Michael P. Thelen wrote:
> I am a brand new MGB enthusiast! I just got a '73 MGB (my first
>project car ever!) that needs alot of work! However, when I checked the oil in
>the car over the weekend, there was water mixed with it.
Michael,
It sounds like you may have a blown head gasket. When the dipstick oil
looks milky this is a sure sign of this. However, the MGB cylinder heads
are known to crack sometimes when they overheat. This could have
happened with yours. Have you run the car yet? Does it overheat? (be
sure to change the oil and not let the water sit to long...it can damage
the crankshaft bearings if left long)
Just because you haven't lost a noticeable amount of radiator coolant
doesn't mean the water is coming from outside the coolant system. A
blown head gasket or crack in the head can be present and yet only allow
a small bit of water to mix with the oil over a long period of time. You
could try changing the oil and seeing how long before the water mixes
again. Just be aware that you don't want to end up overheating the car
because you could do further damage beyond what is present now.
If you confirm that the car is overheating from a blown head gasket
and/or the water continues to mix into the oil..then you will need to
remove the cylinder head (inspect for cracks- a local machine shop can
do this service too) and if you are fortunate just replace the head
gasket. Of course, when the head is off..it isn't a bad idea to consider
reworking the valves..especially if they show signs of being carboned up
or if the engine cylinder compression test shows low compression.
Does the engine smoke at all? What color is the smoke?
Best Regards,
Hal Rogers
H.D. Rogers & Sons
Import Auto Specialists
3418 Barksdale Blvd.
Bossier City LA 71112 USA
(318) 742-3651 phone (318) 742-5044 fax
http://www.hdrogers.com
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