Headgasket Or Not?

[205007 12]

I have an XUD9 in a van which is perplexing me as to whats going on in the engine....

 

Suggestions welcome

 

1) Starts well - minimal smoke for a diesel

2) Drives well revs up ok

3) Regularly does 100 miles on the motorway without running over 80 degrees on the temp gauge and will sit in traffic no probs

4) Dipstick oil is black

5) Passed emissions on MOT last month

6) not using oil

 

 

Black oil on header tank cap regularly even after cleaned off it returns

Black oil in the coolant (not emulsified though)

 

So - im thinking someone in the past has topped the oil up in the wrong part as ive only had the van a few months??

 

someone else has suggested the oil cooler may be leaking but i dont think diesels (especially non turbo) have them?

[welshpug 1,657]

it may well have a heat exchanger rather than air-oil cooler, have a look at the oil filter.

 

4) quite normal, its diesel

5) also normal, its just a smoke test.

6) normal on non turbo.

 

a cooling system pressure test might help, I doubt a compression test would given it doesn't pressurise the coolant, a friends TUD5 has some oil residue in the coolant and that hasn't a heat exchanger, nor does it pressurise the coolant.

 

a small leak wont cause the oil to emulsify and if it does regular long runs it'll burn any water off easily.

Edited March 31, 2012 by welshpug

[205007 12]

Yeah with regards to 4) i meant it wasn't milky or anything!

 

wil have a look for a heat exchanger though