10 replies to this topic

[victorludorum]

Hello all

 

I took a cross channel ferry yesterday (before the big storm!) and it was very choppy. When i got to the other end my 2000 mpi Cooper wouldn't start. It was trying to fire, but not catching. I looked at the dipstick and there were air bubbles on it and the oil seemed very thin. After about 15 mins the car fired and we drove it for 3 hours to get back home without any problems. How could water have got into the oil? Could it have been the choppy crossing? I'm wondering if the head gasket has a problem somewhere, but usually they just blow don't they? The car has done about 40,000 miles. Another clue may be that the heater has stopped blowing out hot air...

 

Many thanks

Gary.

[Fossy313]

Only things can thnk of is a head gasket....has your coolant got any lower?? The water has come from somewhere ...and something is allowing it in....could be as simple as entering through your oil dipstick...but sounds to me more like its coolant related...

[Ethel]

Condensation. Head gaskets don't always fail dramatically, that's just when most are spotted. Oil won't mix with water, you'd see it as a milky emulsion. You could do a compression test to investigate.

[jsiggee]

The first head gasket that went on mine was a bit like that. It didn't effect the performance or anything, I only knew because the oil had water in it and there was mayo everywhere.

[victorludorum]

I was expecting to see some different colour on the dipstick, but it wasn't the case, just tiny bubbles and the oil seemed very thin. I was due to change it this weekend, so i think I'll go ahead and do that before I proceed, although i won't be too happy if the gasket goes shortly afterwards!

[cal844]

what oil is the OP using?!

[victorludorum]

Halfords Classic oil 20/50

[dp0352]

Given that the heater doesn't blow hot any more, I'd suggest a clogged heater core (matrix).  Is there any condensation in the floorboard?  That would be a good ID feature for this.  Just spitballing, if the heater core is clogged, coolant pressure is raised which I'm guessing could potentially add undue stress causing "seepage" into the oil via the head gasket.  This is all just a theory, but wet / damp floorboards would suggest I'm on to something.  I'd check it before moving on to a new head gasket, and as Ethel said, a compression check is probably in order.

[jamesmpi]

Or maybe the thermostat isn't opening allowing coolant to flow to the heater matrix?
Or When you pull the heater valve handle is it really stiff? If they are not used regularly they can seize up or break

[victorludorum]

The heater cable is very stiff, so i'm going to give it a good look this weekend when i'm doing a whole load of checks. I started it this morning and it was fine, and when I checked the oil it looks normal again, so i'm wondering if this was purely a one-off due to the excessive rolling of the ferry.

Edited by victorludorum, 29 October 2013 - 04:09 PM.

[jamesmpi]

If you open the cap on the rocker cover and see white mayo then you know that water has got in your oil.