coolant in the oil.

 

[nanastymach1]

It's ur oil cooler happened to me a couple of months ago

 

[Jimbeaux]

ah you guys just made my mother****ing day.

Hey manastymach1, was there a way that you tested to make sure its the oil cooler? and do you have any links handy with a how-to replacement or anything? (with pictures) ? lol

I'm about to goto work, im pressed for time spare me the "use the search noob" lol

ANY Additional information on the oil cooler leaking/malfunctioning be a great addition to this thread, cause if this was the first thing that popped up when I hit the search engine I wouldnt have cried myself to sleep last night.:thumbsup:

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

"GAH Oil in coolant, but coolant not in oil??"

What is GAH?

The oil pressure is going to be higher than the coolant pressure.
Any leak would go from higher to lower pressure and not the other way.
So you need to find the source of the oil.

You say this engine was recently rebuilt, are you able to talk to the re-builder?
Why was it rebuilt?
Was it a "hurt" engine?
Hurt what?
Hurt pistons and rings?
Was there metal released into the oil?
Was the oil cooler replaced or did they try to clean it?

Do you have a stand alone external cooler for the automatic transmission or is it combined with one in the radiator?

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

ah you guys just made my mother****ing day.

Hey manastymach1, was there a way that you tested to make sure its the oil cooler? and do you have any links handy with a how-to replacement or anything? (with pictures) ? lol

I'm about to goto work, im pressed for time spare me the "use the search noob" lol

ANY Additional information on the oil cooler leaking/malfunctioning be a great addition to this thread, cause if this was the first thing that popped up when I hit the search engine I wouldnt have cried myself to sleep last night.:thumbsup:

That is going to be tough. You would have to drain the coolant, remove the lower hose, and (figure out a way to)pressurize the engine oiling system without starting it.
Then inspect for oil coming out the coolant inlet of the oil cooler.

 

[Jimbeaux]

Ok well as tragic as it sounds, it was untuned when I bought it with a big lower pulley, and for whatever reason had one of those bullshit A/F gauges in it which read Rich all the time...I didnt think rich was gonna kill it figured the supercharger would lean it out, so i drove it to work for a couple weeks, ended up really being LEAN as **** so I had em replace the bottom end long story short, heads appeared to be fine.

Pretty sure they didnt do anything with the oil cooler...so it could have been the metal/junk from the rings and shit being burnt up?

I'm pretty sure the auto tranny goes into the radiator, I would have been able to see an aftermarket cooler otherwise right?

 

[Jimbeaux]

I also forgot to mention that I was keeping an eye on the coolant up until like a month ago... and over the course of that month I'd say I've had half a quart of oil mysteriously disappear...It's not burning it... and I really havent driven it hard enough to think its a headgasket. Yall think I should just go ahead and replace the oil cooler?

 

[Jimbeaux]

That is going to be tough. You would have to drain the coolant, remove the lower hose, and (figure out a way to)pressurize the engine oiling system without starting it.
Then inspect for oil coming out the coolant inlet of the oil cooler.

Clueless here. I guess i'd have to find someone with an air compressor? Or would a can of keyboard duster be okay to use or even air be enough to tell?

(thanks for the help btw)

 

[Quicktime_GT]

Have this done :

Its a cheap and easy, fairly accurate way to determine whether or not you've got a head gasket leak.

 

[Jimbeaux]

Thats dope...special order or could i maybe find it at a parts store? Whats it called just Universal...tester?'


by the way just to finish up with this thread

the GAH = my frustration in inexpressible words.

and one last question can anyone point out where the block coolant drain bolt is? picture maybe? ;]

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

and one last question can anyone point out where the block coolant drain bolt is? picture maybe? ;]

There is one on each side of the block(2) just above the pan rail, towards the rear of the block, but not all the way to the bell housing.
It could be an Allen or a square headed pipe threaded plug.

A trans cooler leaking into the rad can cause the same symptoms.
1. How old is the rad?
2. Was this an auto GT originally?
3. Is it the original rad?

You may luck out if it's the rad, you should have a better rad in there anyway with the higher power level, then just run an external trans cooler.

Does the coolant milk shake have a certain color to it?

 

[Jimbeaux]

Theres a lot of things about this car me and the previous owner are unsure of.

