[andyn08]

Ok this is my first forum post. I have always found the answers that I need from previous questions that You guys answer. I have a 02 7.3l that I noticed two days ago had OIL IN the COOLANT. I jumped on google and youtube and tackled the cooler. I found that the front header had oil seaping from it and the rear header had more of a build up of antifreeze build up. rust. broke up the cooler replaced the o-rings which where brittle. the black o-ring seemed that it could have been bypassing and the green orings where flat and cracked trying to get them off. cleaning everything took longer than the repair itself. I put everything back together and then figured out that I didn't drain the coolant system like i should have. I didn't pull the drain plugs on the engine because I was unaware they where there. I flushed the system half... way. I pulled the bottom rad hose loose and the rad pit**** and filled and drained 3 times. each time I drove 5 mins. then ran a flush the last time. I cleaned as much oil out of the resovoir as i could with out removing it. I drove it a total of 1 hour today and it looks the same as it did when I found it the other day. The hour I drove today was 15mins a piece with cool down periods. I have checked the oil, no coolant. When starting cold, no white smoke. I have no performance loss. the coolant holds pressure, I have not checked with a gauge but I pulled the cap this morning and it gives a hiss. the Oil is still somewhat new looking. ok so the question is how long will it take for the oil to wash out, or do I still have a problem?

 

[klhansen]

It will take a while for the oil to come out if you didn't use some kind of detergent (Simple Green for example) when you flushed it out. But unless there's a lot of oil floating on the degas bottle, you can probably just cut some absorbent pads in the degas bottle. You can pick up ~18" x 18" pads at most parts stores. Just cut small squares and float them in the top of the bottle. When they pick up oil and get saturated with it pull them out and drop in a new one.

Depending on how many miles on your truck, you may want to replace hoses that will eventually deteriorate from the oil exposure. When I had ATF in my coolant from the tranny cooler, I replaced the 3 hoses connected to the radiator, but left the heater hoses in place. So far, so good on the heater hoses.

 

[hofiveo]

I took my 01(see below) to Swamps last Tuesday for their RR, 200/30% Hybrids, fix exhaust leaks, install radiator and other maintenance. They called me Wednesday morning asking if I knew we had oil in coolant and I said no. I think they tested oil cooler system with pressure and it held, they called and said possible cracked block or head or gasket. They flushed coolant system, plugs from block, took degas off and cleaned and repeated this until this past Monday(8/8/11) and found that everything is alright.
Long way of saying that you may need to keep flushing and cleaning to get all residual oil out.

 

[andyn08]

Thank You for the quick replies. I went out and purchased 20 gallons of distilled water and 3 bottles of simple green. I pulled the plugs and flushed and flushed and flushed lol about 4 times... The coolant was actually pretty clean after taking bottle samples at the pit****. I am just really nervous about it being more than the cooler. So all in total i flushed 4 times today and will be driving to work tomorrow with just distilled water in the cooling system. it is a 6 mile trip one way. I will swing by ford and get the right coolant. I washed out the degas bottle twice. right now as it sits is super clean water in the cooling system. when i get to work tomorrow I will check it out and I know i need to get a t-stat and housing. I will also get the around the belt hose. once again thank you for the re-assurance that it just needs a flush. I work on RV's and small repairs don't scare me on a diesel engine. My hobby is more muscle cars but slowly becoming diesels. lol well atleast it has consumed my money and time the last two weeks lol