Oil in coolant?

[GtAudioFreak]

Well I've been looking for a few hours and haven't found a 100% answer, I replaced my LIM about 30,000 miles ago. But I looked in my coolant and it looks like I have oil in my coolant. And also I thought it was just my new pcm I put in, but if ive been driving the car and I shut it off and then turn it back on within a few minutes it wants to die or the idle keeps jumping. I still think its the PCM but I wanna get your opinion.

Does oil in my coolant mean LIM or head gasket?

[tgussie666]

I looked on Yahoo! answers.....and is your oil foamy, or really junky looking? According to the answers, looks like it may be the LIM again, and will have to be repaired before you do blow a gasket........ :( . Just go on Yahoo search, and it will bring up an answer/ question page. Good Luck!. By the way, I'm sure Rick will answer your call for help soon.........

[GtAudioFreak]

Thanks for your reply! Well I had a scheduled appointment for my oil change today so i asked the mechanics to look at it. They said that it was just a skim coating on top in the coolant resevoir and everything under it was still green, so apparently it was okay. He said something about an analyzer I dunno if he thought about running it or did, but he said i was okay. So could the brown coating be normal from the condensation?

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by GtAudioFreak
Thanks for your reply! Well I had a scheduled appointment for my oil change today so i asked the mechanics to look at it.
They said that it was just a skim coating on top in the coolant resevoir and everything under it was still green, so apparently it was okay.
Your mechanics are right.

It's not 'condensation' and it's not any part of your oil/lubrication system leaking into the coolant.

Slight oily skim on the top of the coolant has been normal for about a hundred years.
Instead of oiliness on the coolant, worry about something important like world peace or the Colts' chances this fall.

:D :D

* * *
....my new pcm.
...if ive been driving the car and I shut it off, and then turn it back on within a few minutes it wants to die or the idle keeps jumping. It prolly has nothing to do with the PCM; those things are pretty tough and rarely cause minor glitches.
When they go, they just GO.
Why did you replace it previously?

Anyhow, it has 'rough running and bouncing idle' after warm start-up.
* This doesn't occur on cold start, right?
* And, this apparently goes away once you start driving? OR does it remain when idling for the rest of the trip?

My first inclination for a problem with idle is to look for a vac leak.
These have the greatest effect at idle.

When the GA's engine is still cold, the computer operates it in a rich 'open-loop' mode.
This richness can mask the vac leak until the engine warms-up.
Vac leaks rarely cause and SES light.
Vac leaks often cause problems with the HVAC controls or the cruise control.
A very slight leak in the brake master cylinder booster might not be noticable to your foot (or ear, as a 'hiss') but could also affect the engine.

So check the vac system: Devices, tubing, and connections.

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[carlover626]

You may have the TPS sensor acting up as well, but I would look into Ricks suggestions first since this should cause the SES light as well.

[GtAudioFreak]

Thanks for your responses! I have a milzy motorsports pcm in it. and usually i can rev up to around 1k for a couple seconds and the idle will go stable. No problems cold or warm any other time, just when i start it right up after sitting only a couple minutes. So I think im just overreacting to a couple things, I get real uncomfortable when i start to get close to 100,000 miles. Havent quite passed 90k but pretty close. But I really do appreciate your replies. Thanks guys.

[doobiess]

Well i hate to give bad news but I dont know how many kms you have total but on my 94 3100 i had replaced the LIM and everything was ok for a while and then I noticed my coolant was kinda oily.. and when it came down to it.. it seemd to have good power but when first firing up the engine would idle funny until I rev it a bit for about 3 sec.. and smooth right out.. anyways.. what it was the head gasket on the rear cyl.. where the gasket is inbetween the cyl and coolant system.. but it was so small for a while I didnt really do anything but what it was doing was pressurizing the coolant system and when i shut the engine the 15 psi would push coolant into Cyl 1 and when it cools pressure drops and dont leak anymore... when i would fire it up .. it would idle bad due to burning the tiny amount of coolant ..

what i did was a leak down test.. removed the other 2 rear spark plugs.. and pressure ized the cyl 1.. and bubbles came into the coolant system.. and presto my head gasket...

but if you arent loosing any coolant you should be ok.

[GtAudioFreak]

Yea, I'm not loosing any coolant, but my oil was lower than normal but that was after 4000 miles of driving on it, but ive never seen it get that low. One of my friends noticed a few weeks ago when it was lifted that there was some oil caked around the crank case, but he said it could just be normal.

[tgussie666]

Glad everything looked good....as for the miles....shoot baby, you have plenty of good mileage left on her.....(i got 95K on my '04) I would just do the regular maintanence, and you will have another 100K or more, before any major reapairs.........:P

[Mac00GT]

If your coolant is green, I think I am right when I say I dont think you are running dexcool. The LIM problem is caused due to the dexcool coolant eating away at the gaskets. If your not running dexcool I dont think you need to worry much.

[rixGAphx]

Originally posted by Mac00GT
The LIM problem is caused due to the dexcool coolant eating away at the gaskets. :roll:

Just like clockwork, somebody wants to start a DexCool discussion every three months.

Imma sit this one out, thanks. :D :D

:popcorn:

[GtAudioFreak]

Lol yea, I decided to have it changed when i had my Lim done 30,000 miles ago just to be safe.