Oil in Water Issue

[Wallboy]

I have a 2004 MK6 Transit which runs at half temperature on the dial. The needle went to 3/4 so I pulled over and checked the expansion tank to find no water but full of oil and the engine had no oil on the dip stick.
I replaced the Oil Cooler, replaced oil filter, filled with 8 litres of oil and started flushing out the water pipes. The oil was only on minimum on the dip stick so I went to get more. The system still had a little oil in the water but was nearly all drained. I have drove it for just over 25 miles with heaters on hot to circulate and try clean all the pipes. I got back from a 25 mile drive and drained and refilled the water pipes again then took it a mile up the road and drained it again but this time instead of the water coming out the radiator being nearly clear it was the colour of a milky drinking chocolate (photo below)

I have added an extra 5 litres of oil and its now showing full on the dip stick. The oil has clearly gone straight in to the water again.

Is this is a head gasket problem or something less severe?

[oOplumberOo]

have you tested the oil cooler for failure? if you got an airline its pretty simple to do , blank off one end of the coolant pipes and then connect the airline to the other pipe with a bit of modifying , submerge the cooler and bubbles should appear from the oil passges if its gone, would help if you can add a pressure guage and shut off valve aswell, that way you can see pressure drop ...

i was going to say its probably residual oil and its mixed with the water becasue of the heat/circulation from use but you said you had to add another 5 litres of oil? , damn! , other then testing the oil cooler so you know for sure its leaking or not im not sure , fyi check out forte bio degreaser , its made for cleaning out oil from cooling systems , good luck!!

[knobby1]

Was the replacement oil cooler a "new" one...??? Or one from a breakers..?

Lord Knobrot

[Wallboy]

I have not tested the oil cooler and it's a brand new one so in theory it should be fine

[Airthies]

I have not tested the oil cooler and it's a brand new one so in theory it should be fine

Wouldnt be the first time a new part is duff but youd hope not.....

[knobby1]

I'd be pulling the thermostat, open the heater tap and do plenty of flushing.....a bit of dish washing liquid in the system may help get rid of the oily sludge too.

Still doesn't explain the use of 13 liters of oil though...

Lord Knobrot

[oOplumberOo]

I have not tested the oil cooler and it's a brand new one so in theory it should be fine

i didnt mean to test the new one , i meant test the old one , if its not leaking then you know 100% that the problem isnt that ,