93 explorer, lot of oil in radiator, but doesn't overheat?

[Jayscurse]

I've got a 93 explorer sport, 4.0, standard shift. In the last 3 days, I am down a quart of oil, and it all wound up in my radiator. The truck deosn't overheat, but when I shut the truck off, oil comes spewing out of the recovery tank, and the radiator is full of it. The strange part is, there is no water in the oil, none at all. If it was a head gasket, wouldn't there be some water in the oil, as well as oil in the water? I've never seen this happen, so I'm at a loss. Someone mentioned to me that there may be an oil valley behind the water pump, and if the water pump seal goes in the right spot, it may suck oil into the cooling system, and this way, no water gets into the oil. I'm at a loss here. I drive this thing everyday. I live 24 miles from work, and I take the tool roads, so I'm going 70-75 the whole way. It doesn't overheat at all. Any ideas, guys?

 

[Rhett]

That sounds bad. From what you describe, it sounds like you do in fact have coolant in your oil/oil in your coolant. Just because your coolant looks brown, does not mean it's not oil/coolant mixed!

If wouldn't drive it another mile, until I figured out what was going on. If you do keep driving it, and there is coolant getting into your crankcase, you'll wind up with a blown engine.

 

[Jayscurse]

Thats the problem. I don't have coolant in the oil. The oil is perfectly clean. Also, if I had coolant in the crankase, I would see white smoke from the tailpipe, and there would be some kind of residue at the end of the pipe. There's nothing. The truck runs beautiful, there are no other problems, just oil getting into my cooling system. That's why I'm confused.

 

[410Fortune]

flush the cooling system and see if it comes back
The waterpump is not getting oil into the coolant, I can almost guarantee that, unless some freak leak occured.

sounds like a head/gasket issue to me, even if it is just one way...
compression test time!
Pull the plugs.

 

[ExploderHOKIE]

Definately do a compression test, and when u pull the plugs, check them for discoloration, just in case you are burning coolant and just can't see it in the tailpipe. Also, are you leaking oil anywhere else?

 

[Jayscurse]

No oil leak anywhere else. I flushed all of the oil out of the radiator, and filled it with clean water. I drove it to work, and it overheated this time. I'll do a compression test sometime today. If I get a strange number, then I know the problem. But if all cylinders are around the same, then what could it be?

 

[Vanquish502]

Someone puting oil into your coolant? lol

 

[Jayscurse]

Well, I've decided to sell this thing. I got a reading of 90 pound sin 1 cylinder, and 150 in the other 5, so all signs point to head gasket. If anyone is interested, it's ebay item # 8076861617. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...d=1,1&item=8076861617&sspagename=STRK:MESE:IT

 

[BrooklynBay]

I was going to suggest one thing to check if it's not too late. Did you ever use a radiator leak tester like the one Stant makes? It pressurizes the radiator, and causes coolant (or water if you are testing for leaks) to come out wherever there is a leak in the cooling sustem.

 

[Jayscurse]

I actually own one, and I've used it. I have no coolant leaks. I just have a large amount of oil going into the radiator. My front cylinder on the drivers side reads 90 pounds, and the rest are 150, so it's most likely a head gasket. My next truck will probably be an F150, anyway, since I really need an open bed pickup.

 

[BrooklynBay]

I was thinking that the head gasket might leak coolant when it is pressurized by this tool. If you pull out the spark plugs, you might see coolant leaking in if you try this pressure test. It could also leak from somewhere else, so this is basically like a visual test.

 

[Rhett]

I actually own one, and I've used it. I have no coolant leaks. I just have a large amount of oil going into the radiator. My front cylinder on the drivers side reads 90 pounds, and the rest are 150, so it's most likely a head gasket. My next truck will probably be an F150, anyway, since I really need an open bed pickup.

This whole things seems a little oddball. Seems like most of the time, with a head gasket leak, you get coolant into the oil. Surely there would be coolant in that oil, if you had an oil analysis done on it.

 

[Jayscurse]

The oil is clean as can be. If it's not a head gasket, then maybe a cracked head. Anyway, I'm selling it, because I have no money tied up in it besides what I paid for it , which I should get back out of it.

 

[Rhett]

...I don't want to pick you, but I'd bet lots of $$$ and a big steak that there is coolant in the oil...anyway good luck with your sale.