Subject: [Shop-talk] Coolant in Oil

From: "Mark Watson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 18:18:21 -0500 s=q20140121; t=1417389624; bh=YXKOyDY7MV6t6XBd9DX9qWSxVHgCcZgskYrY0yMopxo=; h=Received:Received:Message-ID:From:To:Subject:Date:MIME-Version: Content-Type; b=cdjkYBOSbjmz/zSwCiITCTHfasMn/PMVMXiRfYGstBZIvYRyEciuefirp7iWe5dIU zFiJOkTRHPlPFodmntq4wZoK9Dr0qD8wVrfSswyVq66H6aL03rGGXbKLeXOMyVo6RF 3POd9S3voT8/gTbnoYzMLVZfbFSVTomAXWKiIH3LnMMu+qHAk+1NxcD0O6Aw760Y+O dhise89DMyNNjA7qsBvlxJObWYj5lBguVyeyng3u3hM0lAEGPULV0Wpccl9HHewqea IUC56p/1l5M8EqrhHUvIPWuvbE9NQgawgTMz8t9O6TDKpLiAVoZdtgW1/dA6Jrzspx Q4fVRB/GcelNg==

Folks,

    I'm appealing to the shop-talk group wisdom on this one.  Earlier this 
year my in-laws gave us their 1995 Buick Century with the 3.1l V6.  It was 
Grammy's car with only 105k miles - she can't drive anymore which is why we 
got it.  It's I really good shape except for the coolant in the oil problem. 
When we got it the thermostat wasn't working so I put one in.  After that it 
started losing coolant.  The radiator had a leak at one tank seam (aluminum 
core with plastic tanks) so I replaced it.  Still losing coolant but not 
externally - you guessed it - it was leaking into the oil.  My final test 
before taking anything apart was to pressurize the cooling system with the 
oil drain plug removed and coolant basically ran out directly correlated to 
the pressure.  Apparently this engine is known for having intake gasket 
issues.  I pulled everything off and it doesn't look good.  The oil looks 
like a gross milkshake.

    The question - I don't want to replace/rebuild the engine if I can help 
it.  I figure if I can replace the gaskets (parts roughly $150,  my labor - 
priceless) and get enough life out of it I'll be coming out ahead!

    Has anyone had any experience with flushing this gunk out of the engine? 
I searched the archives and the only other case was inconclusive as to what 
the poster did after getting answers.

    In searching the net I found this site: 
http://dannysengineportal.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-clean-engine-coolant-fromthe.html

    They advocate using an industrial solvent like this: "Mix a 2:1 solution 
of a commercially available cleaning solvent such as Butyl Cellosolve (Union 
Carbide), Downol E-13 (Dow Chemical), or Glycol Ether E-B (Chem Central) or 
equivalent with the enginebs recommended oil."  When I search for Butyl 
Cellosolve it shows up most in rants against buying window or carpet cleaner 
with it.  Of course I could care less about that.  Two gallons with shipping 
would cost $60.

    Has anyone used the BG Flush products they sell at some shops?  What 
I've read about them is to avoid them if you've been changing your oil - 
obviously not relevant to my situation!

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    Thanks

Mark Watson
1956 Daimler (long term resto)
1965 Ford Falcon (getting back on road after trans replacement)
various transportation pods (including this one ;-)
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