Turbo or Head gasket?

[jclue]

So I am getting oil in my coolant res.

There is no coolant in the oil, but just oil in the coolant.

Being that our factory turbos have both oil and coolant running thru them, I will assume it is "possible" to have them mix at that point. Is it likely tho?

I am pretty sure the turbo burns oil as it is, there is very apparent shaft play and i spent a lot of money and time determining that the motor is not burning the oil.

I also had a over heating problem (thermostat) that is now taken care of.

engine runs perfect, does not over heat. there is a heavier bluish smoke at start up, goes away after it warms up. Not burning any coolant

Thanks again guys.

 

[speedin]

dude i am so in the same boat! i did a radiator, t-stat and cap with no fix yet. started to take thingsm apart today. my guess is head gasket or possibly cracked head. i think when fliuds start mixing (coolant/oil) that it is more serious then a gasket.

 

[emespea]

on the turbo, there is a water jacket for the coolant. the center housing which has both parts is cast and typically the dont open into each other unless you have a serious crack in the housing. usually when a turbo has seal issues its on the oil section (the piston seals) and you will get oil in the charge piping (pipes from turbo to IC) cause the oil leaks onto the impeller.

if your car overheated bad, or it went on for a while and was driven, the head gasket can be effected, as well as the head. when cars overheat the head can warp which will cause a leak in the seal for the HG. which is why you can have the oil in the coolant.

if u determine its not the turbo (id assume the crack would be apparent), when you take the head off, get it checked for levelness before you just replace the HG.

 

[JReichle1]

I would say head gasket. Get a cylinder leakdown test to confirm the condition of the head gasket before tearing into the engine. Either way this is a major problem. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news... Keep us updated...

 

[jclue]

i have had a leakdown, coolant pressure and oil pressure test done and everything checks fine. Even will oil in the res, the guy at the shop ( who has done all my work, custom and normal maint. he knows this car better then I do) said it is NOT the head gasket. Im starting to doubt tho.

I hear these are an easier head gasket job. Any truth to that?

I checked my charge pipe and its clean.

 

[jclue]

So if my charge pipe is clean, does that mean my turbo is not burning the oil?

 

[jclue]

bump. charge pipe clean. Oil burn still from turbo?

 

[blazinrola80]

no but your mixing oil and coolant means head gasket is failing.. i would replace it before car over heats and does more damage warp head ect.. if you car has over heated you should send head to machine shop get cleaned checked and make sure its true...

 

[jclue]

Ya thats what I plan on doing. Maybe a PandP job too. So just to be completely sure...

Clean pipe means no oil burn from turbo, Correct? I swear this burn is coming from the turbo because of the tests on the motor. I very well could be wrong tho.

 

[jclue]

So i talked with the shop that did the diagnostics today...he is absolutely adamant that it
is not the head gasket. He said the fact that A) I'm not over heating anymore B)I'm not losing any coolant, burning or leaking and C) the test he did came back exactly how you wouldn't want them to, no bad head gasket, everything tests perfect.

He said that the coolant would also be a lot worse then it is.
He also said that there is a chance when under boost that the head is lifting of the block
which is causing the mixture. Said he's seen the turbo mix it once but there would be a huge cloud of white behind me which there is not.

ANyone heard of the heads lifting off the block under boost like that? I'm running like 8.5 psi spike and holds at 8.

 

[dandan2]

i say ur mechanic is being ignorant.

 

[BOOSTR]

I'm betting that you have a slightly warped head from your overheating in the past.

 

[JasonBourne]

a time ago i had this same issue, oil in the coolant no overheat, and i changed the head gasket....but nothing. my problem has that the oil cooler had crack and from that the oil mixed to the coolant.

 

[Safe Zone Msp]

That might also explain why you were getting holes in your awr radiators. It sounds like a head gasket to me, too. Head gaskets can do all kinds of crazy s***. Either way, good luck.

Thad.xe

 

[jclue]

Wheres the oil cooler? Is that the radiator looking thing behind the radiator. please excuse my expert vocabulary lol

 

[blazinrola80]

i say ur mechanic is being ignorant.

x2 (hand)

 

[JasonBourne]

The oil cooler is behind the block, its in the oil filter.