HELP! Oil In Coolant

[RPerrenoud]

Help!

Found oil in coolant tonight, Overflow bottle blew oil out all over side of engine compartment. Could this be the head gasket or the oil cooler, where is the oil cooler located on a 1998 12 valve. Is it located in the crankcase. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[dsldoug]

oil in coolant

oil in coolant 90% of the time is the oil cooler

the oil cooler is located behind the oil filterit is not a big deal to change the big deal is cleaning the cooling system

 

[R.ebel]

Ditto on the oil cooler. It seems like most headgasket failures leak coolant to the outside of the engine on our trucks.



I've had to deal with a oil fouled cooling system and its not fun. Many flushings with soap and water in the cooling system are in your future.

 

[LSMITH]

The cooler is located right behind the oil filter, in the side of the block. It could be a head gasket, but is much more likely to be the cooler.



How low is the oil? If you are not a couple quarts low on oil and it was blowing out the vent bottle it could point to the headgasket. Was the oil just pumping out of the overflow or blowing out violently? If the cooler let go you will pump oil out at the oil pressure, 20-60 PSI. If it is a headgasket it can do the same but more likely will be blowing out much harder from a compression leak. Is there any coolant around the base of the head? Look closely at the front and rear of the head, #1&2, and #5&6 seem to be where the headgasket likes to blow out.



If it were me I would try to take it in and get it fixed under warranty, I was quoted $750 for the cooler at Cummins. I still cannot believe that it is that much money, so I woud call and check with your Cummins shop.