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[rhydV6]

Bought the car on friday having sold my Astra GTE the week before.

Yesterday coolant started leaking out of the header tank cap (over pressurising?) once engine switched off.

Bubbling noise can be heard from top of engine too (engine turned off)

Runs at 90-95 C round town in 1st and 2nd, and about 85 C on the m'way over 170miles friday night.

Heaters work fine.

Here's some pics..





Cheers in advance for your input

[Timbuk]

That my friend is probably your oil cooler. Is there signs of water in your oil? or just oil in your water?

[TheBoy]

Check if signs of water on dipstick, but that is classic oil cooler failure symptoms

You really want to sort it asap, as continued use like that will cause further damage - eg blocked radiator, failure of coolant hoses (the oil softens them, causing them to fail), heater bypass valve. Sounds like the cap has already failed (they do, as again the oil kills the rubber seal)...

[rhydV6]

I am also hoping it's the oil cooler, no there is no water in the oil, there is no mayo on the oil filler cap or anything, just that buid up of froth in the header. Why would the cap be leaking?

[TheBoy]

Incidentally, not that bad a job if you're handy with spanners.  Seems scary when described (cooler sits way down in V of engine), but even I managed it...

[TheBoy]

Why would the cap be leaking?

The oil softens it, causing it to break its seal as soon as it starts to pressurise...

[Timbuk]

Check if signs of water on dipstick, but that is classic oil cooler failure symptoms

You really want to sort it asap, as continued use like that will cause further damage - eg blocked radiator, failure of coolant hoses (the oil softens them, causing them to fail), heater bypass valve. Sounds like the cap has already failed (they do, as again the oil kills the rubber seal)...

Thats sound advice. I wouldn't drive another inch in that car until sorted

[rhydV6]

I'm very handy with spanners, however this is the first V6 I've touched, apart from a cambelt once on a mondeo st24

[rhydV6]

Thats sound advice. I wouldn't drive another inch in that car until sorted

I'm not planning too Car hasnt moved since coolant started leaking out

[TheBoy]

I'm very handy with spanners, built my GTE etc from bare shell, engine rebuild etc, however this is the first V6 I've touched, apart from a cambelt once on a mondeo st24

You'll find it easy then.  My tip (from Marks_DTM) is to undo oil cooler pipes from near oil filter, rather than bend out of way - they are a pig to get back on otherwise....

[Timbuk]

I'm very handy with spanners, built my GTE etc from bare shell, engine rebuild etc, however this is the first V6 I've touched, apart from a cambelt once on a mondeo st24

The Boy and myself have had recent experience of oil cooler failure, its a bit of a bugger to flush all the oil out but the job itself can be done with limited spanner experience ( I did it )so its not one to shy away from if your a handy spanner man. Firstly you need to confirm it is the oil cooler that has failed

[rhydV6]

So you all think cooler at fault then?

[JamesV6CDX]

Oil cooler would be my opinion matey

[rhydV6]

The Boy and myself have had recent experience of oil cooler failure, its a bit of a bugger to flush all the oil out but the job itself can be done with limited spanner experience ( I did it )so its not one to shy away from if your a handy spanner man. Firstly you need to confirm it is the oil cooler that has failed

How?

[JamesV6CDX]

How?

I guess you could compression test it to ascertain the condition of the head gaskets if you wanted.

But the oil cooler is the only other place where oil could physically get into the coolant, causing the mayo you see.

99% of the time this is oil cooler rather than HGs.