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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!gatech!ut-sally!utastro!fbr
From: fbr@utastro.UUCP (Frank Ray)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: water in oil
Message-ID: <427@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Feb-86 14:03:31 EST
Article-I.D.: utastro.427
Posted: Tue Feb 25 14:03:31 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 28-Feb-86 05:16:45 EST
References: <2270@ucf-cs.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 33

In article <2270@ucf-cs.UUCP>, tech@ucf-cs.UUCP (Electronic technician) writes:
> 
> 
>     does anybody out there know an easy way to tell if the
>     water in my oil comes from a cracked block, cracked head,
>     or a blown head gasket? Of course I suppose it's possible
>     that something else could be causing this, but I don't know 
>     what. 
> 
>     The car is an 1980 omega :-( and has been a real problem
>     but, alas, it was my only way to work. Any help would be
>     greatly appreciated. I want to avoid taking the head off
>     if I can tell beforehand that the block is the problem.
>     
>     Tony Travaglini {decvax,akgua}!ucf-cs!tech

Yes.  Attach a cooling system pressure tester to the radiator
inlet.  A rapid buildup in pressure indicates a blown head gasket.
If a water passage is cracked in an area that is remote from
cylinder pressure, the seepage will be more gradual, due to the
normal pressure buildup in the cooling system overriding the
crankcase pressure.  If the car has aluminum alloy castings in
the engine, sometimes cracks will open up in these under thermal
stress and allow fluids to pass, and then appear normal as the
block (or head) cools down.  I had a VW which did this.
  If on the pressure test, you see pulsations, that's got to
be cylinder leakage.
   Slight warping of the block and/or head will cause the head
gasket to leak.  One thing to try temporarily is to torque the
head bolts another 10% or so, but if the gasket is leaking badly
there's not much to do but to replace it.

fbr@utastro.UUCP