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Oil in coolant, no coolant in oil. Forums > > Oil in coolant, no coolant in oil. Oil in coolant, no coolant in oil.
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Sentra Nissan Sentra Discussion Forum

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  #1  
Old 06-06-2017, 06:50 PM
millenman millenman is offline
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1994 Sentra
 
Join Date: May 2017
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Default Oil in coolant, no coolant in oil.

I have a 1994 sentra with a ga16de motor. I have a slight buildup of sludge in the coolant that has the smell and look of motor oil mixed with coolant. My first thought was a blown head gasket. When I pull the dipstick the oil is pristine. No contamination at all. My question is: Is there another place besides the head where oil and coolant could mix? Also could this still be a blown head gasket even though the coolant is not in the lubrication system? The car did recently overheat due to a failed thermostat. That issue has been fixed. No over heating now, however I do seem to be loosing some coolant somewhere. Nothing coming out of the tailpipe though. I really need some help with this as I do not want to replace the head gasket if it is not needed. I have read all the other threads and all deal with coolant in the oil. Please help with a way to definitely diagnose head gasket or not.

Last edited by millenman; 06-07-2017 at 12:52 PM.
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  #2  
Old 06-07-2017, 07:56 PM
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smj999smj smj999smj is offline
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2006 Pathfinder
2003 Frontier King Cab
2003 Frontier KC SVE 4x4
 
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If it has an automatic transmission, transmission oil can enter the coolant if the cooler inside the lower radiator tank fails. This is common on 05-10 Nissan Pathfinders/Xterras/Frontiers, but is very rare in other Nissan models. It's possible to have a blown head gasket or cracked head or block and get oil into the coolant and not vice versa. You could have your coolant chemically analyzed; high hydrocarbon levels would likely indicate compression gases entering the coolant. You could also do a cylinder leakdown test.
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Old 06-08-2017, 02:08 PM
millenman millenman is offline
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Thanks for the reply. I was hoping maybe an intake gasket or something else might cause the sludge. I think it is definitely motor oil because of the color/odor of the milky sludge. I'll try the compression leakdown test. Can I perform that with a standard compression tester? If so, how? I assume you do a regular compression test, then just wait and see if the pressure leaks down over time.
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Old 06-09-2017, 12:18 AM
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smj999smj smj999smj is offline
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2003 Frontier KC SVE 4x4
 
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You need a cylinder leakdown tester like linked below and an air compressor.

Super price on OTC Tools 5609 at ToolTopia.com
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Old 06-09-2017, 12:14 PM
millenman millenman is offline
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Thank you.
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