Engine oil coolant mixing

Tiny
HANIYSF
  • MEMBER
  • 2011 KIA SPORTAGE
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 60,000 MILES
Oil is found in the radiator, engine oil decreasing in the engine. The engine oil does not have coolant mixed (the color of the oil is normal), only the radiator has oil in it.
Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 AT 12:01 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello ,

Anytime you have engine oil co-mingling with the coolant this is undoubtedly a blown head gasket(s). Here is a link below explaining everything in detail:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/coolantantifreeze-in-the-engine-oil

Please go through this guide and report back with what you would like to do. We have step by step guides available if you would like to replace your vehicle's head gasket and can shoot those right over to you if you would like.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 AT 1:29 AM
Tiny
HANIYSF
  • MEMBER
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Alex,
Many thanks for the quick response. I got to learn from some previous research that a blown head gasket would cause the engine oil to change in appearance but in my case, the engine oil is normal (color, and feel) but it is somehow allowed to mix with the coolant, the flow between the two (oil, coolant) seems to be in one direction (oil --> coolant), not both.
I hope I was able to clarify the situation.
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Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 AT 2:28 AM
Tiny
HANIYSF
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  • 4 POSTS
Also, the engine oil is decreasing (being consumed).
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Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 AT 2:30 AM
Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello again,

It doesn't really matter which direction that the coolant and oil or oil and coolant go, the issue is that they are mixing. The engine block and cylinder head(s) in your vehicle are pressed together like a grilled cheese sandwich. There are passages from the engine block to the cylinder head(s) that allow the engine oil and the coolant to flow from one to the other. The job of the head gasket is to make a seal in between the cylinder head(s) and engine block to keep the engine oil and the coolant passages sealed and the combustion chambers sealed trapping the cylinders compression so it can all be used to drive the piston down. The only other options here would be a cracked engine block or cracked cylinder head(s), but you would have a loss of compression as well with either of these conditions. So it must be a blown head gasket. Please get back to us with what you would like to do and we can go from there.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 AT 9:40 AM
Tiny
HANIYSF
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thanks Alex, I have a doubt about the oil cooler and I need to eliminate that possibility. Any ideas about how to examine the oil cooler?
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Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 AT 12:02 PM
Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello again,

Sorry about that, I didn't realize that your engine was equipped with an engine oil cooler. I have included the instructions for the removal and installation of the engine oil cooler in the diagrams down below. While the cooler is removed inspect it for cracks and make sure that the fix bolt wasn't loose. Please get back to us with what you find out.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Wednesday, September 25th, 2019 AT 10:02 PM

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