Help -- major oil goop in coolant

[ENafziger]

I'm looking for some advice here. A couple nights ago when I got home, I noticed that my '91.5 was leaking a lot of oil. After a little investigation, it looks like the coolant system is filled with oil. There was no loss of power, odd sounds, etc. The truck has ~ 215k miles on it, and I've been running a HE351 turbo for a couple years with maximum boost reaching about 29 psi. It serves as my daily commuter and occasional tow rig.

First, the two thoughts I had, is either the head gasket was compromised, or the oil cooler cracked. Is there anyway to confirm which of these it is?

Second, what is the best way to go for reliably holding increased boost? I have had thoughts of putting a slightly bigger turbo on it. What boost pressure is a stock head gasket and studs good for? Does an MLS gasket from a 3rd gen fit?

Here's an ugly picture of what I was met with when I pulled the radiator cap:

Thanks, Eric

 

[BDaugherty]

Oil cooler is most likely.
http://www.blockchek.com/store.htm
You can use a combustion leak tester to help rule out a head gasket problem.

 

[DVolk]

I agree its the oil cooler how ever you can possibly do a pressure test at the radaitor if you have access to a testor but since the oil cooler is the easiest I'd check that if you decide to do both I'd O ring the head

 

[ENafziger]

Oil cooler is most likely.
http://www.blockchek.com/store.htm
You can use a combustion leak tester to help rule out a head gasket problem.

Thanks for the reply. I don't think a combustion leak test would tell me anything? If it is the head gasket that failed, I think that it failed between a coolant and oil passage...and is not leaking cylinder pressure. I guess I'll dive in and pull the head.

It seems odd to me that a million mile engine would blow a head gasket at 215k miles of easy daily driver life. But stranger things have happened I suppose.

--Eric

 

[The patriot]

When I owned a class 8 many years ago, it was routine to re torque the heads @ 50-100K miles.
There arent class 8 engines, but not far off. It would be prudent to do this.
Having said that, I'd suspect the oil cooler as stated above.

 

[Bob4x4]

Pull the oil cooler and test it for leaks pretty easy job.The hardest part will be cleaning the cooling system.'i use detergent designed for a dishwasher

 

[Bill Stockard]

'i use detergent designed for a dishwasher

We used liquid Cascade automatic dishwasher detergent in our truck shop to clean the oil from the cooling system when an engine oil cooler failed. Regular dish soap creates too much foam and won't completely remove the oil residue.

Bill

 

[DVolk]

I'd do a pressure test on the cooling system

 

[mwilson]

We have used Cascade for years. We recently hired a tech that had left us a while back as he moved down South for a bit. While there he worked at a Freightliner dealer. They use Fleetguard Restore to remove guck from the cooling system. He talked me into ordering g some and I gotta tell ya it works great.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B48TolX857rKVmJhY3dFbmRZaE0/view?usp=docslist_api

 

[Bill Stockard]

We have used Cascade for years. We recently hired a tech that had left us a while back as he moved down South for a bit. While there he worked at a Freightliner dealer. They use Fleetguard Restore to remove guck from the cooling system. He talked me into ordering g some and I gotta tell ya it works great.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B48TolX857rKVmJhY3dFbmRZaE0/view?usp=docslist_api

It's probably not as caustic as Cascade. Cascade, depending on how much is added to a dishwasher load and water temperature, will etch glass.

Bill

 

[DVolk]

I worked at a concrete company they used that as well the problem is it leaves deposit along the way your better off to use the fleet guard or equal product . , I asked my dad about that back then whom was a 30 year radaitor man ,he said they were nuts and would pay for it later

 

[ENafziger]

Well, it looks like it was the oil cooler. Here's the goop mess in the block:

I couldn't think of a quick non-destructive way of testing the cooler, so I cut out a plate with the plasma cutter, drilled some holes, and welded a couple bungs in place. With 15 psi air, it leaked like a sieve! It looks like a 3/4" long fatigue crack that split wide open.

I guess this is good news, because it looks like the head gasket is probably fine!

--Eric

 

[DVolk]

My 92 was messed up when I bought it the dealer repaired it , I'd find a kiddie pool or make something like it with plastic and a wood box and stick the garden hose in it and start flushing it out