Looks like an aftermarket radiator... its got a nice chrome cover and it doesnt look to have a lot of indentions in it, but it could be stock... could even be a GT radiator for all i know though.

because yeah it was originally a GT Automatic... The liquid in the coolant is pretty oily and it has the same color as my mobil 1... pretty sure anyway. I just found im low on transmission fluid too though...so i dont know ;(

I talked to the guys at the shop, they said they didnt do anything with the oil cooler...


And so is it the drain bolt thats closest to the bell housing? appears to be at an angle?


Would some pictures help? I really appreciate you helpin me throughout this.

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Drivers side plug now equipped with a temp sender(and wire).

 

[forcefedcobra]

Sounds like you need to have the shop work on the car since you really dont have a clue how to do it yourself. Not trying to be rude. Just sayin.

I normally work into tulsa and would take a look at it for you but right now its going to be a few months before I get back that way.

 

[Jimbeaux]

so that right there where you have your temp sensor is the drain plug for the block coolant?

 

[forcefedcobra]

so that right there where you have your temp sensor is the drain plug for the block coolant?

yes. the sensor is replacing the plug. It's pretty basic. there isnt much around that area other than the plug.

 

[Jimbeaux]

Sounds like you need to have the shop work on the car since you really dont have a clue how to do it yourself. Not trying to be rude. Just sayin..

Hahaha nah thats real man this is obviously my first ford... I've built a 202whp N/A 2.0 neon so i'm not new to domestic motors I just know that this 04 cobra motor isn't a 200$ neon motor I can just try again if i **** up something. I dont wanna just start untorquing the wrong bolts and tearin it apart, I just want as much insight as I can get so i dont have to pay someone else who knows probably just as much as I do. Theres not many options in tulsa, one place strictly does cobras but rape you price wise *Cough* arch-angel *cough*, this other place I found hooks me up but they're so busy it'll be a month before I drive it thing again.

I appreciate everyones feedback and it sounds like my oil cooler is ****ed, and it probably is since the shop didnt do anything about it before the bottom end rebuild and tuning.

Forcefedcobra, when you come into town I'd make it worth your time to look over it and let me know whats not right, I havent met anyone in town yet who doesnt just hand theirs over to someone else to work on... I didnt buy this car to let someone else play with it lol.

Last question.... The Universal block tester someone posted above, do you have to buy one, for one use? or can i find a shop somewhere that has one that can do the test for me? otherwise I guess im just gonna do a compression test?

 

[forcefedcobra]

Hahaha nah thats real man this is obviously my first ford... I've built a 202whp N/A 2.0 neon so i'm not new to domestic motors I just know that this 04 cobra motor isn't a 200$ neon motor I can just try again if i **** up something. I dont wanna just start untorquing the wrong bolts and tearin it apart, I just want as much insight as I can get so i dont have to pay someone else who knows probably just as much as I do. Theres not many options in tulsa, one place strictly does cobras but rape you price wise *Cough* arch-angel *cough*, this other place I found hooks me up but they're so busy it'll be a month before I drive it thing again.

I appreciate everyones feedback and it sounds like my oil cooler is ****ed, and it probably is since the shop didnt do anything about it before the bottom end rebuild and tuning.

Forcefedcobra, when you come into town I'd make it worth your time to look over it and let me know whats not right, I havent met anyone in town yet who doesnt just hand theirs over to someone else to work on... I didnt buy this car to let someone else play with it lol.

Last question.... The Universal block tester someone posted above, do you have to buy one, for one use? or can i find a shop somewhere that has one that can do the test for me? otherwise I guess im just gonna do a compression test?

I hear ya. but a drain plug in an engine block is a drain plug in an engine block. You really cant screw that up.

I'm going through training with work right now and instead of working from Enid to Tulsa I have been working from arkcity to okc. I would be more than happy to look it over but it will be a while until I'm over there. My best bud used to turn wrenches at a shop in tulsa. He and I have torn apart and built many svt's. I'm sure he would also be more than happy to check things out.

As for the tester. You should be able to pick that up at an autoparts store.

I would start off with flushing the system fully...........and I mean FULLY! I had some of the brown sludge in my overflow tank when I took my car apart to rebuild. I washed all of that out and installed a new motor (same oil cooler) and havent seen anything since. Sometimes mixing certain coolants can cause some of this gunk.

It's hard to tell what is exactly going on without being there to see/smell. Toss up some pics.