Neoparoykos
Active Member
Are you trolling?
Dreaded cooling system issues
- Thread starter Neoparoykos
- Start date
Are you trolling?
Trolling? I've had that exact milky oil cap. It was a cracked head that was the cause.
Neoparoykos
Active Member
Wasn't sure. Your words seemed to echo my "greatest fear" and lacked detail.
Nevertheless, thank you for your input. Did your car overheat at that time? Interestingly, I have had the milky oil cap for some time and have put many miles on the car prior to it beginning to overheat. It only began overheating after the thermostat housing swap. I suspect it was losing coolant prior to though as I would periodically have to top it off and there was no indication of a leak
Oil cap can indeed be indicative of a blown gasket or head crack. Ask me how I know.
You can get a relatively inexpensive leak down test kit at harbor freight of you don’t have one or know anyone with one to borrow. Not hard to do at all
Neoparoykos
Active Member
It didn't overheat. Ran great. I didn't want to believe my eyes and thought of all other possibilities but it came down to that. It also puffed moisture out of the valve cover breather tube. Hopefully yours is something else but the milky oil cap is not normal.
Sure. A leak down test will give you a lot more information as to the condition of an engine than a compression test.
it would appear that OP installed an early tstat into a late housing - his head is likely cracked or warped.
Neoparoykos
Active Member
I've been avoiding the possibility as well, but it seems very likely. I also have the puff from the valve cover breather.
True story. Rectified that issue, but I'm afraid it is too late.
Hardly your fault - it’s happened so many times.
Definitely, are getting combustion heat into the water cooling system with a bad head gasket for cracked head. That's why nothing you do solves the problem.
There is a test you can do to detect a head gasket leak.
There is a test you can do to detect a head gasket leak.
I misspoke earlier when I said that is what my radiator cap looked like when I had the bad head gasket, it was my oil cap that looked like that.....
Neoparoykos
Active Member
Gutted.
Next step, pray it is the head gasket and not a cracked head. Ugh.
Next step, pray it is the head gasket and not a cracked head. Ugh.
I hope so along with you too!
Sorry to hear this. A cracked head might not be too bad, though. You appear able to do your own work and hard to find parts seem to crop up on this forum with some regularity.
Keep us posted on your progress (as you are).
Keep us posted on your progress (as you are).
Neoparoykos
Active Member
Appreciate the support & positivity from you all. I've been very pleased with this community since entering it a little over a year ago. Will keep you all updated!
Many cracked heads can be welded as long as the crack isn’t in the head stud area. We had this done successfully on our 2800. A good shop will do a pressure test to see how bad it is. Might as well have valve guides and stem seals checked while you are in there. Good luck.
good luck!