Oil in Coolant expansion tank

Tranzformer · 2020-12-29 16:36:05

Hello,

I have a 2004 Citroen Dispatch 1.9L van and they known to have this problem: oil in coolant tank.

A coolant change has been done, replaced the oil cooler and yet I still have a some oil'ish looking gunk in the coolant expansion tank.

There are no oil leaks coming from the engine, no coolant leak and the oil level remains good, oil is clear and doesn't have any froth in it - clean as can be.

I do believe it to be a common fault with the DW8 engines.

I hope it isn't a cracked engine.

Does anyone else on here have had experience with this... and if so... what did it turn out to be?

Thanks

Casper · 2020-12-29 17:04:18

Not 100% sure how they work on this van but it may be the water pump that has went. The seal may be letting out in. Worse case the head gasket has gone. Oil will start looking like brown cream if you have a lot of water getting in. If you just got the van i would just strip the expansion tank out and wash it and flush the coolant system. If it ends up the same then investigate pump and gasket.

Tranzformer · 2020-12-29 17:20:38

Cheers for your input.

The van has recently had the timing belt and water pump done. Coolant flush and replacement has been done twice now. Although there is no external oil leaks - could it still be a head Gasket leak?

If the oil level remains constant - I'll be happy to keep on doing a coolant change once a year. If it gets worse ie froth in oil, loss of oil level then I'll have to spend some money in investigating it further.

On the 1st flush and coolant change, there was a lot of oil in the coolant = so it is leaking in from somewhere.

I think worse case scenario would be a cracked engine.

It would be interesting to hear about other experiences.

Oh the woes of buying an old van1 I went for this engine as they are known to be bullet proof - not so from my experience so far.

Tranzformer · 2020-12-29 17:29:50

Its weird as I do not have over heating issues, no loss of coolant and no froth in oil.

Casper · 2020-12-29 17:59:54

Tranzformer wrote:

Cheers for your input.
Although there is no external oil leaks - could it still be a head Gasket leak?

Yes.

There is meters you can get that sniff for exhaust gas in the water what would be a sure sign but unsure if its a cheap thing from halfords or the likes. I am on my 2nd 1.9 and never had an issue and i do abuse my vans. Any chance you just never got all the oil out the first flush or oil go in when the belt and pump was done.

Tranzformer · 2020-12-29 18:19:52

That thought did cross my mind. After the first flush the coolant looked cleaner, but after the 2nd coolant replacement due to replacing the timing belt and water pump the coolant seems to be more dirtier with oil. If anything it should be cleaner after the 2nd flush. Something is a miss.

I previously said to a friend 'Maybe one of the previous owner had put oil in the coolant expansion tank by mistake' to which he replied ..'don't we all' ha ha. Wishful thinking!

I will have to keep an eye out on it and not go the full hogg on the camper conversion - but instead just do the bare basics...insulation, lights, leisure battery and sky line.

Casper · 2020-12-29 18:56:10

Aye keep an aye on the temp gauge and check for cream under the oil filler every 2nd day of use or after every trip if long. Check at filler on top of engine (2) not the front (1)

It does sound like its not been flushed out properly to me though.

kenbw2 · 2020-12-29 23:52:08

When I had oil in mine - same symptoms as you, just dirty oil but no loss of performance, no smoke, no overheating etc - it turned out to be because my oil cooler was leaking. It's what the oil filter is screwed onto, thankfully it wasn't the head gasket yikes

At the time I posted my experiences here: https://frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/view … p?p=539470

Hope yours turns out to be straightforward to fix

Last edited by kenbw2 (2020-12-29 23:52:24)

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 00:48:24

@Casper

Cheers for the photo with numbers.
Funnily enough I went out earlier to have a look under both #1 & #2 to check for gunk under these caps... but it was a plastic cap that had deep underside grooves/compartments (I was expecting a flat underside - easier for the gunk to cling on to?). Anyway the underside were both clean - unlike the underside of the coolant cap (flat underside).

@kenbw2

Oil cooler was changed (another used one - surely they both can't have gone). Brand new Peugeot one is £300+

The only thing I noticed the other morning was when I started my van (not started her up in about a week or so) she blew out some smoke which went after engine got going... is that normal due to not being started for a while?

Cheers

Last edited by Tranzformer (2020-12-30 00:59:01)

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 00:53:44

@Casper
Wow...I am impressed how clean your coolant expansion tank is...and how clear and pink it is!

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 00:56:12

This photograph is prior to the coolant flushes.

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 01:05:26

@kenbw2
Where did you purchase your oil cooler? new?

Original Peugeot oil cooler are hard to come across nowadays. I have only managed to find one place that supplies it direct from Peugeot.... well expensive at £300 + from memory

Casper · 2020-12-30 01:06:11

Tranzformer wrote:

@Casper
Wow...I am impressed how clean your coolant expansion tank is...and how clear and pink it is!

