Among various engine faults internal combustion c, you may encounter the fact that the working fluid from the cooling system begins to enter. We note right away that there are several reasons for such a breakdown, ranging from and ending.
Given the above information, it becomes clear that if antifreeze or antifreeze gets into the oil, the consequences for the engine can be catastrophic. The same can be said about cases where ordinary water is used in the cooling system.
The ingress of coolant into the lubrication system will be indicated by air bubbles in expansion tank, a decrease in the liquid level in the cooling system, an increase in the level of engine oil, an emulsion on the dipstick and the oil filler cap, and a number of other signs.
It is important to understand that water in oil will lead to overhaul during further operation of the engine. Even a slight ingress of water into the lubrication system is already a reason for the immediate termination of operation. power unit. Also after full troubleshooting engine oil must be changed, and the lubrication system must be flushed.
To this we can add that the composition of motor oils latest generations includes a whole package of active detergents, antiwear and extreme pressure, as well as antifriction (energy saving) and antioxidant additives. In practice, this means that there are at least 1/3 of such additives in the oil base. It turns out that the ingress of water into the oil will inevitably cause a whole chain of undesirable chemical reactions.
Finally, we note that if antifreeze, antifreeze or water get into the engine lubrication system, it is better to stop the engine immediately and deliver the car to the service station not under its own power. It is cheaper to replace a blown gasket or even repair a crack in the head or than to change the liners, and the camshaft or overhaul the engine.
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What malfunctions does the emulsion on the dipstick and oil filler cap indicate. Ways to independently determine the causes of this problem.
One of the problems of car owners can be the ingress of engine oil into the cooling system of the car, and vice versa. Normally, both engine oil and coolant circulate in circles of a closed type and cannot mix with each other. Antifreeze found in oil and oil in antifreeze are the result of similar malfunctions.
Troubleshooting
These may be cracks in the contours or a punched gasket. The complexity of further repairs and the financial costs incurred in connection with this will depend on where exactly the leak occurred. This problem, oddly enough, most often occurs in new cars manufactured by the American auto industry, and sometimes car owners encounter it after visiting service stations. Such a malfunction, if detected in time, can lead to losses of antifreeze and oil.
They will have to be completely drained, and then filled with new ones. And this is the best outcome for a car enthusiast. If you continue to operate the vehicle without correcting the problem, you can erase the bushings camshaft, provoke a breakdown of the crankshaft and smoothly come to the subsequent overhaul of the car engine. Given the severity of the consequences of such a malfunction, it is important to identify in time the reasons why oil and antifreeze are mixed.
The antifreeze in the oil or the ingress of the lubricant itself into the antifreeze is most often detected by accident, for example, when opening the radiator cap or expansion tank of the oil cooler. At the same time, oil stains and particles of lubricant are clearly visible in the antifreeze, and the characteristic signs of liquid getting into the lubricant are a change in the color of the latter to light gray and the appearance of recognizable antifreeze balls floating in the oil solution.
You can detect antifreeze in oil in another way. As you know, water and oil have different densities, and therefore, having noticed a change in the level of lubrication in the car, simply unscrew the plug from the pan and check what will flow first. If it is water, then coolant is entering the engine oil circuit. A similar procedure should be carried out after the car has stood for 10 hours.
Sometimes it is difficult to detect a malfunction when there is a problem of mixing oil and antifreeze. To reduce temporary losses and labor costs, a special luminous additive is added to the engine oil. Thanks to this impurity, it becomes easier to find the place of a leak or a crack. You can make it easier for yourself or the masters to diagnose if you keep your car and its engine clean and tidy. AT clean engine you can spot fluid leaks faster.
Oil cooler failure
The oil cooling system is necessary for the car in order to maintain the lubricant at a temperature that is comfortable for the operation of the machine. If the oil cooler tubes are damaged and this system is depressurized, oil gradually begins to enter the coolant. The first signal that the problem of your breakdown is in the oil cooler is the appearance of oil with bubbles in the coolant.
In this case, it is necessary to remove the branch pipes from the oil cooler, rinse them and connect them together. The expansion tank of the system also needs to be completely cleaned. After these manipulations, the liquid is refilled. After a short period of time after restarting the car, you need to check whether the problem has disappeared or not. If so, then the repair will cost you a little cheaper, since you will have to deal exclusively with the cooler.
