Any other way for water to get into oil apart from a cracked head/gasket?? - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Axeman82 · 10-05-2003, 18:19

Hi guys

It's been a while since I've read the forum (I've been in Europe for a few weeks) and my EA has been in cobwebs for a while but I gotta do something now that I'm home..

I've got water in the oil and it uses coolant, cooling system also pressurises too much (my theory is from exhaust gases in the coolant) - so from that I've decided that its probably a head gasket.. It's also hard to start, etc.. All the signs point to it..

Anyway while I was away my gf's father and brother-in-law (new school and old holden people) offered to have a look.. I said go for it seeing as I didn't care and wouldn't be around. They tried telling me that it looks as if someone has poured water down the dipstick - which i said was almost impossible unless someone got a hose under my car and was a bit of a contorsionist - all of which would be very hard to do as the car is parked on a busy street outside my house. Then they thought that maybe a heater/water pipe has broken somewhere and water has entered the oil that way.. Doesn't seem likely to me but I am not sure about it.. They ran a compression test and said compression was fine - although I seriously doubt it if they know what compression it should be..

What I want to know is -

Is there any way for water to enter the oil apart from through a cracked head or gasket (water port, etc..)??

I still think I am right.. And they haven't taken the head off yet.. Although they did take off the heat shield from the exhaust manifold and let me start the car up without telling me that they haven't replaced all the manifold bolts.. I wasn't happy about that...

Thanks all..

Dan..

ebxr8240 · 10-06-2003, 01:00

It's a head gasget.. OR more the point the head bolts have stretched and then head gasget has cried enough!!! This is a comon problem so don't susupect anything else !!! Get new head bolts as well.. The ones with the thread nearly all the way up bolt...

ebbeforde · 10-06-2003, 01:31

not necessarily the headgasket.
that's what happened to me, and i assumed that it was a gasket, imagine my suprise when i pulled both heads off and could't see any damage. If your compression holds, it's not the headgasket. could be a cracked head, although it is more likely that intake manifold has corroded around the gasket and leaked water through.
have a look also at the timing chain cover, they seem to corrode around the water jacket, or behind the water pump. worse case scenario, although unlikely- a cracked block, but if the car runs smooth it's not, however it would explain high pressure in the cooling system.
Start off with the thing that takes the least amount of work, i.e timing chain cover....i, unfortunately didn't, and found myself with my whole engine in pieces before finding the fault.
oh....i've just realised that you said an EA, therefore it must be a six, i've a V8, and am unsure of the engine layout,but hopefuly you can make some sense of it.

Axeman82 · 10-06-2003, 03:53

The car idles like crap and i still think it is a gasket or head - mum had the gasket go about 4 years ago and it did exactly the same thing..

thanks guys...

Dan..

galapogos01 · 10-06-2003, 16:51

its an EA - so most of that stuff is V8 related and wouldnt apply.

im putting money on the gasket - it seems as though theres a lot going in the club at the moment - maybe the warmer days are starting to come? I did mine less than a month ago...

Jase

Aussiblue · 10-07-2003, 05:17

If it's only happened since it was left unused (ususally needs months) I would say it's likley that the head is corroded. When cars are left unused air pockets tend to form in the alloy head encouraging corrosion.

Axeman82 · 10-07-2003, 19:52

Nah it happened first, then i went overseas so it was like that for a while before it sat there unused..

I'll get it looked at soon but I think that the fordforums opinon is usually right - especially when talking EA's and head gaskets..

Dan..

Bent EA · 11-04-2003, 23:13

Its an EA, and as such it is the head gasket.
Make no mistake, if there is anything wrong with your EA its the head gasket. From low trye pressure to rust, these are all signs that point to head gasket failure.

Dont forget to get the head shaved or you will get to do it all over again in a few months.