What is more impressive i just googled the picture and google found my van big_smile Previous owner can take the credit but if yours was my van i would just bin that for a new 2nd hand one and and flush again with some form of detergent.

My last van (Expert) Did blow a bit smoke on start up. So will this one if i am to quick for the glow plugs and need to start again. I tend to forget the light and just count to 20-25 now and it fires up fine with no smoke.

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 01:16:08

New second hand oil cooler is getting to be like rocking horse poo. I will have to keep an eye out for a new second hand one.

I had already used washing detergent and also Wynn radiator flush. Apparently according to one mechanic he stated that washing detergent is an abrasive and shouldn't really be used to clean the coolant system out as in the long run it could damage the water pump. I think he has apoint there hence why I opted to use the Wynn Rad cleaner on my second flush.

kenbw2 · 2020-12-30 01:25:23

Tranzformer wrote:

@kenbw2
Where did you purchase your oil cooler? new?
Original Peugeot oil cooler are hard to come across nowadays. I have only managed to find one place that supplies it direct from Peugeot.... well expensive at £300 + from memory

Nah, mine was from a scrappy. £300 for a new one?? yikes

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 01:29:45

https://peugeotpartsdirect.co.uk/produc … il-cooler/

yikes

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 01:30:54

@kenbw2
Is yours crystal - pink clear now like in that photo Casper posted?

kenbw2 · 2020-12-30 02:01:46

Tranzformer wrote:

@kenbw2
Is yours crystal - pink clear now like in that photo Casper posted?

Mine wasn't one of those translucent ones, so I couldn't say how clean it was. But I think I remember the orange fill line mark being forever tarnished.

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 02:21:31

Okie doke

Casper · 2020-12-30 08:42:59

Slight difference in part numbers but TBH, For the price i would take that gamble

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Oil-Cooler-f … Swb7dfZA69

Fiat Ducato's and Citroen Relays also look like they have the same part on the 2.8's. Still the 1130 part number but again different letters follow. Be interesting to get dimensions.

Last edited by Casper (2020-12-30 08:50:00)

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 13:57:23

Already took that gamble.I bought two as I had been told that they had the original oil cooler for my van! Luckily one came with the mounting bracket through the middle hole - without which I couldn't attach it to the engine.

It costly to get it changed by the mechanics everytime so not sure whether to attempt it myself in future.

@kenbw2
Did you change the oil cooler yourself and if so... easy peezy job? Any advice to make it smooth would be appreciated.

Thanks for the low down though Casper

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 14:22:06

The one on the left is the original oil cooler and its bracket.

For anyone who, in the future, is looking at purchasing the same thing... then make sure that the replacement bracket (longer than the original one) is included in the sale otherwise you have no way of connecting it to the engine.

Last edited by Tranzformer (2020-12-30 14:26:59)

kenbw2 · 2020-12-30 18:16:35

Tranzformer wrote:

@kenbw2
Did you change the oil cooler yourself and if so... easy peezy job? Any advice to make it smooth would be appreciated.

Yea one of the easier jobs I've done. Here's my instructions from back then: https://frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/view … p?p=539470

Didn't you say you already replaced it though?

Last edited by kenbw2 (2020-12-30 18:20:47)

Tranzformer · 2020-12-30 18:21:29

Nice one @kenbw2

Yeah already replaced, but I do have another one. So if I decide to do it in the future then from what you have said it's relatively simple to do.

Last edited by Tranzformer (2020-12-30 18:22:33)

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#1 2020-12-29 16:36:05

Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#2 2020-12-29 17:04:18

Re: Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#3 2020-12-29 17:20:38

Re: Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#4 2020-12-29 17:29:50

Re: Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#5 2020-12-29 17:59:54

Re: Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#6 2020-12-29 18:19:52

Re: Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#7 2020-12-29 18:56:10

Re: Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#8 2020-12-29 23:52:08

Re: Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#9 2020-12-30 00:48:24

Re: Oil in Coolant expansion tank

#10 2020-12-30 00:53:44

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#11 2020-12-30 00:56:12

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#12 2020-12-30 01:05:26

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#13 2020-12-30 01:06:11

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#14 2020-12-30 01:16:08

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#15 2020-12-30 01:25:23

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#16 2020-12-30 01:29:45

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#17 2020-12-30 01:30:54

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#18 2020-12-30 02:01:46

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#19 2020-12-30 02:21:31

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#20 2020-12-30 08:42:59

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#21 2020-12-30 13:57:23

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#22 2020-12-30 14:22:06

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#23 2020-12-30 18:16:35

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#24 2020-12-30 18:21:29

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