Okay. I have oil in my coolant over flow. I belive my coolant seals are bad. Please someone tell me it could be something else. If I am hosed and need coolant seals, can I get away with just replacing the "soft" seals? The engine only hase 30,000m and was overhauled in '98. The car sat for 2.5 years before I bought it. It runs great and has good compression. Just wondering if anyone has replaced just the soft seals and had any luck. Oh yea, no coolant in the oil.

 

Are you having to add alot of coolant?

 

Smoking? Can you open the cap, start and run the car, will water bubble out?

 

no I only add a little into the overflow every 1500-2000m and the radiator is still full.
No bubbles for now.

 

If the coolant seals were bad you'd have to add coolant alot more regularly than that.

 

maybe its the oil bandit. he sneaks around at night and puts oil where it shouldnt be to freak rotary owners out

 

ok so does anyone have any answers to my question, has anyone had any luck replacing just the soft seals and gaskets? please I need to know how much I need to save. The wife is pregnant and I need to buy a 4door. The wife said she couldn't put up with me if I sold the seven. Any good advise is appretiated.

 

This explains so much...

 

It is possible. You'd just have to measure the apex, side and corner seals to make sure they are in spec. Also mark them all so that they go back into the same location on the same rotor on reassembly.

 

Thanx, I figured as much. Has anyone done this before? I would like to hear from someone who has done this. Overhauling engines is not new to me I'm a heavyline tech at a Chevrolet dealership but I've never been into a rotory.

 

why assume the worst?

oil in the coolant is very uncommon in coolant seal failures, you sure some jerk at a quickie lube place didnt add it where it wasn't supposed to be?

a cooling system flush and cooling system pressure check is a bit cheaper than assuming and rebuilding the motor.

 

I doubt there is any problem... If the coolant seals were bad, you would be adding coolant every week.

What color are your spark plugs?

Why are you wanting to spend money on a non existent problem?

Some cheaper rebuild shops do this, although I never recommend re-using 3 piece apex seals.

You should downlaod the FSM if you are hell bent on wasting your money on this and see what you are in for

 

If you had read any of my posts you would realize I don't want to spend money or fix a "none existant" problem. I fix cars for a living. I do all my own services. I changed my coolant when I purchased the car. I have cleaned oil out o my overflow three times in 10,000m. There are no external coolant leaks. I am asking in this forum if anyone has run into this before and if it could be anything other than the coolant seals. Like I said before, I am not that famillure with rotorys. I am open to learn and don't claim to know everything. I am looking for help not criticizm and don't appretiate sarcasm.

 

Dude, there are 200+ posts just in this section every day. I doubt I read any of your 60 or so. *< edit= I just ran through most of your posts, this is the first thread you mention anything like this- so not sure what you are refering too>

And no, in this thread you are asking if you can change the soft seals. Instead if actually identifing the problem, you seem convinced that you have bad seals.

what do you mean when you said: A bad coolant seal will result in major oil contamination, or leaking into the combustion chamber. Do you have chocolate milk oil??? Do you have a few drops of what you think is oil on top of your coolant??? do you have a minor oil slick on the coolant, but nothing but coolant in the radiator???What is the real problem??? You are not clear. I thought you worked on cars for a living???

So again instead of dismissing someone trying to save you time and money, described the problem in clear english.

 

ok. My problem is I am getting a thin layer of oil in my coolant overflow, and it is sticking to the suction hose of the overflow lid. I noticed this on my second oil change since owning the car, and have done so twice since then. I did the first oil change when I first purchased the car. I have removed my overflow bottle cleaned it and installed it with new coolant. I use some coolant. my oil is not milky in any way but I did noticed some sludge buildup in my filler neck 5000 miles ago. The build up was worse than it is now. (almost non-existant) In my very first sentance I said "I believe my coolant seals are bad",and then asked if it could be something else. I was refering to posts in this thread. I am not dissmising anyone. I hope this is more clear and more helpful.

 

a thin layer of oil occasionally on the top of the coolant overflow is nothing to worry about.

It is from the car not being driven either hard enough, or from bad coolant sitting in the car for too long.

Make sure you warm up and really drive the car weekly. Run the RPMs up to the redline regularly. If you are grandma driving the car (keeping the RPMs under 5000-6000), the condensation in the oil filler neck and other issues will be worse.

Also make sure you are only using Green Glycol based coolant. I know many GM dealers like that orange and red stuff, but it does not belong in a motor that was Glycol based from day one.

If you are still worried a compression check is the only way to see how close a motor is to needing rebuilding or seal replacement.

 

You know what?
Why don't you FLUSH the cooling system properly (use any of the common FLUSH chemicals in the auto parts department - I like Prestone SuperFlush myself), and see if this problems goes away.

If it doesn't, you have a MAJOR problem.
It's beyond have an internal soft seal fail - we're talking CRACK ENGINE BLOCK somewhere.


-Ted

 

I only use ehtylene glycol in my seven. I was hopeing it's not a crack in the block. My seven is my dayly driver. I drive at least 30m every day. I also regularly take it to redline (can't help but to redline) I guess I'll just drive it until I see coolant in the oil or the engine goes.
Icemark I don't understand how a thin layer of oil in the overflow can be considered normal. can you explain this to me?

 

bro try to check all ur hoses coul be ur water pimp

 

sorry pump

 

new thought. forgive me if i'm wrong but isn't there coolant to the turbo? is there any way oil from the turbo could be leaking into the coolant, and that is why I don't see coolant in my oil. I'm not sure. I haven't looked at the turbo close enough to see if it was cooled by coolant. I know most turbos are.