oil in coolant!

I'm about to take a long trip and checked my coolant but was horror to find a lot of brownish, chocolate like fluid in the green coolant (in the resevoir). The 2 color fluids do not seem to mix, which leads me to think that this is oil, but how can the oil makes it in there. I replaced the coolant about 5K miles ago. The oil level seems to be fine (a little lower than the max on dipstick check), so I don't think there is coolant in the oil. I change oil often.

According to what I've read on this forum, that if the lower intake gasket leaks, coolant can get into the oil but did not see the reverse. Now, will I be in great risk of being stranded on the road if I use the van for this 1000mi trip?

Btw, my engine is pretty much new with about 8000K and it's a 2000 3.8L.

Thanks!

Ok you said you changed the coolant 5k ago.. Was it dirty with some of the same color as now.. If you did not have the complete system flushed then you will get old dirty coolant mixed together.. So unless you had the complete system flushed I would say not to worry at this point. I changed mine with out the flush and its lighter in color but it still dirty. So I have been draining and adding more every other oil change. The coolant flush from service shops and dealer is pricey. Runs around 125.00 bucks..

Thanks for the quick reply. I changed the coolant when I replaced the thermostat and the upper and lower hoses, but did not flush. Did your fluid look like it has two different phases? like new green fluid and chocolate color one?

Thanks

Ok you said you changed the coolant 5k ago.. Was it dirty with some of the same color as now.. If you did not have the complete system flushed then you will get old dirty coolant mixed together.. So unless you had the complete system flushed I would say not to worry at this point. I changed mine with out the flush and its lighter in color but it still dirty. So I have been draining and adding more every other oil change. The coolant flush from service shops and dealer is pricey. Runs around 125.00 bucks..

Well i have a 2001 and from the factory came with Orange color or gold coolant..But when i got it is was more orange/brown.. When I changed mine,I went with Advanced auto all make all models universal green color coolant. Yes kind of more brown than green.After the first change.As more coolant changes I do the less dirty it gets. So as of now I have more of a murky light green color.. If you are not loosing any oil I would say not to worry at this point.. If you want you can to a quick coolant change to see if the problem starts to fade away..

Since I'm not there, it's really hard for me to say drive away, especially since you used the word chocolate and said it does not mix with the coolant. I like the previous post suggestion to drain the rad and refill. But I would add or do differently is to try to suck out as much of the brown stuff first, then drive it to see if more shows up or drain it, remove the brown stuff and refill the rad. run it se what shows up. When the vehicle sits, the oil the enters the cooling system will come to the top as a milk chocolately sticky, gooey, sometimes off white stuff.

You mentioned the engine is 8k old. could you get the installing shop to do a pressure test, look at it or someone else? I am not convinced your trip is all clear untill some of this stuff is cleared up. Sorry

Well, if it floats on top of the coolant.....then it is likely to end up in the resevoir, as it is a high point in the radiator.....and will be pushed into the resevoir.
It is unlikely to be engine oil......as the coolant seems to be under pressure....and you have not mentioned loss of coolant....so the pressure should push the coolant through whatever leak there is.
It is possible to be from the transmission cooler....which is inside the radiator also.

If you changed the coolant recently....as you mention, I would remove the coolant resevoir (on my '96, 2 bolts and the hose) and drain & clean it out.
Then, re-install it....and fill with a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze (same type you have in there).
Then, keep an eye on it.

Just thought of something else.....Does your vehicle have the "towing package"?
The towing package does NOT include a hitch.
Easy way to tell, look at the front of the radiator....below the bumper.
If you have a steel pipe that loops across there...but has no fins on it......you don't have the towing package.
If you have 2 pipes from each side that go into a unit that has fins on it......then you have the towing package.

If you have the towing package, you may also have a engine oil cooler.
This is NOT in front of the radiator (those are for power steering and transmission).
The factory oil cooler is mounted on the motor......between the oil filter and the oil pump.....you oil filter actually mounts onto the oil cooler.
There will be 2 pipes coming out of the oil cooler......and they are part of the cooling system.......and coolant flows through those pipes.
It is a heat exchanger between the coolant and engine oil.
As the engine oil is under pressure at that point......it could be possible to push into the coolant part.
The fix for a leaking oil cooler is replacement of the oil cooler unit.

Well, if it floats on top of the coolant.....then it is likely to end up in the resevoir, as it is a high point in the radiator.....and will be pushed into the resevoir.
It is unlikely to be engine oil......as the coolant seems to be under pressure....and you have not mentioned loss of coolant....so the pressure should push the coolant through whatever leak there is.
It is possible to be from the transmission cooler....which is inside the radiator also.

If you changed the coolant recently....as you mention, I would remove the coolant resevoir (on my '96, 2 bolts and the hose) and drain & clean it out.
Then, re-install it....and fill with a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze (same type you have in there).
Then, keep an eye on it.

Just thought of something else.....Does your vehicle have the "towing package"?
The towing package does NOT include a hitch.
Easy way to tell, look at the front of the radiator....below the bumper.
If you have a steel pipe that loops across there...but has no fins on it......you don't have the towing package.
If you have 2 pipes from each side that go into a unit that has fins on it......then you have the towing package.

If you have the towing package, you may also have a engine oil cooler.
This is NOT in front of the radiator (those are for power steering and transmission).
The factory oil cooler is mounted on the motor......between the oil filter and the oil pump.....you oil filter actually mounts onto the oil cooler.
There will be 2 pipes coming out of the oil cooler......and they are part of the cooling system.......and coolant flows through those pipes.
It is a heat exchanger between the coolant and engine oil.
As the engine oil is under pressure at that point......it could be possible to push into the coolant part.
The fix for a leaking oil cooler is replacement of the oil cooler unit.


Thanks for all the replies. I changed the coolant and washed the reservoir, and so far it seems ok. I will keep watching for the presence of oil. In the mean time I got a transmission code :banghead: (posted on a separate thread).