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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: briandownunda on April 11, 2008, 08:42:31 pm

Title: oil in coolant '89 Jetta diesel
Post by: briandownunda on April 11, 2008, 08:42:31 pm

I have found oil in the coolant in the expansion tank.  Can I assume that this is from a bad head gasket or is there another way for this to happen ?  How harmful is this ?

Thanks in advance !

Title: oil in coolant '89 Jetta diesel
Post by: Vincent Waldon on April 11, 2008, 08:54:51 pm

Two other possibilities:

- crack in the block between an oil gallery and the coolant passages

- if your car is a turbo it has an water/oil heat exchanger... they can develop leaks

Compression test and/or leakdown test is a good next step if you don't have the water/oil heat exchanger.