After removing the cooling system, you should thoroughly check all the pipes and, if there are cracks, weld them. This part of the work should be entrusted to professionals. Poor repair will end up costing you more. Most often, copper tubes of the appropriate diameter are simply inserted into the cracks in the oil cooler.
Sometimes oil gets into the antifreeze through the fault of service station employees. If such a nuisance was discovered by you after visiting the station, it is worth checking if engine oil has been added to the cooling system of your car. To do this, the liquid from the oil cooler is completely drained, and the system itself is thoroughly flushed. In the final part of the work, you just need to fill the engine with new antifreeze.
Be sure to note that cars oil heat exchanger filter. If a malfunction is diagnosed in the engine circuit in question, the filter must also be replaced.
Breakage of the head of the engine block
This cause of a car malfunction will already be an order of magnitude more serious than an oil cooler failure. The head and block are very important places engine compartment, because it is here that the cylinders, combustion chambers and so on are located. FROM inside the head is washed with oil, and from the outside along the contours it is cooled with antifreeze. In this case, the oil pressure is higher than the pressure in the cooling system, and therefore the lubricant can enter the antifreeze through cracks.
The metal case, by means of which the circuits of the systems are separated from one another, has holes. Gaskets are installed in them, which normally prevent the mixing of antifreeze and oil, and they can give a similar leak. There are several reasons for this. First of options- this is the erosion of the gasket itself when mixing coolants. Due to ignorance or inexperience, motorists can sometimes add antifreeze of another brand or another manufacturer to the cooling system, instead of completely replacing it.
Such savings, in the end, are very costly, since fluids can contain different additives, and when they react with each other, they form a mixture that is detrimental to the engine. It is the chemical solution that eats up the head gaskets, forming cracks, and sometimes leads to the formation of the latter in the metal parts of the circuits themselves. The second reason for leaking gaskets is more commonplace. They may just wear out.
During the operation of the vehicle, engine cases and heads experience certain mechanical influences from other elements of the power unit, as well as temperature loads. The result of this is the appearance of cracks on the gaskets. If the reason for mixing oil and antifreeze was identified precisely in a leaky gasket, it will help to eliminate such a malfunction. complete replacement consumable.
It is much worse when everything is in order with the gaskets and with the cooling system, and cracks on the very head of the engine block become the reason for the penetration of liquids into other circuits. Removing the head and checking its tightness by crimping helps to identify this. Detected cracks can be eliminated by subsequent grinding or welding. To brew them in the head with high quality, you need an experienced master.
Damage to the motor gasket is the main reason for lubricant to get into the antifreeze Far from all employees of a service station can cope with such a task, and therefore a complete replacement of the engine block head is often required. This type of repair is the most costly both in terms of time and financial part. Please note: the appearance of cracks in the head of the block can provoke a piston hitting it.
It is also not uncommon for negligent motorists, during the operation of their "iron horse", simply do not take into account elementary physical phenomena and they themselves provoke the appearance of cracks in the head. An example is a liquid frozen to a state of ice in winter. In addition, sudden temperature changes in summer are detrimental, which occur when the coolant overheats while driving.
The liquid filled into the system, expanding under the influence high temperature, begins to flow and evaporate. At this time, the driver himself, in order to eliminate this phenomenon, begins to add new liquid, but already cold. The result of such mishandling of the car engine is microcracks, which, imperceptibly to the eye, can be pressed into the engine. This is exactly how antifreeze turns out to be in oil or lubricant in liquid.
Be sure to keep in mind that with any type of breakdown, you will need to completely replace both the engine oil and the coolant. The systems themselves, after eliminating the causes of the breakdown, will need to be thoroughly rinsed, removing the remnants of previous mixtures. Both fluids, when they enter each other, deteriorate in quality and lead to malfunctions of the car. Accordingly, it is impossible to leave them, even after eliminating the cause of the breakdown.
During engine operation, a fairly common malfunction is the ingress of engine oil into the cooling system. Oil in antifreeze can be found on any engine (gasoline, diesel, naturally aspirated, turbocharged, in-line, etc.)
It is important to understand that such a problem is serious, and the engine itself needs to be repaired immediately. In this article, we will consider the main reasons why oil appears in the engine cooling system, and also talk about the available diagnostic methods to eliminate such a breakdown of the power unit.
