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Old 05-24-2018, 05:45 AM   #1
Booki
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Default Anybody had Coolant in there oil?

Hey guys,

If you have read my previous threads, I have recently put in a brand new EJ257 shortblock from subaru and had my heads reco'd at my local shop.

Unfortunately I am having nothing but issues at the moment.

The car has been smoking on startup and "loosing" coolant.

I recently died my coolant and found my oil to be radioactive

This was the same reason I ended up doing all the work...

Any idea's on what it could be?

As far as I am aware the shop did not pressure test my head - could it have a crack somewhere causing this?
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Old 05-24-2018, 08:54 AM   #2
takotruckin
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Are you sure it is dye from the coolant getting into the oil? Used oil usually has a slight luminescence when hit with a UV light.

Edit: if the heads weren’t pressure tested it is entirely possible one is cracked and letting coolant into the oil.
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Old 05-25-2018, 03:02 AM   #3
Booki
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Quote:
Originally Posted by takotruckin View Post
Are you sure it is dye from the coolant getting into the oil? Used oil usually has a slight luminescence when hit with a UV light.

Edit: if the heads weren't pressure tested it is entirely possible one is cracked and letting coolant into the oil.
I believe they were not pressure tested...I left it up to the shop as I assumed they would know better then me.

EDIT: I checked a engine that doesn't have any issues, and you are right. the oil does react to the UV light.... Hmm.

I started the car with the radiator cap off and there was a heap of bubbles in the expansion tank...is this normal? (The car does loose coolant)

Last edited by Booki; 05-25-2018 at 04:58 AM.
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Old 05-25-2018, 10:50 AM   #4
Charlie-III
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Booki View Post
I believe they were not pressure tested...I left it up to the shop as I assumed they would know better then me.

EDIT: I checked a engine that doesn't have any issues, and you are right. the oil does react to the UV light.... Hmm.

I started the car with the radiator cap off and there was a heap of bubbles in the expansion tank...is this normal? (The car does loose coolant)
Bubbles in cooling.......nope, not normal.
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Old 05-25-2018, 11:55 AM   #5
relative4
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A combustion gas leak test is a good start.
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Old 05-25-2018, 11:32 PM   #6
Booki
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So....this is not normal?

https://youtu.be/rGyTdGgTiuw

https://youtu.be/upA2t_QhJe8
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Old 05-26-2018, 09:29 AM   #7
takotruckin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Booki View Post
So....this is not normal?

https://youtu.be/rGyTdGgTiuw

https://youtu.be/upA2t_QhJe8
I don’t believe so. Didn’t you get a cooling system bleeding funnel? Re do that video with the funnel installed,bled and with some coolant in it so you can tell if the bubbles are air coming from the system or being made by turbulence in the neck.
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Old 05-26-2018, 10:00 AM   #8
Booki
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The system was vacuum filled.

I'll try the same thing with some coolant in it but I can feel the bubbles if I squeeze the top hose before starting the car...
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Old 05-26-2018, 11:00 AM   #9
Charlie-III
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Booki View Post
The system was vacuum filled.

I'll try the same thing with some coolant in it but I can feel the bubbles if I squeeze the top hose before starting the car...
Air in modern cooling system is no good. The coolant, under pressure, is what raises the mix boiling point.
Liquid will expand a little bit when heated.
Gas will expand a lot when heated.

So, air in the system will tend to push coolant out, again, not good.

Have you burped the system with the front of the car raised a bit?
Are you filling and burping with the interior heat set to hot?
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Old 05-26-2018, 11:07 AM   #10
DrD
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Booki View Post
No, I am afraid that is definitely not normal - you want to do a combustion gas check - almost certainly have a severe leak. (which you sort of know already if you are losing coolant and the car is smoking - is the smoke white or bluish in color?) Could be the head gasket didn't seal when installed or something like that, or there could be a crack in the heads.

Quote:
I recently died my coolant and found my oil to be radioactive
never good when your oil is radioactive
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Old 05-27-2018, 07:56 AM   #11
Booki
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrD View Post
No, I am afraid that is definitely not normal - you want to do a combustion gas check - almost certainly have a severe leak. (which you sort of know already if you are losing coolant and the car is smoking - is the smoke white or bluish in color?) Could be the head gasket didn't seal when installed or something like that, or there could be a crack in the heads.

never good when your oil is radioactive
Im thinking a crack in the head...ive done head gaskets and engine builds with other cars. There was nothing really special about putting some cylinder heads on a EJ imo.

The shop didn't pressure test it unfortunately.

Its a mixture of white smoke and sometimes blue...
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Old 05-27-2018, 07:34 PM   #12
takotruckin
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Do the spark plugs show any sign of, well, anything?
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Old 05-28-2018, 06:12 AM   #13
Booki
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Honestly not really. But I plan on pulling them back out to have a other look.

I checked the pistons with a bore scope, no obvious signs of anything. Bit of carbon for a engine that has done about 600kms, but I'm thinking it's time to pull the motor again and get the head tested.
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Old 05-30-2018, 08:53 AM   #14
Booki
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More videos. Cars cold with water up top of the spill free funnel.

Any thoughts?

https://youtu.be/_FdmQZT4cLI

Another video with it at operating temp

https://youtu.be/Kak41gPOge4


Should also note that the overflow reservior was basically empty..the car was started similar to these videos prior it being full.
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