A sudden coolant to oil flow is often caused by a broken head stud under
the rockers. Look there first. The oil cooler failure will usually cause
oil to go into the coolant.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
Of chris Moyles
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 5:51 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: oil in coolant... a strange event!

Howdy Everyone,

86 syncro ... 95 K  Had her for 5 K.

One the way to work yesterday-, she was running great...  Just checked
everything out a couple days back when I upgraded the headlights.
Temp normal, then a miss, then coolant light, then every warning light !
So I immediately shut her down and coasted in ...

No coolant in either tank, no visible leaks(oil or coolant)  anywhere-
none on cardboard I put underneath while I grabbed the Bentley Manual.
None overnight.
Pulled the dipstick-  foamy and obviously full of coolant....  blown
head?
After an AAA ride home-  just for fun, reached in and turned the key and
she fired right up!( I shut her down again immediately.)   So maybe not
a blown head?
Drained the coolant/oil mix out today-

Next steps...
Coolant system pressure test and compression tests as soon as I can hunt
down a vw coolant pressure tester adapter-

A couple questions...
Anyone ever heard of the oil cooler blowing out and dumping coolant into
the oil system?  Gonna pull the oil cooler and pressure test it  as soon
as the weather breaks.
Left head was rebuilt at 68 k and the right head was rebuilt at 71 K.

What should I run through the block to flush out any water/coolant left
in there?

How'd all that coolant get into the oil without creating a bigger mess?
Something internal in the water jacket obviously, but what...

Now to make the slow move from shade tree mech to vw vanagonaut.

Funny thing is, I'm actually looking forward to trouble shooting this
thing out-  best case scenario-  blown oil cooler...  worst case, I get
to put a 2.5 TDI in...
We shall see after the pressure tests.

THe PO did all this work to her over the years,  and kept every
receipt...guess its my turn to carry on the tradition...

Any info, advice, encouragement, etc would be great.

chris

86 vw syncro repair log per received reciepts from PO.

Date                 Mileage:          Service                 Cost

1/1/1991                      Tint side windows                  $50
10/9/1991                     Tint all windows             $150
11/11/1991        "28,483"          Paint and trim
"$1,468.14 "
11/23/1994        "58,038"          repack all cv joints
      $378.98
11/23/1994                    relace all belts
11/23/1994                    exhaust leak
11/23/1994                    "fuel filter, spark plugs, air filter"

11/23/1994                    cv boots
12/1/1994         "55,285"          replace front halfshafts
      $996.00
4/30/1997         "66,750"          replace exhaust pipes
$699.79
4/30/1997                     "r,f, y pipe"
4/30/1997                     l.rear. Inner cv boot
10/21/1997        "68,550"          replace L. cylinder head
      $693.06
10/21/1997                    repair broken cylinder bolts
10/21/1997                    replaced waterpump
10/21/1997                    (replaced L. head gasket)
3/26/1998                     reservoir ?             $68.67
4/20/1998         "70,180"          ignition wires
1095.57
4/20/1998                     airflow meter
4/20/1998                     oxygen sensor
4/20/1998                     spark plugs
4/20/1998                     fuel filter
6/9/1998          "70,254"          throttle valve switches
      $206.23
6/9/1998                      rotor
6/9/1998                      temp sensor
8/17/1998         "71,345"          replace front brakes
      $246.95
12/22/1998                    replace coolant flange on
$72.47
12/22/1998                    r cylinder head
12/22/1998                    replace 1 rear lid dampener
10/13/1999        "74,932"          replace all rear cv boots
      $280.81
10/13/1999                    clean and repack joints
10/13/1999                    replace connector pipe
10/13/1999                    connector exhaust
5/23/2001                     Replace right electric mirror
      $160.75
7/13/2001         "79,596"          Brakes:                 $203.92
7/13/2001                     Master cylinder
7/13/2001                     Brake fluid
7/13/2001                     Bumper:
7/13/2001                     2 bumper ends
8/6/2001          "79,768"          Viscous Coupling
"$1,396.50 "
8/6/2001                      tires and spare
8/22/2001                     Replace muffler and tailpipe
      $198.81
8/22/2001                     rework brackets and straps
5/16/2002         "81,171"          replace clutch
"$1,446.45 "
5/16/2002                     flywheel
9/16/2002         "81,836"          replace rear brakes
$266.84
10/17/2002        "82,138"          rear wheel brake cylinder?
      $297.20
10/17/2002                    fix leaks
6/10/2003         "85,442"          90k service                 $194.14
6/10/2003                     replace front brakes
                        total:                  "$10,571 "