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Oil in the engine cooling system: causes
So, the ingress of lubricant into the engine cooling system is most often determined during the check of the coolant level in. As a rule, the color in this case changes, oily spots can be seen on the surface. Also on the lid of the tank and its neck, the remnants of a mixture of oil and antifreeze are noticeable. The liquid level itself can be lowered.
Additional signs include the appearance of thick white smoke from exhaust system when the engine is running. If removed, then sticky deposits can also be seen inside it. Depressurization is also indicated by the changed color of the oil itself on the dipstick, emulsion and foam on the oil filler cap.
Such signs clearly indicate that engine oil has gone into the cooling system. We note right away that this problem requires special attention, since oil and antifreeze are liquids for different systems. This means that normally the channels through which they circulate do not communicate with each other. In other words, there was a serious breach of tightness.
Based on this information, a number of key possible causes through which oil enters the antifreeze:
- problems with the oil cooler;
- heat exchanger malfunctions;
- damage and defects of sleeves in the BC;
- malfunctions, etc.
As practice shows, about half of internal combustion engine failures occur as a result of mixing oil and coolant. Let's add that diesel engine more susceptible to this risk than gasoline. The fact is that such a motor is more intensively polluted from the inside, as a result, various gaskets and sealing elements are actively displaced.
Taking into account the fact that in the process of cooling the engine, the liquid in the cooling system is under pressure (and this pressure is higher than in the lubrication system), the coolant can gradually enter the lubrication system through leaks.
You also need to understand that in coolants that are designed for modern motors, contains a whole package of active chemical additives. These additives prevent scale formation, clean the cooling system, and resist corrosion.
For this reason, it is recommended to fill the engine with only recommended coolants, dilute the concentrate with distilled water in the required proportions, avoid mixing different coolants, and also make timely replacement and preventive maintenance.
This approach allows not only to keep the system clean and maintain its maximum performance, but also significantly reduces the risk of deep (through) corrosion of metal elements.
If oil gets into antifreeze: consequences for the motor
It is quite obvious that the oil in the expansion tank is an alarm signal, and in this case there are much more risks not for the cooling system itself, but for the engine. In other words, if lubricant enters the cooling system, then antifreeze enters the lubrication system.
It is not difficult to guess that when mixing two types of fluids that contain packages of active additives, an unpredictable and uncontrolled chemical reaction occurs. The result is a deterioration in the properties of the lubricant and coolant, there is an increased contamination of both the oil channels and the channels of the cooling system.
Naturally, in such a case, all loaded parts of the motor begin to undergo significant wear. Indigenous and connecting rod bearings, scoring may form on the cylinder walls, etc. Quite often, the engine simply jams, after which an expensive one is required.
As a rule, the reason for the intense ingress of coolant into the oil is often a broken cylinder head gasket, severe corrosion of the cylinder walls and cracks, which leads to active entry of antifreeze into the combustion chamber. By the way, if a lot of fluid collects in the over-piston space on a muffled internal combustion engine, then when you try to start the engine, it happens.
As you can see, there is a whole list possible problems, which lead to oil entering the cooling system and vice versa. It is important to understand that after fixing the problem, it is imperative to change both the lubricant in the oil system and the coolant in the cooling system.
Moreover, before pouring fresh liquids, both systems must be thoroughly flushed. For example, if the coolant got into the oil due to the water pump, even after a simple pump replacement, there will be a small amount of liquid in the sump. This means that the existing oil will lose its properties to some extent.
Let's imagine a common situation. Let's say the pump was changed, the oil was drained and a new one was filled in, but without flushing. At the same time, up to 10-15% of the old grease mixed with antifreeze will still remain in the sump. So, if not preliminarily, then the additives in fresh oil can react with residues, create deposits and sediment, quickly contaminate the new oil filter etc.
To prevent this from happening, you can go in two ways:
- remove the tray to remove residues;
- Rinse oil system ;
Although the first option is more difficult, this method is more efficient. At the same time, the second method does not require disassembly of the internal combustion engine and is simple, as a result of which it becomes the choice of the vast majority of drivers.
What is the result
As you can see, the oil in the antifreeze significantly worsens the properties of the coolant, and the antifreeze or antifreeze in the oil leads to severe damage to the rubbing surfaces of engine parts.
