i checked my coolant yesterday and there is oil in the coolant...i understand this could mean my seals are leaking...or the rotor housing is leaking or cracked...the weird thing is that my oil pressure is fine and the car does not overheat...im changing the oil and coolant today, but i am basically broke right now and hoping its not a problem that will lead to catastrophic engine failure...could this be a leak somewhere in the coolant lines? if so how do i find it? im real bummed right now

 

are you sure there is oil in the coolant??? is there coolant in the oil???

sometimes the overflow tank get full of worn out coolant and people think they have oil in it.

 

yes it is in the tank...the thing is i thought it might just be old coolant and brown water, but the "brown substance" settles at the top of the tank, isnt oil less dense and would settle, it seems as though it is separate from the coolant...it def looks like oil... the coolant is old though

 

it's a blown head gasket

but seriously, how does one get oil in the coolant on a rotary? I had this happen once, when I fell victim to the infamous oil filter pedestal O- ring leak. The heater bypass hose was destroyed by the oil, and some got into the cooling system.

It could just be some rust crud. Are you losing any coolant?

Also, I thought when oil and coolant mixed, you got this pasty substance that wouldn't float.

 

yea someone told me it was a blown headgasket... I was like whats a head gasket that is a foreign concept to me...no im not losing coolant...it is still well past the full indicator... and i've read that old coolant has a milky white look to it, this is like brown... i dont think its rust my engine bay is basically rust free... my car was very well kept i got it with only 68000 miles on it now have 77000...if it is a leak which is what i am hoping (i dont leave any spots on the pavement by the way) is it true i can use egg whites to determine where the leak is coming from...that might be an option if and only if it is a leak what do you think?

by the way thanks for the input...please keep the suggestions coming

 

sound like the normal old coolant crap to me, and not a leak.

Change the coolant (using a good 50/50 mix) and then see if you have a problem.

Oil in the coolant would be in the whole system, not just in the overflow tank

 

no dont put egg whites into your cooling system it is an old hot rod trick

the egg whites basically cook to a solid and get stuck in the hole that the coolent is leaking from this does work for a little but then you have egg whites stuck in yout cooling system which cant be a good thing

 

Like Mark says, it's probably just engine crud. I'd use the prestone flush/cleaner stuff, and it should all be good.

FYI. to find a coolant leak, go get some coolant dye from the auto parts store. It's a UV dye, and will glow under any old black light. Works great, just don't get it on your hands. Or do, if you're going to a rave.

 

when oil and coolant mix, they form an emulsion that has the appearance of a chocolate milkshake.

 

thanks fellas.... yea i think its crud from running the heater... im goin to change the coolant and replace the radiator hoses... there is not coolant in the oil and the car is running normal so im not as worried as i was b4