Oil in radiator!!!

[89clipper]

Hi all, i am new to this forum and the joys of Mercedes motoring, i have recently bought a 1995 c200 auto and the car is really nice. Though today i noticed a water leak from under the car and thought radiator burst? so i removed the fill cap from the top of the radiator and there was a layer of oil sitting on top of the water? i have drained the system, and flushed through the best i can and refilled. The temp is fine and i havent seen any more leaking fluid, i pulled dipstick out and oil level is good, and checked under oil filler cap and there is no sign of water in with oil on both and car has no loss of power or blowing white smoke out back. I am hoping that maybe the previous owner put a bit of oil in rad by mistake before he sold it but maybe that is more wishfull thinking. Also, i noticed that the plug to the coolant level sensor on top of rad was not connected, so i plugged back in and orange warning light came on, could this be faulty sensor? any help would be most appreciated, thanks in advance.

Steve

 

[Colin_b]

Sounds like could be head gasket. Does the oil look like it has water in it, and if you remove the rad cap does it smell of exhaust? Maybe try a compression test?

 

[89clipper]

Hi, thanks for the fast reply, there is no sign of water in oil. going to get it tested tuesday.

 

[trapperjohn]

Good Luck 89clipper. Once you have that sorted you should get many happy miles of motoring.

 

[89clipper]

Not sure about the exhaust smell from rad, could you explain?

thanks.

 

[gason]

they can do a sniffer test for £10 or £20 ,good luck

 

[89clipper]

If it is head gasket, is it fatal?

 

[trapperjohn]

No repairable.

Where are you located.

 

[89clipper]

I am in Stafford.

 

[trapperjohn]

Some one will now pop up with your local Indie who will sort it for you.

Ian Walker in Kirkham (PR4 2TZ) is a wizz at doing these. Yes I'm a buddy of his and yes its a punt for a bid of trade for him. But its a starting point for you.

 

[89clipper]

Thanks for the advice John, going to get a test done Tuesday to see what is up with it and then i will take it from there. I hope it will turn out to be cost effective to get it fixed because the car is in good nick, both interior and exterior.

 

[janner]

Where was the water leak coming from?
If the radiator is shot it might be mixing water with gear oil.

Have you checked the gearbox oil level?

 

[artyman]

Unless you can be certain when the oil was last replaced, after confirming the head gasket is OK I'd do an oil change.

 

[Colin_b]

Not sure about the exhaust smell from rad, could you explain?

thanks.

Indicates a leak between the combustion chambers and the cooling system. Usually a head gasket.

 

[89clipper]

Hi, the leak seemed to be coming from directly under the radiator, though it isn't still leaking. I replaced all of the coolant and all there was just a thin film of oil on top of the water under the rad fill cap, i just went for a drive up the road and now there is a thicker layer of oil under the rad fill cap, though that could just be oil that had lined the coolant system. Not sure where to check gearbox oil?