The usual path for oil in the coolant is defective oil to water heat
exchanger, the oil cooler above the filter. An easy fix except for cleaning
up the mess in the cooling system. If an automatic also possible for that
heat exchanger to fail as well. Oil coolers usually fail from cooling system
neglect (corrosion) on the coolant side or overpressure on the oil side. The
later needs to be tested. Revving a cold engine especially with too heavy an
oil can cause this.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Finn Runyon
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 8:56 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Oil in the coolant

I have been off the list for some time.  I have had an 87 Westy for about
15 years that I moved this summer from Princeton NJ  to Taos NM.  The 87 has
pretty bad cancer, and I got the itch to purchase a second, rust free west
coat bus, do either the Bostig or Subaru conversion, and give the 87 to my
Daughter and Son in Law.  So I found the perfect project bus, an 89 with an
clean body, clean interior, newly rebuilt 4 speed with positraction, new
Rhein rims and Nokian tires, but on a recent climb up a Colorado mountain
pass a hose blew and it over heated.  It starts and runs smoothly, however
there is oil in the coolant, but not coolant in the oil.
 Have any of you had this issue, and as I am not  in the position to do the
engine swap this winter, and what are the chances that simply doing the
heads would buy me some time on the 2.1?  The 2.1 had been recently rebuilt
and was strong I hear.

Glad to be back!
Finn Runyon
Blue 87 Westy, Pooh Bear (Named by my Daughter who will get Him) Red 89
Westy, Roo (Have to keep the Christopher Robin theme going here and a buddy
of mine here in Taos owns a 90 named Tigger)