Small amount of oil in the coolant - should I worry?

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
49 Hudson 8 - I am getting a small amount of leakage by the drivers side rear of the head. When I say small, there is a very small amount ( I might quantify as seepage ) of fluid that you can see between the head gasket and the block. It is so slight that it doesn't even form a drop, just a slight smear that I can wipe up with a rag after maybe a hundred miles or so. I re-torqued the head ( the head is aluminum ). The seepage continues. Now I have noticed that there is a small amount of oil in the coolant. Again, it is a very small amount that I can clear with the edge of a rag.



I know that this must be a head gasket leak. My question is should I pull the head with this level of issue, or ignore it till I need to do an engine rebuild or if it were to get worst? I have had both opinions from non-Hudson guys. Some tell me to "leave it alone". Others recommend that I go ahead and pull the head. What do the Hudson guys say?



BST RGDS

GARY ( happychris )

Comments

  • harry54
    harry54 Senior Contributor
    Sounds pretty minor. I would keep an eye on it and leave it alone. I've heard stories of guys driving with much worse. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it....
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    No amount of water in the oil is good! The cylinder head should be removed and the head gasket replaced. The cylinder head being aluminum makes this condition more critical. While the head is off it should be inspected very carefully looking for any corrosion at the water jacket areas. If found, the cylinder head must be re-surfaced to correct. If the head is badly damaged it can be rebuild (aluminum welded and re-surfaced) or replaced with a cast iron head to repair.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Well here's the tally so far:



    1. Do nothing.

    2. Do something.

    3. Read below.



    Are you sure that you have motor oil in the coolant? Sometimes, degrading additive packages in coolant can replicate this as can the interior of aging rubber hoses. After all, hoses and coolant are compounded from petroleum products. If you are indeed pushing oil in the coolant, your radiator pressure would rise as a result. Has this happend? The choice is yours, if you don't take the car on long trips, you could probably just wait and see. If you travel great distances, it may be prudent to pull the head. Good luck.
  • hudsonguy
    hudsonguy Senior Contributor
    The head on these flathead engines is about as easy to access as any ever made. I'd just pull it and replace the head gasket, and do it right. Then you can check that off your list of 'things to worry about'.



    I tend to do whatever it needs in the winter time, when I can disable the car for months at a time, in the hopes that I can drive it all summer without doing much more to it than oil changes. Good Luck.
  • mars55
    mars55 Senior Contributor
    I agree with Hudsonguy. The head gasket should be replaced. Specially, with the aluminum head. I would worry about corrosion caused by the small amount of water trapped between the head and the gasket.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Thanks for those inputs! 1st let me clarify, I am getting a small amount of oil in the coolant, and NO coolant in the oil. My theory is that I have a small leak between the combustion chamber and the water jacket that is acting like a one way valve - during the compression stroke, some oil is getting pushed out of the small leak and into the water jacket and then out between the head gasket and block. I am absolutely sure there is no coolant getting into the oil. The amount of oil getting into the coolant is very small - a slight film on top of the coolant, but I am worried ( thus this thread ). I am tending to lean towards the recommendations to pull the head and replace the gasket. I know water in the oil will ruin an engine, but not sure what harm can come from a little oil in the coolant. All that said, think I will just feel better replacing the head gasket. Did I mention that I have stud, not bolts, on the aluminum head. Think that is correct for a 49 8 with aluminum head. I was thinking about switching to head bolts, but was advised that studs can actually be better for this application.



    THANKS FOR THE ADVICE!



    BST RGDS

    GARY ( happychris )
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    WAIT A MINUTE! I just re-read Dave53-7C's response more carefully. I had added pelletized "Bars Leak" to the radiator prior to seeing the "oil film" on the surface of the coolant. Perhaps the film I am seeing is the "Bars Leak" and not oil ( although it sure felt like oil ). Sounds like the course of action should be:



    A. Drain the coolant

    B. Fill with water and flush

    C. Flush the system thoughly

    D. Refill with new coolant

    E. Run it and check for any additional "oil" in the coolant



    If I continue to get the "oil" in the coolant, then I pull the head and replace the gasket.



    BST RGDS

    GARY ( happychris )
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    A very thin film, as in completely see through and can hardly be seen, might be that "Bars Leak" (I'm assuming it's a stop leak kind of thing). I agree, try flushing out all the old coolant and refilling. If it comes back, pull the heads. Any coolant in the oil is a very, very bad thing.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    I have checked the oil many times and the oil is black and has the correct consistancy. There is no milky coloration and the oil feels correct. As far as I can tell there is no coolant in the oil. I will try the flush and see, but the film I removed with a rag sure looked and felt like oil, not stop leak. I will flush and then watch, but I think the head will have to come off.



    BST RGDS

    GARY ( happychris )
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    If you have used Bars Leaks, this has a soluble oil additive, and this tends to leave a slight film on top of the water. All 8's had 7/16" studs, and I think you are best to leave them there rather than use bolts. And do remember, you must re-torque the alloy head when it is COLD. I would test the torque first, and see how that oil leak holds. I would not go over 55lbs torque for an 8 cylinder head, those old blocks are not the strongest. Good luck,

    Geoff.
  • Hudsy Wudsy
    Hudsy Wudsy Senior Contributor
    I've used a lot of Bars-Leak over the years. It's great stuff. The film that you describe strikes a familiar chord. I think that it's quite likely the source of your film. I don't have a bottle (maybe it comes in cans these days) in front of me at the moment, but I think that it even states that there is some conditioner or water pump lubricant in it. One of the guys on the board always says "If aint broke, don't fix it." I'm kind of in his corner on this one.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories

In this Discussion