Water in Oil?

Submitted: Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:02
ThreadID: 104786 Views:2057 Replies:8 FollowUps:8
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Morning, I have a Pajero NL V6 3.5lt petrol/gas. A few days ago, we had an issue with the car blowing white smoke on a short drive after driving fine all day. After a couple of hours stopped, when attempting to re-start on gas there was nothing, wouldn't even try to turn over. Switched it to petrol & it started but made a loud clunk noise so turned it off. Turned it back on & it started no worries, but overheated on way home (2km drive).

After getting it home, we noticed there was no water in the radiator, and milky oil on the dipstick but not on the underside of the oil filler cap.

Since then we have done the following:
*Flushed Radiator completely - No longer any oil in radiator or any bubbles/frothing
*TeeKay tested and came up negative for exhaust gases
*Car no longer over heats
*Bypassed the gas converter for water
*When radiator cap is off, no loss of water when running
*Changed oil out 5-6 times but is still milky in fact even whiter than when we started. It did get slightly better for a time but then got whiter

Car stalls under braking during test drive but did not over heat. Did lose small amount of water from overflow but think this might be solved by replacing radiator cap.

Any suggestions? We will be pressure testing the cooling system this evening or tomorrow.
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Reply By: Member - David 221160 - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:12

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:12
Hi Christie M,
I might be wrong and I hope I am not but you may have a cracked head, I am not very mechanically minded but I think I have heard of thi before. Others will be able to give you more insite. I hope I am wrong.

Regards
Dave
AnswerID: 519972

Follow Up By: Member - Christie M - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:17

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:17
Hi Dave,

We are pretty sure it's not the head as there are no exhaust gases in the radiator. But thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Christie
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Reply By: Herbal - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:21

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:21
Sounds like you have a problem.

It could be a number of things...and none of them are DIY fixes !

It could be a cracked block. Or blown head gasket. Or a number of other things. The fact that you heard a clunking means that something has broken inside the engine. The fact that the clunk has stopped does not mean it is fixed...it means that whatever made the clunk has probably broken right off.

You need to have a mechanic look at it...and check your bank account balance, cos you might be looking at a complete engine rebuild.
AnswerID: 519974

Follow Up By: Member - Broodie H3 - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:30

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 13:30
Good day Christie,
I don't want to be an alarmist but my sons pajero did the same thing and we had to have the engine replaced, he had driven it with a blown head gasket and broke a conrod; engine too badly damaged to be repaired
Broodie H3
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Follow Up By: howesy - Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 12:13

Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 12:13
As broodie has stated, driving it with water in your oil it is highly likely you have one or more blown head gasket. This motor has stuff all piston to head clearance so getting water in your cylinder could cause hydraulic events that could account for the clunk and if this did happen you would have at the very least cracked head and possible damaged piston rod assembly,,, Now that you have driven it like this if those heads are cracked and it becomes evident that you were hydraulic locking then you really neeed to check your rods before bolting it together in other words strip it down and if it looks like that scenario call for an exchange engine or I will alternatively give you $200 as is tow away no more to pay.
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Follow Up By: Herbal - Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 12:54

Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 12:54
That is exactly right...The only way is to take the heads off and check.

Heads off = complete engine rebuild...Stems seals, rings, bearing, water pump etc, etc...complete rebuild and if they do not do a complete rebuild they are just playing games and asking for more problems.

If you do get a quote for a rebuild or re-con swap, Christie, I bet that $200 offer will be looking pretty good...It is a bit more than most wreckers will offer.

Sorry, but thems the facts :)
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Reply By: Ross M - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 15:00

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 15:00
Christie M
If you had white smoke then thee was most likely water in the cylinder. Water possibly from gas converter or head crack.
A test for exhaust gas in water doesn't always indicate correctly.
If there is water in the oil then there is a major fault somewhere in the engine.
The clunk was most probably a cylinder hitting a hydraulic lock ie water in the cylinder, The pressure involved can damage rods and big end bearings too. As the water is squeezed out of the cylinder then it will crank again and start.
Won't usually run without further problems developing.

