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[JamesV6CDX]

Driving about for work today, V6 smelt "hot" when I parked it up - like a bit of oil had got on the engine. Lifted the bonnet, and checked the levels.

Noticed that the oil filler cap was covered in mayonnaise. Not just a thin layer, but it was all over the oil cap, and all up the sides of the filler neck. Not mega thick stuff, but sludge nonetheless.

I know this is often common and not head gasket related, but I believed thats only for cars that pootle around the town? I wouldn't have expected this on mine, because I do about 400+ miles a week, usually at speeds in excess of the national speed limit, in sport mode!!

This is combined with a bit of coolant loss (1 litre per 500 miles) that has been going on for ages now but is getting a little worse. I've also noticed, interestingly, that there is like a "line" of rust in the tailpipe, as if water has been coming out of the exhaust.

Header tank is clean, and I can't see any sludge on the dipstick.

Please tell me it's not my HGs......

[Markjay]

More likely oil-cooler probelm than HG...

[hotel21]

Yup, would tend towards oil cooler as well.  Loads on info on the site about how to diagnose.  Pushed for time at the moment, so cant help further but have a search.  It can assist and confirm how to confirm is/is not HG etc.

[STMO123]

This is combined with a bit of coolant loss (1 litre per 500 miles)

Thats not 'a bit' of coolant loss, James, thats a lot.

Have you had a "sniff" of the expansion tank?

[JamesV6CDX]

This is combined with a bit of coolant loss (1 litre per 500 miles)

Thats not 'a bit' of coolant loss, James, thats a lot.

Have you had a "sniff" of the expansion tank?

Heh, I know that mate, but I really am using and abusing this car at the moment, I drive it HARD!!

I can't smell exhaust in the header tank, and it doesn't seem to be pressuring overly.

I though oil cooler symptom was oil in coolant, not coolant in oil.........

[STMO123]

This is combined with a bit of coolant loss (1 litre per 500 miles)

Thats not 'a bit' of coolant loss, James, thats a lot.

Have you had a "sniff" of the expansion tank?

Heh, I know that mate, but I really am using and abusing this car at the moment, I drive it HARD!!

I can't smell exhaust in the header tank, and it doesn't seem to be pressuring overly.

I though oil cooler symptom was oil in coolant, not coolant in oil.........

Oh I'm not saying it isn't your HG, I'm just saying that if you could smell exhaust fumes in expansion tank, then that would be almost definate.

[Matchless]

Dont panic, head gasket faiure is pretty rare on Omegas. Eliminate the more common faults first.

Water loss:
Take the wiper arms and scuttle off to have a good look around the back of the engine, check the heater bypass valve and hoses for signs of leakage. Any staining on radiator? Is filler cap rubber seal intact and not crinkly?

Oil smell:
Any signs of oil leaks from camcovers? Oil in plug wells / oil on exhaust manifold heatshields?
Check the breathers are clear, pull the pipe off the crankcase breather box, you should have good vacuum and airflow here. Check that the small hole in the brass spigot is not blocked.

As you say, oil cooler would lead to oil in water (oil pressure 30 - 50 psi, water pressure 7 -15 psi)
Head gasket failure results in running at higher temperature, possible rough running or misfire when first started and signs of water loss through filler cap pressure relief valve. Exhaust analyser in header tank can 'sniff' for combustion gasses in the water.
Water in the exhaust is to be expected, its a by-product of combustion. If there is lots of it then there is a problem but I would expect there to be other symptoms also.

[TheBoy]

I don't think its HG. And its not oil cooler. I think you have a coolant (and possibly oil) leak.  These engines produce a lot of condensation, esp in cold weather....

[STMO123]

So, condensation within the engine would cause the mayo on the filler cap?

[mark68710_0]

I tend to agree that this is probably not hg and is more likely to be the oil cooler.
You are showing eactly the same symptoms as my 96 cdx was.
Even after my oil cooler change i still get build up around the oil filler cap.
I would suggest have a clean round the filler cap ,and then give it a few days ,
then have a look again.If the mayo has come back, you need to change that oil cooler.
I think that the "poodling around town" is a bit of a myth.....mine built up at the same speed
wether i took it on a run or not.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[TheBoy]

I tend to agree that this is probably not hg and is more likely to be the oil cooler.
You are showing eactly the same symptoms as my 96 cdx was.
Even after my oil cooler change i still get build up around the oil filler cap.
I would suggest have a clean round the filler cap ,and then give it a few days ,
then have a look again.If the mayo has come back, you need to change that oil cooler.
I think that the "poodling around town" is a bit of a myth.....mine built up at the same speed
wether i took it on a run or not.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

The usual symptom of oil cooler is oil in coolant, hence why I don't think its oil cooler.  Mayo does build up on short journeys due to condensation. This mayo seems to be worse in colder weather....

[Craig_R]

Quick Easy Test to check if your HG is ok or knacked like i did nip down to a garage and get a test done on the header tank
where the liquid turns from blue to yellow if Hydrocarbons are detected in the coolent system

the Garage did it for free for me and it took about 2 mins to find out

Hope its not your HG mate

Craig

[Matchless]

These engines produce a lot of condensation, esp in cold weather....

Which is why I suggested checking the breathers, the breather system is supposed to ingest any mositure-laden combustion gasses that get past the piston rings. If the breathers are not working properly then pressure builds up in the crankcase forcing oil past the camcover gaskets (oil smell) and the high moisture content condenses out in the filler neck because it is sat in a (relatively) cool air flow. (mayo)

Check the simple things first, if these can all be eliminated then go down the head gasket route.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Absolutely, doesn't sound like headgasket failure to me............

[JamesV6CDX]

Right, an update.

Firstly, my breathers are clear. Dave, Fin and I cleared them out a couple of months ago, and I've not done excissive mileage since.

I'm now also confident it's not HG failure. I removed the filler neck, and although it had mayo in it, there was none around the camshafts etc.

The oil smell , is not breathers or cam gaskets.. well, I discovered that I overfilled it slightly at the last top up. Not majorly, but it was a bit over the mark on the stick.

Today I've discovered the area that I'm loosing coolant from. When filling up with petrol, I looked under the car and saw some drips, so I investigated further, and I could see coolant dripping off the PASSENGER side of the bellhousing. I can't believe it's HBV, as mine is pretty new and I changed it myself. I got my hand down the back of the engine, and the HBV and relevent hoses felt dry as a bone.

So I guess, Plenum off, check the valley, and also the coolant pipe at the back of the engine? I bet that's a sod to do when the heads are in place.

It suddenly hit me today how much I've been neglecting this car. I only paid £400 for it, and have done thousands of miles, but it's starting to show now. I've only ever done one oil change on it, and coolant change, and Dave/Fin/I changed the cambelt kit and waterpump + breathers, but other than that,  I've neglected it on the whole. My front tyres are chewing up on the insides (again), I've got a nasty wobble when braking, brakes don't feel too special (although nowhere near dangerous), I've got a big patch of laquer peeling off the bootlid, a hole in the exhaust big enough to put a corsa in it, a nice dent in the front wing where I smacked into the deer...

The only good thing about it is the engine and box, which really are indestructable!!!

Even in good nick, this car is only worth £500 tops, and adding up all the bits it needs to make it good, it's just not worth doing.

I've got 2 options. It's still got 7 months MOT on it, so I could chuck the spare set of tyres I have on the front, and literally just drive it into the ground over the next six months and then scrap it..

OR I could sell it on for a couple of hundred quid, find some to put to it, and get myself an Elite..