The oil is in the water!

Hi Guys, I'm brand new here and have joined firstly to seek advice/diagnostic for my engine troubles.
I finished a complete restoration of a '76 SWB S3 truck cab with a galv chassis and 200 tdi this spring. Using it every day, loving it, running perfectly. Last week after getting out at a destination I found the radiator bypass hose had burst and grey emulsified oil/water was spewing out, making a hell of a mess. The whole system was under high pressure and there was a lot of oil in the water, so much so that the oil was below the dipstick. I leapt to the conclusion that it was a head gasket which I duly changed last week including having 4 thou skimmed off the head while it was off. To my great disappointment, the problem still exists, after starting the engine for the first time since changing the head gasket, 5 litres of oil has transferred itself from the sump into the water system within 5 minutes at idle. The expansion bottle is now full of nice fresh oil. I have not seen any sign of water in the oil.
Someone has suggested to me that the divide between the oil and water sections of the radiator may have failed and that is how the oil is getting into the water system. The radiator is new but not an OEM, it's a bit plasticy actually...

Has anyone known of this before or can suggest what the problem is?

you've answered your own question, but I've seen this thread somewhere else........... James Martin suggested the radiator

Try pressurizing the rad if it leaks you will know.

dstainton said:

Try pressurizing the rad if it leaks you will know.

Click to expand...

Good idea, thank you. Um, how do I do that?

You can purchase a pump to do it,: Mityvac MV4560 Radiator/Cooling System and Pressure Test Kit or borrow one from a mechanic friend.

The all brass/copper rads are really good, obviously cost more but last well.

I dont think its going to be worth buying the test kit as its either the rad or the head stuffed and the heads are damned tough.

My S2 is running a 200 with the oil cooler ports blanked off at the filter head, quite a few people do it this way as it makes the install easier and you can then use the std S3 rad.
Im running my original 1959 rad that has been recored and it does the job nicely.

its either cooler or head gaskets on wrong way round were is the tab that protrudes from under head that has the size indicating holes between 3 and 4 injector

lynall said:

The all brass/copper rads are really good, obviously cost more but last well.

I dont think its going to be worth buying the test kit as its either the rad or the head stuffed and the heads are damned tough.

My S2 is running a 200 with the oil cooler ports blanked off at the filter head, quite a few people do it this way as it makes the install easier and you can then use the std S3 rad.
Im running my original 1959 rad that has been recored and it does the job nicely.

Click to expand...

Thanks Lynall, this is really interesting. So you are running without an oil cooler? I'm not really keen on reverting my installation, although this sounds like a better way to have gone. I'm very reluctant to replace the radiator with the same plastic type again, I have been told today by my local radiator recoring company that they really are problematical.

I'm having trouble finding a brass/copper rad on the net, just seem to be those plastic ones everywhere. Does anyone know of a source for good 200 tdi radiators?

jamesmartin said:

its either cooler or head gaskets on wrong way round were is the tab that protrudes from under head that has the size indicating holes between 3 and 4 injector

Click to expand...

Good thought but defo the right way around.

604 said:

Thanks Lynall, this is really interesting. So you are running without an oil cooler? I'm not really keen on reverting my installation, although this sounds like a better way to have gone. I'm very reluctant to replace the radiator with the same plastic type again, I have been told today by my local radiator recoring company that they really are problematical.

I'm having trouble finding a brass/copper rad on the net, just seem to be those plastic ones everywhere. Does anyone know of a source for good 200 tdi radiators?

Click to expand...

Just checked Island 4x4 site and it says their metal rads are on back order and are from Bearmach, so maybe email Bearmach and see whats going on?

Yes running with no cooler, not sure if its good or bad, but its been fine so far, if I was running the tdi rad I would have used the cooler set up just becasue it was there, but it was going to be difficult to get and extra cooler in the space so I deleted it!
I run a capilliary coolant temp gauge and its reads pretty much the same temps as my 90 tdi which obviously has the oil cooler fited.