Coolant getting into engine oil

is the car a auto if it is then mabey its the rad at fault yes lanny hydrocarbon check is the right way foward along with what he has done with compresion test but if it is a auto its almost certinaly the rad

Laneystrider and adamsky01, thanks for your replies. Still not sure i know how the engine oil is getting contaminated with coolant. Yes, I have done (more than one) coolant pressure test; the pressure drops fairly quickly. With a leak (somewhere) into the engine oil this is not surprising. As the cylinder compressions are all OK, there is no white smoke, and performance is good it doesn't give the symptoms of head gasket failure. (Had a head gasket failure on a previous engine and one cylinder showed zero compression.) Not had a hydrocarbon test so far. Presumably hydrocarbons will escape from coolant as bubbles. Cannot see any. Have access to an exhaust analyser that gives hydrocarbon (HC) reading. Wonder if this will detect any? (I know when we acquired it we were told it will detect HC if leaking from manifold gaskets etc. Yes, the car is an auto, but not convinced that is the problem. Agree that coolant can get contaminted from faulty rad, but expect this to be auto trans fluid not engine oil. The reference in my note to a oil cooler, is the engine oil cooler, not either of the transmission oil coolers. Thanks again guys, and still searching for the answer!!

I think I was half asleep when I last replied; so sorry Laney strider, I did overlook the link. Before going into engine dismantling I think I will temporarily remove the engine oil cooler and see if that cures the problem (more in hope than expectation! - as have already tried a second cooler). Don't think it can be the inlet manifold, as the manifold is of the 'dry' type i.e. coolant does not flow through it. Again, thanks for the comments.

If its a mild water leak. Try adding some K seal. This has been known to cure some mild head gasket problems (laney try it yourself). I had quite a leak from my waterpump last week. Added K seal and touch would so far leak has stopped. Also this stuff stays circulating and carrys on plug'ing (welding) holes aswell. Try it guys. You might like it :) Justin

Try a Google search for Volvo core plugs or do a search here on the forum. There were a number of threads returned covering various aspects of core plug design, type and replacement. This was for core plugs both in the cylinder heads and also the engine block. The cylinder head core plugs seem to require this to be done with the heads removed. The work seems to be along the lines of rip it out and hammer in the replacement (adding some sealant). I had this done to a B28E engine but it was left to the dealers at the time.

This is my first post here...I had same problem with 1984 B28E 260. I would think the problem is caused by the seals on the bottom of the wet cylinder liners. At one time I thought of filling the rad with engine oil instead of water!!! I managed to keep the situation under control by using John Deere Coolant...fantastic stuff. In the end the Auto box blew up and I scrapped the car. I am sure that the coolant/oil problem had nothing to do with box failure. As I am sure you know, to replace the seals is an Engine out job. I lived with this problem for years with my 260. I often wondered whether there was a endoscope that you could poke up through the drain plug and presurerise the coolant to see leakage. There is no way to examine inside the engine without taking the engine out. You could then remove the sump and pressurise the block with a bit of ingenuity. I drove a 760 once or twice and I loved them.