If an increase in the oil level becomes noticeable during the dipstick check, and this phenomenon is accompanied by a low fluid level in the expansion tank and a clear dilution of the lubricant, the appearance of an emulsion, etc., then this indicates coolant leaks.
If the coolant level in the reservoir has dropped, but there are no signs of getting into the oil system, in this case the problem may be damage to the hoses and pipes of the cooling system, as well as leaks at the joints.
To determine the location of the leak, a special dye is added to the antifreeze, which glows, indicating the problem area. Using such a solution allows you to quickly and accurately detect a crack or other defect.
We also note that in the event of the appearance of microcracks in the BC or cylinder head, there may not be external leaks, while the motor must be disassembled, after which the tightness is determined by checking the removed elements in a special bath. Using this method, a damaged area is detected, then a crack in the block or head is repaired.
Finally, we note that regular checks of the level and condition of the engine oil, as well as the coolant in the tank, will avoid the problems described above or identify a malfunction in a timely manner for prompt repairs and keeping the internal elements of the engine in working order.
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Why antifreeze or antifreeze is fed into the engine cylinders and what to do in such a situation. How to determine the presence of antifreeze in the cylinders yourself, repair methods.
Engine lubricant and technical liquid cooling, with optimal operation of all mechanisms of the system, they should not come into contact - each product moves along its own paths and performs a specific function. If some working elements of the auto system become unusable, the car owner, with an additional visual inspection of the coolant level, may find that the oil gets into the antifreeze, and as you know, the penetration of lubricant into the antifreeze system is not considered common for cars. If such a flaw appears, then you should ask what factor this problem is associated with, and how you can get rid of it.
How to check that motor lubricant has entered the coolant
In practice, most car owners notice too late that lubricant is getting into the coolant. It creates serious problems. This situation may occur as a result of a defective cylinder seal, or a fistula in the area of the heat exchanger seal. The presence of grease in the cooler can also indicate problems related to a breakdown. oil cooler. Symptoms of the problem:
Changing the properties of antifreeze
When the coolant is removed, it becomes clear that the remnants of antifreeze flowed down in dark streaks, that the liquid changed density - it thickened and poured out unreasonably slowly. This indicator is characterized by the fact that the lubricant cannot be mixed with TOSOL, since they have different viscosities and massiveness. Therefore, the lubricant that has entered the tank always rises to the top and, when the technical fluid is removed from the system, it flows out last.
The coolant acquires the ability to ignite
To make sure you have lubricant in the antifreeze system, the solution is ignited. To do all this in a smart way, you need an ordinary napkin, which should be lowered into a tank with a technical composition and ignited in a safe place. If a certain amount of lubricant is present in the system, then the paper personal care item will quickly ignite and burn. If there is pure antifreeze without impurities in the tank, then it will not work to set fire to the paper with the solution.
Car filtration system clogged with mixing elements
When mixing TOSOL and oil, small lumps appear that are not able to pass through the filtration channel. Eventually the oil filter will quickly lose its performance and circulation of the oil solution will become impossible. It is important to know that such accumulations can lead to wear of bearing assemblies and cylinders.
It is worth mentioning the fact of the reverse mixing of liquids, that is, antifreeze gets into the oil. This situation leads to the formation of a reaction between the liquids, and this accelerates the corrosion process of the mechanisms of the power unit. In addition, engine oil begins to lose its useful characteristics.
What to do if oil gets into the cooler?
If the driver of the vehicle noticed that the coolant and engine oil are mixed with each other, then it is advisable to start troubleshooting without delay. Typically, this problem occurs as a result of worn coolant oil packing. The seal cannot be regenerated, so it must be replaced.
To replace the oil cooler packing, you need to use the recommendations of experts:
First you need to flush the circulation system through which the coolant moves. You need to do this with a special solution - it can be purchased at any automotive point of sale. The solution is poured into the antifreeze container, the car engine starts for several minutes so that the technical fluid can warm up to the optimum value. When the cooling fan starts, this will be a signal that the engine of the machine should be turned off, completing the flushing of the channel.
Waste fluid must be removed from the device. For this, containers are prepared in advance and placed under the bottom of the machine. The antifreeze drain plug is unscrewed until the composition has completely drained from the tank.
The oil cooler needs to be removed. Each brand of machine does this differently, so before starting the operation, you should carefully study technical documentation transport.
