Club 80-90 Forums

2.1 dj I checked the oil the other day and saw milky light brown oil. I haven't noticed any specific loss in coolant in reservoir recently and had no overheating problems or white smoke lately. Today I changed oil and filter and will see if it happens again. I thought it may be the oil cooler although no apparent oil in coolant tanks. I only had the engine rebuilt last february after a presurising fault which was a lower liner gasket so I am now worried it has gone again The antifreeze is the correct concentration, not many miles done this winter although I did start it weekly for a short period. No mayo in filler ? condensation in winter - will give it a run out now oil changed and see what happens. Any suggestions to allay my fears

If it's the oil cooler it usually goes the other way as oil pressure is higher than cooling system pressure, you'll end up with oil in the coolant.
Coolant in the oil can only really happen at one place, the seals at the bottom of the barrels.
They usually leak when someone decides to do the head seals in situ and doesn't replace the lower barrel seal when they head is off.

Simon Baxter wrote:If it's the oil cooler it usually goes the other way as oil pressure is higher than cooling system pressure, you'll end up with oil in the coolant.

I'll second that, it happened with our Scirocco and it's the identical oil cooler.

Ian

The lower barrel seals were replaced last february when the engine was completely reconned after only 12k on a vw factory engine fitted in 2006. This was done in a garage specializing in rear engined vw's , this done because of pressurizing and he said one of the lower seals had a small kink in it probably from when it was assembled. I've done less than 4k since then. Getting fed up with water boxers now!

Funny, loads of people love them but they also all want to seem to replace them with a Subaru engine? never worked that one out.
I think it must be a flat four thing?

Ray wrote:engine was completely reconned after only 12k on a vw factory engine fitted in 2006.

Oh heck, someone must have been hacked off when a VW factory engine failed after only 12K They were rated as the best, (as you would expect).

Sorry to hear of your woes, it may turn out to be condensation if as you say, you have hardly used it and the weather has been so cold.

I have one wbx here that the previous owner tried to bodge up by replacing a stud which had siezed it's head nut (probably had a weepy water jacket) simply by winding it out past the liner...resulting in chipping the iron off the seal groove and so bruising the seal face on the case. All the other studs came out without any drama.
One perfectly good crankcase scrapped.

PS I have got both the Subaru and the wbx in our buses