Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: tunnie on 20 August 2006, 17:37:17

Title: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: tunnie on 20 August 2006, 17:37:17
already on the lookout for project C

maybe able to get a car which is decribed as "over heating & brown sludge in the coolant tank"

I am suspecting Oil Cooler fail??

If so can i drive it say 20 miles?? which is what i need to do to get it back...
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: tunnie on 20 August 2006, 18:15:22
i am guessing i could drive it say 7 miles, stop. Drain the coolant, put some fresh coolant back in... and then continue for another 7 miles or so, and repeat?

Or could i get away with water in the coolant system?
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: STMO123 on 20 August 2006, 18:25:30
Drive it and see just how hot it gets. But, for gods sake, dont let it get too hot or you will knacker it completely
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: tunnie on 20 August 2006, 18:27:21
Quote
Drive it and see just how hot it gets. But, for gods sake, dont let it get too hot or you will knacker it completely

Apprently it was only driven from an auction, so I don't know how hot it got  :-/
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: STMO123 on 20 August 2006, 18:27:24
Also: try and pick it up when there is little traffic about, you really dont want to be standing at lights etc
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 20 August 2006, 18:33:12
Your the expert Tunnie.....you should know  ;D

Im not an expert but from what ive read on other posts....does sound a bit like oil cooler.

Sounds like rad is sludged up if its overheating

As STM says drive it....if its gets too hot....let it cool down and then drive it a bit more.

Caution tho!! If its been overheating how do you know if the owner hasnt driven too hot...and caused damage.....warped heads??

You could be biting off more than you can chew on this one  :-/
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: STMO123 on 20 August 2006, 18:38:14
Just a personal viewpoint here Tunnie, but I would try and get a bit further with project B before thinking about another ;)
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: tunnie on 20 August 2006, 18:40:30
Quote
Just a personal viewpoint here Tunnie, but I would try and get a bit further with project B before thinking about another ;)

Its going for silly silly money, and its so close to me!

Will report back soon...
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: STMO123 on 20 August 2006, 18:44:21
If its come from an auction and its going for silly money, theres a reason. Please be careful.
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: johnny.dee on 20 August 2006, 18:57:41
When My oil cooler let loose I was 15 miles away from home. Had to by two large milk canisters, pour the milk away and fill with water. Drain sludgy coolant and fill up with water. had to refill twice before I could get home. Watch that temperature gauge like a hawk and dont let it get above 95%, because when you stop to let it cool down and refill with fresh coolant, the engine temperature will rise before starting to cool.
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 20 August 2006, 19:07:27
I personaly wouldn't run it.....not only wll the cooling system be getting mroe and more gunked up but, the oil will already have a load of water in it so the lubrication will be compromised.

Just tow it.
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: Admin on 20 August 2006, 19:09:01
Remember you are taking someones word it has only been driven from the auction!

Think about how much you could make breaking it, then base any price potentially paid on that.

Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: TheBoy on 20 August 2006, 21:55:52
opps, too late  :-X
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: Markjay on 21 August 2006, 01:04:19
I don’t think the actual overheating is the main problem here. As far as the cooling system goes, as long as you keep topping-up the expansion tank the car should not overheat badly over a short journey (inspite of reduced pressure and having oil in the coolant). I have driven a car with a blown head gasket for much more than 21 miles… And you can use normal water for a single journey no problem.

However the problems as Mark DTM pointed out is are that you are diluting the oil with water and can potentially damage the engine, and that you are clogging the waterways with oily gunk.

So if you really want to take a chance on driving it, I would base my decision on how bad the oil looks, and at any rate carry a 5L water can in the boot. Making the trip when there is little traffic on the road will also help as mentioned beforehand, and be ready to give it a good flush before finally changing the coolant (or what's left of it).


Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 21 August 2006, 08:28:08
And leave the header tank cap off so the coolant system doesn't pressurise!
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: tunnie on 21 August 2006, 11:02:08
Thanks for the help everyone!
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: RonaldMcBurger on 21 August 2006, 12:40:18
I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

There, thats' me covered! ;)
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: TheBoy on 21 August 2006, 12:41:17
Quote
I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

There, thats' me covered! ;)
;D
Title: Re: driving with an oil cooler fail...
Post by: Markjay on 21 August 2006, 13:23:46
Quote
I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

There, thats' me covered! ;)

OK tunnie, whatever you do, don't touch it with bargepole. Put it on a low-loader, tow it with AA/RAC/GreenFlag rescue lorry, even push it or crank it, all are OK - but no bargepole. This way is anything goes wrong you can still recover the cost off Ronnie.  ;D