Oil in Radiator?

[Kansas52B3B]

Was looking at a 1949 1/2 ton and the man who owned it said that when he` bought it it had oil, or something like oli, in the radiator. Sure enough, when he stuck his finger in the neck of the radiator it had a black oil looking substance on it.

Pulled the dipstick and there's no sign of water in the oil.

Any ideas of what might be in the radiator or how oil would end up there?

[HanksB3B]

I hope it's no reflection on me, but I've known people mechanically un-inclined enough to think the radiator is where you are supposed to add the oil.

Hank

Edited March 27, 2010 by HanksB3B

[carl b51]

This might be what you found, I remember my Dad telling about using Kerosene as antifreeze on the farm ,back when. Just a shot in the dark. Carl

[MBF]

Was the viscosity that of oil or just the color? I'd crack one of the drain petcocks and see what comes out from the lowest area of the cooling system. It might just be a skim that floated to the top of the cooling system. Mike

[Reg Evans]

Does it run ? Is it firing on all 6 ? If it runs warm it up and do a compression check.

[greg g]

I read somewhere that applications used kerosene or light oil in cooling systems in the winter rather than the alcohol based antifreeze. Before you think of that as strange what is in a coil or transformer for cooling, what does the thing that cools your transmission fluid look like? Engine oil's secondary purpose is to cool the engine. So we know it is a fluid that has thermodynamic properties just like water or propolene glycol.

I think this may have been used more in stationary diesels or railroad diesel electrics.

[Flatie46]

A fellow once told me when I had a water pump leaking, that by putting oil or trans fluid in the radiator it would swell the seal and stop the leak. I didn't try it, I bought a pump.

[brian hood]

Most coolant systems run at about 16 to 18 LBS. Oil pressure is at least 30 or more lbs. Since the oil is a higher pressure, it will usually push its self into a coolant system if there is a small leak in the head gasket or something like that.

Edited March 29, 2010 by brian hood
spelling

[MBF]

The systems in these trucks are non pressurized, and having just done a valve job in my '52 I don't recall any oil passages going from the block to the head-there's nothing in the head requiring lubrication that I'm aware of. In an overhead valve engine yes but not these. I think you'd be more likely to have coolant in the oil on a flathead than vice versa, and maybe some spent combustion gases in the coolant. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Mike

[Kansas52B3B]

The gentleman was interested in selling it. He bought it a few years ago at an estate and never got it running. He offered right away about the oil in the radiator. I don't have any reason to expect it has any serious engine issues. I'm going back out to take a good look at it. I'll see if I can get it to turn over.

[pflaming]

I lived in central Kansas in the '60's. Maybe it was just old Kansas water!!!! Took a week for the bowels to adjust, nasty stuff.

[Dave72dt]

Some of the coolant "leak repair in a can" products will leave a film of residue floating on top. I don't know if those engines had a greasable water pump or not. Ones that do could have been overgreased and pushed grease past the internal seal. There's nothing else in the engine that could possible push oil into the coolant that wouldn't result in coolant in the pan. Auto trans with a cooler in the rad could leak oil into coolant. That should cover most of the possibilities, all that I can think of anyway.

[Dave72dt]

Just reread the original post. Pulling the dipstick to check for water won't always indicate no water. Oil will come to the top and the chocolate look can go away if it' been setting for a long time. Pull the plug. If you 've got water it'll be the first to come out.