After removing the element, it must be disassembled and cleaned, getting rid of the remnants of the previous seal. In place of the old gaskets, you should install new ones previously purchased for a specific brand of machine. After that, the coolant container is removed and also cleaned well. If it is worn out, it should be replaced with a new one.
The next operation will be the reverse installation of the tank and the oil cooler to the previous point. After that, you can flush the channel. Purified water is required to flush the system. It must be poured into the antifreeze tank and the car engine turned on, while turning off the secondary process of blowing the cabin. When the engine warms up, you need to turn the blower back on. In this position, let the power unit run for several minutes. Then turn off the engine of the machine and let the water cool down.
After cooling, the purified water from the tank can be poured out and a fresh portion of the purified composition added, and the channel flushing procedure repeated. Then the water is again poured out of the system and antifreeze recommended by the manufacturer is poured into the container.
The final step in the process will be getting rid of the air. It is impossible to do it alone, you will need outside help. Assistant actions: start the engine by repeatedly pressing the gas pedal. At this time, the owner of the car in unison squeezes the cooler pipe. Then the lid is slightly opened to allow excess air masses to escape into the atmosphere. The process of replacing the oil cooler seal can be considered completed.
If a situation arose when the described operations for changing the packing did not give the desired result and the oil still gets into the antifreeze, then you can try to install a new cylinder block seal or consult with specialists in the maintenance service.
Car oil and coolant have different purposes and should not be mixed. However, sometimes antifreeze gets into the oil (and vice versa). Because of this, the motor begins to malfunction.
To prevent the negative consequences of antifreeze getting into the oil, by identifying the problem in a timely manner, you need to understand what are the signs of the presence of a coolant in the lubricant.
Why coolant gets into the car oil
The reasons why antifreeze went into oil may be as follows:
Purchase spare parts only from reliable retail outlets. Do not use the services of car services that employ employees whose qualifications are in doubt.
Car oil in antifreeze
The opposite also happens. When motorists see traces of grease on the walls of the expansion tank, they ask themselves the question: “Why is there oil in the antifreeze?”. Car oil from the lubrication complex somehow ends up in the cooling system, while oily liquid everything is fine. Its volume, shade, viscosity do not change.
Experienced drivers in such situations say: "The end of the cylinder block." Usually these words are true. Through a crack in the block, part of the lubricant enters the cooling complex, curls up there. An emulsion is formed. Replacing the cylinder block on your own is almost impossible. It is necessary to contact a specialized service center.
Signs of antifreeze getting into the car oil
How to determine that antifreeze got into the lubricant complex? It is possible to understand this by such signs:
If you find that the coolant is escaping into the lubricant, turn off the engine and find out the cause of the leak. Otherwise, you will probably have to overhaul the internal combustion engine.
What actions to take?
First of all, find out why the antifreeze began to leak into the car oil (how to find out the reason was written above). In most cases, you need to change the pad by checking motor parts. If the block head is in good condition, has no noticeable cracks and shells, then the repair will be inexpensive. If there is a strong deformation, it will be necessary to change the worn part. Remember that repairing a broken block head is pointless. It's easier to replace it with another one.
Once the root cause has been eliminated, completely flush the cooling and lubricating complex. You will need to disassemble the pipes, clean the oil channels. It's quite difficult. The mixture of coolant and lubricant is not easy to remove from parts. Use flushing agents, through which the motor is cleaned of various contaminants.
Coagulated oil in the antifreeze adversely affects the operation of the engine. Bearings coke, grease is deposited on spare parts, and the corrosive effect increases. If you ignore the problem, the power unit will jam, you will need to do a major overhaul.
By purchasing vehicle, get ready for the fact that you will need to carry out maintenance yourself. All recommendations are written in the operating manual. Having understood how the car works, you are unlikely to pour antifreeze into the lubricant complex.
Such knowledge comes with experience. The more experienced the driver, the more procedures he can perform on his own. This allows you to save your own cash, since you do not need to pay for the work of car service employees.
In order for your vehicle to serve you for the longest possible time, follow the recommendations that the automaker prescribed in the owner's manual. Pour into the engine only those consumables that are optimal for your power unit. If you are at a loss with the choice of the optimal cooler / car oil, contact an experienced driver or an employee of the service center. Competent Maintenance car is a guarantee of long-term operation of the car.