Oil mixed with coolant
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Joined: Nov 2019
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2004 c230k
Oil mixed with coolant
Hello, I have not read a thread yet where someone has the same problem I’m having.
I have an 04 c230 Kompressor w203 m271 engine
i bought it very cheap $200 because it has oil/coolant mixture.
i made a compression test and cylinder 4 had no compression, plus water was spewing out from the spark plug hole. I went ahead and replaced the head gasket. I drain the old oil and coolant and after replacing the head gasket I went ahead and filled the oil and proceeded to clean the coolant lines to fill it with fresh coolant, well now it seems I can’t get cleaned because I’m still losing oil, I bought a dipstick for both atf and engine oil, ATF checks out because is red and does not have signs of water but the engine oil one marks to be empty when I know I added 5 quarts after replacing head gasket.
question is, which other places can I look into? I want to know where in the engine oil and coolant can mix not being at the head gasket since I replaced that problem. By the way I checked the compression on al cylinders and all check out good, plus no water was coming out from any spark plug holes.
hope someone can help. Thanks!
I have an 04 c230 Kompressor w203 m271 engine
i bought it very cheap $200 because it has oil/coolant mixture.
i made a compression test and cylinder 4 had no compression, plus water was spewing out from the spark plug hole. I went ahead and replaced the head gasket. I drain the old oil and coolant and after replacing the head gasket I went ahead and filled the oil and proceeded to clean the coolant lines to fill it with fresh coolant, well now it seems I can’t get cleaned because I’m still losing oil, I bought a dipstick for both atf and engine oil, ATF checks out because is red and does not have signs of water but the engine oil one marks to be empty when I know I added 5 quarts after replacing head gasket.
question is, which other places can I look into? I want to know where in the engine oil and coolant can mix not being at the head gasket since I replaced that problem. By the way I checked the compression on al cylinders and all check out good, plus no water was coming out from any spark plug holes.
hope someone can help. Thanks!
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
Shoulda got the head checked while it was off the car for cracks.
But lemme ask, is there coolant in the oil?
Or just oil in the coolant?
Because the oil could be coming from the trans cooler,
bad radiator.
Search Valeo radiator in the stickies.
It effected many models.
If thats the case, you'll need to do a full flush of the transmission, i have a post on that,
and replace all the fluid, and radiator, and you may fix it, otherwise a junkyard trans.
Back in the day this was a 10K repair, now, less than a grand with a used trans.
and there's lots of them.
But lemme ask, is there coolant in the oil?
Or just oil in the coolant?
Because the oil could be coming from the trans cooler,
bad radiator.
Search Valeo radiator in the stickies.
It effected many models.
If thats the case, you'll need to do a full flush of the transmission, i have a post on that,
and replace all the fluid, and radiator, and you may fix it, otherwise a junkyard trans.
Back in the day this was a 10K repair, now, less than a grand with a used trans.
and there's lots of them.
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2004 c230k
Thanks for the response, I did check the head for cracks and it did not have any nor was warpped, I do have oil in coolant as coolant in oil, Transmision oil is in good condition so I know ATF is not the issue.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Perth Australia
12 C200, 12 C180, 10 Fuso Warrior crew cab, 08 RTV ute, 05 Smart Fortwo cabrio, 09 Smart Fortwo
Did you have the cylinder head serviced or just clean up and put back on?
You might think a head it straight, but there is a reason it would have done a head gasket in the first place, as for cracks was it checked by a cylinder head repairer or you just have a look at it? cracks can be where you cant see, it would need to be pressure tested.
The only way to do a cylinder head properly is to have it serviced, at minimum a pressure test and to have it faced, nothing better that a new clean surface to work with.
Looks like you might be doing the job again?
You might think a head it straight, but there is a reason it would have done a head gasket in the first place, as for cracks was it checked by a cylinder head repairer or you just have a look at it? cracks can be where you cant see, it would need to be pressure tested.
The only way to do a cylinder head properly is to have it serviced, at minimum a pressure test and to have it faced, nothing better that a new clean surface to work with.
Looks like you might be doing the job again?
