Water and oil mixing :(

Tubbe

My car has started to drink more coolant than before. I'm not sure if all of it goes to the oil but at least some of it goes that is for sure. When I did the engine rebuild I pressurised the cooling system and noticed that the head is cracked and the coolant can get to the oil under the rocker cover. I have been using rad weld since the rebuild and it has worked well until this day. Yesterday I did a 300 mile trip and revs were above 3000rpm nearly all the time. Well after the trip about 1/3 of the coolant had gone somewhere. I have noticed that the coolant loose is related to the engine rpm, when driving low speed with low revs the coolant loose is much less than when pushing hard and using the top of the rpm range. The car has done 167700 miles and about 14000 miles after the rebuild. There is no bubbles or too much pressure in the coolant tank so no headgasket fault. Is it possible that the water pump leaks coolant to the oil? I have pressurised the coolant system after using rad weld and no leaking sound under the rocker cover. Water pump has never been replaced before. Is there any way to diagnose the pump?

Matt

cracked head on spark plug No4?

Tubbe

Nope! Checked all the plug holes and nothing there. There is a crack in the head under the rocker cover between the camshafts which leaks coolant into oil. I can post a picture of it so you will know better what I mean. Really need a new head now but it seems that nobody has one at the moment 🙁

vx-chris

You've answered your own question mate, its the water pump. I had this in a shogun I had, the only time it lost water was when the car was running and revs were applied. Anyother time it lost nothing. Replaced both pump and gasket and the problem was solved 🙂

Tubbe

So this is what the crack in the head looks like. Is it impossible to weld that crack and what else (expensive) might happen if the head will be welded?

corsaZ22se

got my head exchange from Vauxhall, only £700. comes with new valves and springs all ready to fit to the bottom end.

ben8719

More expensive than the coutenay ones 😉

evocarlos

you could pay that bloke down south for a chain kit fitted for that much lol
or buy a new used engine 🙂

corsaZ22se

that's for a brand new head not refurbed or used. Courtenay wanted £1200 for the same part when I asked them. cheapest second hand one with no warranty was £400!

ben8719

Thats a bit misleading. Straight off the wishlist, lol.

Tubbe

I'm thinking of changing the water pump now because the engine is in pieces again. I don't have the tool for the pump, can someone give me any dimensions of the tool so I can make my own.

corsaZ22se

thet are not that bad from sealey tools, get your new pump and measure that. I made my own up years ago but cant find it now! :confused:

jwalker

I've got the tool if you need one

Tubbe

Sorry no need for the tool anymore. Somehow I managed to drop a bolt where the timing chain goes. There is no way I can get the bolt out without taking the chains and all the other parts off. Tried to save some time and do the head repair without taking the chains out but now it's impossible 🙁 Worst case is that the bolt went to the oil pan.

evocarlos

sump removal is not a worst case
can you see the bolt from the top ? magnetic arial

Matt

That would be my first plan of action as well Carl. Long magnetic tool down the side to have a fish around first.

Tubbe

There were no way I could have taken the bolt out without removing the timing cover. I already took the timing cover off so problem solved. That was about the 10th time I have to dismantle the timing chain area during my 4 year ownership of the car. Next thing will be taking all the chain guides and other parts off and then some proper cleaning for them 🙂 I noticed that my balance shaft chain is pretty slack even though I have replaces all the parts about 2 years ago. Since then I have driven about 25k miles 🙁