Milky Oil (Please help)

[mickelson 0]

I have lost a little coolant over the last month or so(down to minimum)and have seen a little bit of emulsification in the filler cap. i know these can be the signs of the head gasket on its way. Is this common on a VR6 with 75k on the clock. It had a miniscule amount when I bought it 18 months ago and I put it down to the fact that it had been sat for a while and the weather was quite damp at time. After test drive and throughout warrenty it never appeared !!! Any reassurance would be greatfully appreciated.

[mightyvr6 0]

Have a feel of your coolant hoses when the car has warmed up. If they are bullet hard it could well be the head gasket if you have all the other symptoms. The best way to find out is to use a c02 tester which sniffs for exhaust gases in your expansion tank.

[tommy 0]

If you do a lot of short journeys you can get a bit milky in the top of the oil filler cap?but that will normally go after its had a good run,... if you have no leaks and it has to be topped up once a month, the water must be going some where?(engine &| ).......like mighty said you need to get it checked out with a c02 tester as this should give you an indication of what?s going on.....have you noticed any running problems since the coolant loss!

[mickelson 0]

Not really, little bit lumpy on tickover but hardly noticable. I havent had to replenish any water but it has found its way to the min mark over the last month or so. Do at least 1 hour to work each day ,so not exactly short journey. Can get hold of CO2 tester. will try that, thanks for help. Mick

[Nerih 0]

good luck bud, its better to find the answer quickly, letting water into ur cylinder chamber isnt really advised, it can warp it quite quickly, get it checked out m8.

[VR6Pete 1,455]

a C02 tester will tell you if it had gone, my headgasket was fooked wen i took it off @ 80k on the clock, in-fact, i was able to poke my finger through it! all running sweet now tho!

[mickelson 0]

having done a few head gaskets b4 i am well aware of the type of job but not on this engine. wots involved with this lump, any main probs at all. does the head always need skimming on these lumps??

[VR6Pete 1,455]

mine needed skimming, you'll find that the majority of VR6's seep from the drivers side corner of the head. while your doing the headgasket, take the opertunity to check chains/guides etc... however, your's shouldnt need it doing at 75k, unless it's had a ruff life!.

[acf8181 0]

its not that hard to do a HG change on the vr6...i've done it. that was when i noticed the condition of my chain guides . only thing you'll have to do extra is to bleed the cam tensioner bolt on refitting. my head didn't need skimming.

[mickelson 0]

even if i take the head off, am I right in saying that I still cant change the chains etc unless i take the gearbox off?

[corradogang* 0]

the symptoms sound exactly like mine arnt these vr6`s unreliable ? i only had it done 14 months ago!

[VR6Pete 1,455]

you will find that all cars suffer from a headgasket failiure at some point in their life!

[corradogang* 0]

how do u skim a head anyway?

[acf8181 0]

even if i take the head off' date=' am I right in saying that I still cant change the chains etc unless i take the gearbox off?[/quote']

no, you can only change the top runner, and bolt tensioner without removing gearbox.

you will find that all cars suffer from a headgasket failiure at some point in their life!

i wouldn't go as far to say 'all'' date=' but i'd deffo say 'most'

and it can be at any mileage...for example my mums car the h/g went at 55k, i fixed it myself and its still running well. also, when i worked at vauxhall they used to have almost new cars come back for h/g repair all the time.

[ Edited Sun Dec 12 2004, 09:32AM ']

[mickelson 0]

corradogang* wrote: how do u skim a head anyway?

You have to take it to a company that has a milling machine. they can test it on a true flat surface and confirm if it is warped at all. they then run it under a milling machine and take off as little as possible to ensure a true flat surface, voila all done!! not normally too expensive.

[bazz780 0]

i have VERY minimal water loss, the other day took the oil cap off to top up oil and there was some milky residue on it, i was sooo pi**ed off, but in the meantime i cleaned the cap and but it back on, to see if it appears again, the fumes from my exhaust do smell a bit chemically though and in the last meet i went to my VR was smoking more than anyone elses on the cold evening, im fed up of putting money into the car..... gona be getting married soon as well so got more priorities (notice i say more priorities not BIGGER priorities lol)

[mickelson 0]

Just got married mate, my car doesnt seem as important to her as her horse bloody does. Women are difficult to understand. (apologies if any women reading this) My Vr has exactly the same symptoms, i am desperately trying to sort out some floor space to do the job myself. Not successful at the mo. x)