Thread Starter
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2004 c230k
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I did a compression test and saw water spewing on cylinder 4. That made me think the head gasket had failed, yet when taking it off I couldn’t see where the gasket had failed. No the head was not testes but I did inspect it and I did not find any cracks, I did a compression test again after putting everything back together and all cylinders passed, my engine oil keeps going down and mixing with coolant. Where else in the engine can the oil and coolant mix? Just at the heads and the oil cooler?
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Perth Australia
12 C200, 12 C180, 10 Fuso Warrior crew cab, 08 RTV ute, 05 Smart Fortwo cabrio, 09 Smart Fortwo
I hate to tell you but a visual inspection of the head is not good enough, If a head gasket has blown there is a reason behind it, corrosion, heat, crack, or gasket failure, you cant get away with just getting a gasket and fitting it, out of 100 you might get away with that sort of bandaid repair once if you are lucky.
You have done your money on the gasket replacement, go do it properly and it will solve your problem.
you will find there will be a oil gallery that passes from the engine block to the cylinder head, it will be right beside a coolant channel this is where your warp will be in the head, not noticeable by eye but just enough for the 2 to become 1
You have done your money on the gasket replacement, go do it properly and it will solve your problem.
you will find there will be a oil gallery that passes from the engine block to the cylinder head, it will be right beside a coolant channel this is where your warp will be in the head, not noticeable by eye but just enough for the 2 to become 1
Last edited by prktkljokr; Nov 26, 2019 at 07:40 PM.
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Thread Starter
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2004 c230k
So even if I’m passing compression, does it still mean I have a head gasket problem? Or you think The oil cooler might have something to do? I wouldn’t have a problem getting the heads out again and getting them machined
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Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: Perth Australia
12 C200, 12 C180, 10 Fuso Warrior crew cab, 08 RTV ute, 05 Smart Fortwo cabrio, 09 Smart Fortwo
Yep, heat expand cold contract, thats why you have a leak, the cylinder may have sealed but the journals around it are moving with different temperature, thats why you need a nice clean flat surface when you tension those bolts up.
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2005 C230K Sport Coupe
What country are you in? Please add that to your user profile. It makes a Massive difference in this case.
What are the exact compression readings?
Where did you buy the oil dip stick? Typically, water goes into the oil, not the other way around.
If you drain the oil, do NOT start the car, and check the oil dip stick, then what does the dipstick show?
It is possible that the head warped. Imho, for now, hold off on yanking the head again.
Again, What Country???
The oil cooler is the other place where oil and coolant can mix on an M271.
The oil cooler is a "so-so" design on the M271.
Imho, you should replace the gasket anyways. It's a know weak area. And, water in the oil is very bad for the engine and bearings.
The oil cooler gasket is cheap. So, replace it now, and see if that stops the leak.
Fwiw, if the head is warped, the block may be warped also.
About 99.99999% of the time, a head gasket failures on M271 engines means that the engine was over heating a significant amount for a significant time.
Good Luck!
What are the exact compression readings?
Where did you buy the oil dip stick? Typically, water goes into the oil, not the other way around.
If you drain the oil, do NOT start the car, and check the oil dip stick, then what does the dipstick show?
It is possible that the head warped. Imho, for now, hold off on yanking the head again.
Again, What Country???
The oil cooler is the other place where oil and coolant can mix on an M271.
The oil cooler is a "so-so" design on the M271.
Imho, you should replace the gasket anyways. It's a know weak area. And, water in the oil is very bad for the engine and bearings.
The oil cooler gasket is cheap. So, replace it now, and see if that stops the leak.
Fwiw, if the head is warped, the block may be warped also.
About 99.99999% of the time, a head gasket failures on M271 engines means that the engine was over heating a significant amount for a significant time.
Good Luck!
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 5
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2004 c230k
Thanks everyone for the help, I’m in the United States I live in Texas. i will replace the oil cooler gasket for now, if that doesn’t change anything then I will pull the heads again, thanks everyone again
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2010
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From: upstate NY
c280
Any other ideas where the oil can be coming from? The car has 220K miles on it. The head gaskets were changed at 95K by the dealer for the balancing shaft issue.
The car rides great. No smoke, no overheating. Where could this oil be coming from?
Any help would be greatly appreciated
