Why is there oil in my BMW 318's radiator?
Asked by Nkosazana
I saw oil in the radiator of my BMW 318. What might be the cause?
Answered by CarsGuide
1 Nov 2024There are two likely suspects here. The first is a blown head gasket which is allowing the oil and coolant to mix. Sometimes this shows up as oil in the coolant, sometimes as coolant in the oil. Sometimes both.
But before tearing the engine to pieces to change the gasket, it’s worth checking if the car is fitted with either an engine or transmission oil cooler. These often use the engine’s coolant to keep the oil or transmission fluid cool, and a failed one can allow the two fluids to mix, showing up as oil in the radiator or header tank.
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