If you can't pin it down to a definite fault in the gas converter then it would seem the engine will require a look see inside, because of the water in oil factor alone.
AnswerID: 519980

Follow Up By: Rob K (VIC) - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 16:33

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 16:33
Hi Christie M,

Agree with other possibilities mentioned so far and I'd also be looking a little more closely at the gas converter as well as the cylinder head/block. The water to heat the liquid gas from the LPG tank into vapour comes from the engine cooling system and gas converters have been known to corrode through the jacket into the gas chamber leaking water into the gas side of the converter. You might consider getting the LPG system checked as well as other possibilities.

Good luck with it all.

Rob K
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Follow Up By: Ross M - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 20:19

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 20:19
If it got hot, the head tension may be less and head slightly warped or not maintaining pressure on the oil pressure galleries to the heads. The water pressure can also/will then find the easiest way out and since the water jacket is nice to oil drain returns to sump, the water system pressure can easily find it's way to the oil in the sump.
Either way it's off with his head or if V6 x2.
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FollowupID: 800354

Follow Up By: Erad - Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 08:31

Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 08:31
My guess is that the LPG converter sprung a leak and you lost your coolant. Then the real damage started... You probably have a blown head gasket (which one?). whatever - it is an engine out and strip. Expensive operation.

If push comes to shove, you can get a 3.5L engine from a Magna fairly cheaply and then you have to use the sump and oil pickup from the Pajero. You have to make up a bracket to mount the cam angle sensor on front of the L side head. You have to discard the distributor from the Magna and use the blanking plate from the Pajero on the rear of the R head.

If you need them, I have 4 new standard pistons, rings, gudgeons and bearings to suit the Pajero 3.5 engine.
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FollowupID: 800383

Reply By: olcoolone - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 19:49

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 19:49
QUOTE
Since then we have done the following:
*Flushed Radiator completely - No longer any oil in radiator or any bubbles/frothing
*TeeKay tested and came up negative for exhaust gases
*Car no longer over heats
*Bypassed the gas converter for water
*When radiator cap is off, no loss of water when running
*Changed oil out 5-6 times but is still milky in fact even whiter than when we started. It did get slightly better for a time but then got whiter

Can I ask why you spent heaps of time and money on products that will not fix the problem?

I suggest taking it to a mechanic for repairs, more than likely a head gasket or cracked head or block.

I would hate to see if you had a heart attack......
AnswerID: 519995

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew L (QLD) - Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 20:49

Saturday, Oct 19, 2013 at 20:49
Yep, agree, block, head or head gasket issue or combination.

It's gunna be an expensive fix, and getting worse trying to get rid of the effects and not the cause of the problem.
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FollowupID: 800356

Reply By: The Bantam - Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 09:32

Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 09:32
If you have water in the oil, it is most unlikley that came from the gas converter.

When head gaskets fail, or heads and blocks crack the variuos fluids go where they please at the time and not always both directions.

You will only get exhaust gasses in the radiator If there is a failure between the exhaust path or the cylinder and the water jacket...AND if the pressure differeneces favour gasses passing that way.

You have had water in your oil and oil in your water.....that is a certain failure between the oil galleries and the cooling system.

No mater how optomistic you feel, its a major issue that means the heads have to come off minimum.

I have replaced a few head gaskets parked in the driveway and if the head and the block are OK its no biggie...in a 4 cylinder or a straight 6.....but its much harder work in a V motor.

Put bluntly I'd be looking for a donour or a new truck.

cheers

cheers
AnswerID: 520031

Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 14:50

Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 14:50
Mate has just got his paj back from hospital after experiencing water in the oil.
One head was cracked so they recommended replacing both.

$2,500 was his bill.

Bill


I'm diagonally parked in a parallel Universe!

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AnswerID: 520059

Reply By: snapper49 - Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 23:26

Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 23:26
Most likely a head gasket as others have suggested BUT it could also be your gas convertor
Pull it apart and check the main diaphragm hasn't given way
If it has it can easily allow water into the gas supply and into your engine
AnswerID: 520080

Reply By: snapper49 - Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 23:30

Sunday, Oct 20, 2013 at 23:30
It is more than likely a head gasket as others have suggested BUT it could also be your gas convertor
If the diaphragm has given way it would allow water to flow into your gas line and on into the cylinder
Pull it apart and check it
AnswerID: 520081

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