Help contaminated coolant !!!!!!!1.7 diesel

[macccityrocker]

Hi there, i have a 1.7 diesel and have just checked my coolant bottle (the one at the back of the vehicle where you fill it) and it seems to be contaminated with oil, prior to this the exhaust seemed a bit louder which was why i was poking about and noticed this, im dreading the replies here as i am fearing it is something major, any ideas please? Cheers Steve W......

[kevtherev]

Could just be a head gasket..

[macccityrocker]

If it was the head gasket what type of price are we looking at to get it fixed? is it a big job? and is there any way of me confirming this? Cheers. Steve W..

[oldiguana]

owrate owduck.....it could be as simple as the oil cooler,if not..its the head gasket...no real biggy tho if you can dabble yourself,did marladys 1y last year for about £80ish i think........

[macccityrocker]

Thanks for the reply, when i rev the engine it sounds like the exhaust is blowing which it is not, so could this noise be coming from the leaking cylinder head? Cheers Steve W...

[ringo]

What does your oil look like? Does it look any different on the dip stick?

Are you loosing water?

Have a good listen while you rev the nuts off (with your above the engine bay) and try and fund out where that noise is coming from.

Don't panic yet.

Ringo

[macccityrocker]

Hi there, im not losing any water, and its not overheated, at first i thought the noise was coming from the manifold but there are no leaks there, the oil looks ok but appears to have gone down, thanks for all the replies. Cheers Steve W.....

[ringo]

First thing I would do is change the oil cooler above the oil filter. Don't buy a new one, put a wanted ad up. If I wasn't working away I would send you one.

I'm assuming the noise is a separate issue for now.

Good luck,

Ringo

[macccityrocker]

Hi, I think you are right the noise is probably coming from the air filter box which makes it sound like the exhaust, i may as well get a new oil cooler and change the coolant was going to change it before winter anyway, do you know if it is quite common for the oil coolers to leak oil into the coolant system? thanks a lot for your reply, Steve W.....

[mioba]

Hi.
It is common for oil cooler to leak. To test. Get it off. Connect two pipes to inlet and outlet. Stick the cooler in water. Block one end of pipe off and blow down other end. If it bubbles in the water it's your cooler. They do perish!

[macccityrocker]

Nice one will try that today, thanks for all the advice and replies people. Steve W..........