Oil in Water

[Wessel]

2007 cl500 w216: Oil in radiator:
Can somebody direct me. I think I have transmission oil in my radiator. It is creamy yellow. This happened after the car fell off the jack on the driver side. Insurance are looking for a link between the incident and transmission oil in the radiator. All I know is that I checked the water before the incident and it was fine. I then drove the car after the incident and the next morning noticed the oil in the radiator.

Can anybody help me. What could the link be if it is related. If they find it is not related I will obviously have to pay for the damage. Is there a technical reason to exclude the oil in water because of the fall off the jack?

 

[Blobcat]

Hello and welcome

I’ve moved it out into a new thread for you

 

[alexanderfoti]

I struggle to see how it falling of the jack could cause that.

That said, that doesnt look like ATF, what makes you think its gearbox oil?

It may be an idea to send it off for anaylsis to tell you what it is. Could be engine oil although a sample removed from the header tank and put into a clear container may make it easier to tell.

 

[Blobcat]

You’ve not been trying to sell it have you and someone added oil into the header tank?

 

[alexanderfoti]

You’ve not been trying to sell it have you and someone added oil into the header tank?

Good shout. Super common scam that people do a lot nowadays.

 

[Wessel]

Hello and welcome

I’ve moved it out into a new thread for you

Thank you.

 

[Wessel]

You’ve not been trying to sell it have you and someone added oil into the header tank?

No. I have not tried to sell it. I checked the water the day before and it was fine. After the fall the oil appeared.

 

[Wessel]

I struggle to see how it falling of the jack could cause that.

That said, that doesnt look like ATF, what makes you think its gearbox oil?

It may be an idea to send it off for anaylsis to tell you what it is. Could be engine oil although a sample removed from the header tank and put into a clear container may make it easier to tell.

I read a few forums. It’s suggested that transmission oil is more creamy in colour. The forums also suggested that it could either be the transmission cooler or the oil cooler that cracked.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Pop in to any garage ask them to put the tester on the overflow tank .You will know right away just if it is oil or not

 

[Tony Dyson]

If the coolant you're using is just water, then couldn't the jolt have just dislodged and/or stirred up the sediment in the coolant system? the colour is reminiscent of the typical corrosion that used to collect in old engines before specific coolant mixes were specified by manufacturers, as above, have it analysed or flush the system with fresh water, refill, do a few miles and look for further contamination, if clear, refill with recommended coolant mix?

 

[Wessel]

If the coolant you're using is just water, then couldn't the jolt have just dislodged and/or stirred up the sediment in the coolant system? the colour is reminiscent of the typical corrosion that used to collect in old engines before specific coolant mixes were specified by manufacturers, as above, have it analysed or flush the system with fresh water, refill, do a few miles and look for further contamination, if clear, refill with recommended coolant mix?

It is definitely oil in the tank. If you look at my finger nail there is oil after I dipped it into the tank. Photo

 

[Wessel]

Pop in to any garage ask them to put the tester on the overflow tank .You will know right away just if it is oil or not

Car is still with the insurance company. I think it’s nationwide that is assessing it but they have referred the oil issue to the insurance engineers to assess.

 

[Wessel]

Can I drive the car with the oil in the expansion tank?

 

[alexanderfoti]

Can I drive the car with the oil in the expansion tank?

Yes but it needs to be cleared out asap.

It could be the oil/water heat exchanger for the engine. What does your engine oil look like?

 

[Wessel]

Car oil looked fine. no sign of water.

 

[LostKiwi]

How far did it fall? It's possible a bad enough fall may have cracked the transmission cooler in the radiator. If it has don't drive it.

 

[noonboots]

Can I drive the car with the oil in the expansion tank?

My thoughts...... The less you drive it the better. The oil sticks to every internal part of the engine and cooling system. If not cleaned out properly the oil will eventually cause the rubber hoses to deteriorate and go soft, after which they will start to blow.
Whatever type of oil mixes with coolant it always emulsifies and looks like what you have there in varying shades, so the colour is no guide to where its come from.
As others have said, its hard to imagine how falling off the jack could create such a fault.

 

[Jim2]

They oil may be still as black as normal, but is the level dropping?

 

[Wessel]

How far did it fall? It's possible a bad enough fall may have cracked the transmission cooler in the radiator. If it has don't drive it.

The driver side wheel was taken off. The driver side brake disk fell about 2 foot on concrete. The jack and the stand was also somewhere underneath. The engine cover below showed that it pushed in a few inches. The coincidence is just too big that the fall had nothing to do with it. I checked it before and the next day after it had oil in the expansion tank. From everything I have read my feeling is that the oil cooler or transmission cooler cracked with the fall causing the mixing of water and oil.

 

[Wessel]

They oil may be still as black as normal, but is the level dropping?

THe car was towed in the moment I saw the oil and it was not driven again. The oil cap and dipstick did not show signs of water. I cannot check it as it is with Nationwide where it is being assessed. They unfortunately only checked the body damage and referred it back to admiral engineers to assess the oil in the water expansion tank.