Oil leaking into coolant

[Baznbev111]

I have oil in coolant in C class 1.8 C200 Kompressor 2008. Engine light on. Advice please.

 

[350cls]

What Happens When Coolant Mixes with Oil? | Rislone

One of the problems you want to avoid when it comes to your car is having your engine coolant mixing with your oil. This can cause serious damage to your car, and if you discover it happening, you need to address it immediately. But first off: how do oil and coolant get mixed together and […]

www.hyperlube.com

Not the best of news to be totally honest. Doesn't sound good. Head gasket failure it seems.

 

[leef44]

I understood that it wasn't as bad to have oil in the coolant compared to coolant in the oil. If the engine has not been contaminated yet then it is a clean out of the coolant system and an investigation of the leak. Still most likely a head gasket.

 

[Baznbev111]

Could I drive it 5 miles to garage do you think?

 

[m80]

Could I drive it 5 miles to garage do you think?

Is your engine oil still w/o contamination?

 

[Baznbev111]

I believe so.

 

[m80]

I'm guessing you've already covered many miles not knowing about this anyway,
and if you oil looks good then the engine won't be wearing itself out as you drive.

 

[Tonygw]

oil cooler maybe? thats not so bad..

 

[Baznbev111]

This maybe daft but three lads came to see car last night ( for sale). Could they have tampered with coolant or did something to make engine light come on ? Absolutely no problem with car before last night although stupidly I had not checked coolant. They then wanted to buy it for next to nothing?

 

[350cls]

This maybe daft but three lads came to see car last night ( for sale). Could they have tampered with coolant or did something to make engine light come on ? Absolutely no problem with car before last night although stupidly I had not checked coolant. They then wanted to buy it for next to nothing?

Sounds very dodgy indeed!!!
Get the car to a garage and have them carry out a leak down test.

You will then know for sure what issue you have.

 

[Baznbev111]

Thank you, will do.

 

[Retaxus]

Thank you, will do.

This is a well known scam , usually carried out by some of our Eastern European Friends. One of them will distract you at the back , while another pours some oil into the coolant tank. Often they will squirt oil into the exhaust pipe as well. They then point out these faults and
offer to buy at a silly price. I suspect they have disconnected something under the bonnet to make the eml come on.
You need to be more careful when showing the car to someone.

 

[amazighman]

Oil cooler possibly
I never had this problem on these engines , but I would suggest if your car has a water cooled oil cooler , change it and see if it cures the problem.
These coolers can have internal leaks

 

[Baznbev111]

This is a well known scam , usually carried out by some of our Eastern European Friends. One of them will distract you at the back , while another pours some oil into the coolant tank. Often they will squirt oil into the exhaust pipe as well. They then point out these faults and
offer to buy at a silly price. I suspect they have disconnected something under the bonnet to make the eml come on.
You need to be more careful when showing the car to someone.

Thanks , this makes sense. Difficult though when three show up as you only get one call.
I have a contact number , may advise Autotrader.

 

[m80]

If you had mentioned a viewing a good few of us would have said you've been scammed.
If 3 turn up tell 2 to stay in their car, anti social distancing and all that. Or refuse their viewing.

Siphon out the coolant in the header tank, hopefully before you've run the engine to temperature. Then replace with water. It won't dilute the coolant massively.

 

[Baznbev111]

Thanks all, hopefully my mechanic will sort this out . Lesson learned .

 

[E55BOF]

I had a couple of Romanians try this with me. The smoke out of the tailpipes threw me a bit, but I had a gut feeling something wasn't right and wouldn't sell. I should have told the accomplice to stay in their car, then I wouldn't have needed to syphon the oil out of the coolant header tank the next morning.

 

[Baznbev111]

So , if you want to sell a 2008 Merc , where is the safest outlet please?

 

[m80]

For me it's eBay with a classified set price,
auctions are a nuisance.

Prices are very high right now and buyers are pretty much buying in panic. Reject the less than up front types.

I wouldn't trust any forecast I made but I don't see prices staying high for too long.

 

[Baznbev111]

For me it's eBay with a classified set price,
auctions are a nuisance.

Prices are very high right now and buyers are pretty much buying in panic. Reject the less than up front types.

I wouldn't trust any forecast I made but I don't see prices staying high for too long.

But aren’t you likely to get the same scammers who are on Autotrader?