Diesel Engine With Mayo In Coolant

[dirtdog 4]

My car has been locked up for a few months. Been started the odd couple of times until a few weeks ago the starter motor totally packed up. So..bought a nice sparkling new one..slapped it on and it juddered into life. Good. Turned it off went to get a can of fuel so I could leave it running for half hour or so to charge my battery up(which had been disconnected after the starter failed). Put the fuel in and now it won't start! I think the battery needs a jump start because the glow plug light is very dim. The thing that bothers me is it makes a terrific noise when the key is turned...it never used to make a noise before. It's a electrical buzzing..similar to what a robot being tortured would sound like..

 

I don't have the slighest clue as to what it is...or why the hell it's doing it. I checked the oil..it's at a good healthy level after weeks of it standing. Opened the water cap to check and was horrified to see a substance which looked like out of date mayo' from the 1930s.

 

 

So basically...I just need a opinion or two for..what I should do really. Thinking i'll try whip some jump leads on the bugger and see if that fires it up...and dropping all the coolant out of it ...flush it all through with a hose pipe before filling it back up with a good dose of antifreeze and then hope for the best

 

Thanks in advance

Edited November 3, 2009 by jackherer
title changed

[jackherer 543]

The noise when starting sounds like its just due to the low battery.

 

The mayo in the expansion cap is more concerning, it is almost certainly head gasket failure. The only other thing it could be really is a failed oil cooler if your car has one fitted. I'm assuming it is a diesel as you mention glow plugs, I don't know if they have oil/water coolers or not.

[Batfink 201]

mayo could be just condensation from sitting around. I used to get that on my gti

[dirtdog 4]

almost certainly head gasket failure

 

EXACTLY what I didn't want to hear.

 

Yeah, it's a diesel.STDT. I had a shunt in it a while back, just before it was SORNd. The radiator was leaking so I had that fixed and the coolant seemed fine. Is there not a possibilty it's just built up because of..condensation..standing still.. something along those lines. How would I(someone with limit-none mchanical skills) check the head gasket is fine apart from the gloop in the expansion chamber? This has bamboozled me now

 

Ok.. if it is HG failure..what are my options. If it's not actually failed... but its on its way is there a chance to save the engine? Sorry for the questions guys but...it's only got 82k on the clock and having owned a XUD in the past with 187k...didn't think i'd ever run into this problem!

 

Bottom line is.. if the engine is ruined.. (i've got to fit new bumpers and brakes MOT & Tax it also) I don't know what to do. What a nightmare!!!!!!!

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

How bad is the mayo? if you wipe it away does it come back?

If it does you have oil getting into the coolant, the only place that can really happen is by a failed head gasket.

 

Usually when the head gasket goes on these though the coolant system pressurises causing old pipes to blow off or bubbles of exhaust fumes through the header tank. so there might be some hope yet... Either that or your on borrowed time before it does as the gasket is dissolving away (as they do after about 100K)

 

Edit: just read your last post and missed the it's a diesel part...

Edited November 3, 2009 by ALEX

[jackherer 543]

mayo could be just condensation from sitting around. I used to get that on my gti

 

Mayo in the oil filler and breathers due to condensation mixing with the oil that should be there is one thing, but mayo in the coolant is a different thing altogether, the water has been there all along so its not condensation, something has caused oil to get into the coolant which is never good news.

 

dirtdog: As I said before, IMO your only hope of it not being HG failure is a blown oil/water cooler if you have one fitted. Have a look by your oil filter to see if there is a plate between it and the engine block with two coolant pipes coming off of it.

[dirtdog 4]

I'll have to have a look later jackherer... does not sound promising though. Devastated...

 

Should I flush it out and see if it comes back? I put my finger in earlier and seems to be floating at the top rather than all the way through. ok...explain this to me someone please...i'm a numpty when it comes to engines.i know its bad news but how bad, like...am i able to save it..and if i can how do i know if its too far gone. I feel ill...spent 100 quid ona new starter motor..90 on new bumpers...agggh

 

Found this on the internet...

"if the cooling system is neglected (or improperly bled after filling) the engine had a tendency to blow its head gasket; coolant changes on this engine are critical!"

 

Expect a wanted advert soon...for a big f' off hammer to smash it up. Lol

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Chill out dude!

 

If it's a head gasket, in capable hands it's half a day's work. It's not terminal. Stop having kittens. We'll help you diagnose, and if you choose to take it elsewhere to get fixed then you're less likely to get ripped off.

 

If you choose to DIY (which is quite possible) then we'll help you through that too.

 

[dirtdog 4]

Ok. I've found out that i've got an oil cooler fitted. Or so says the haynes manual anyway. I had a little look and I can see a plate between the filter and the engine. Couldn't make out any pipes coming from it though because it's quite tight.

 

I'll change the coolant,oil and the filter. But what part needs to be fixed? Forgive me for sounding silly but..is it the plate between the filter and the engine or some other part?

[jackherer 543]

If it does have an oil cooler before you change any fluids drain the coolant then take off the oil filter then the oil cooler itself. If the cooler is corroded and leaking it should be pretty obvious. TBH If it is that in the short term you would probably be absolutely fine if you just disconnected the two coolant pipes from the cooler and joined them to each other bypassing the cooler totally then just flush through the coolant system and drain and refill the oil. I've had a 205 S16 like this which was fine in all conditions apart from trackdays in summer.

[dirtdog 4]

Ok. I pulled the bottom rad' hose off and out came rusty looking water. No mayo stuff. I flushed it all out with some clean water and popped the hose back on, anti-freeze etc. Jump started it and left it to run for about 45 minutes and it wasn't leaking so one job done.

 

I've had a closer look(when wrestling with the coolant hose) and found it is fitted with an oil cooler. I see one hose coming from it and going into my..correct me if i'm wrong. thermostat? Can't see the other hose but i'm sure it's there somewhere. lol.

 

When I get around to getting it off..is it ok for me to just simply take the filter off? No risk of oil coming out somehow?

 

And if the oil cooler is broke/useless could I replace it with a tiny 'mocal' row type cooler or am I just being silly.

 

Thanks