OIL IN MY COOLANT OF MY 1992 300E 112,000MI.

Sounds like a head gasket is failing judging from the white mist(steam) you described that came from the car. The sealant will probably hold for a while and delay the inevitable major repair. Good Luck Peter

Maybe the Caps Lock on your keyboard has something to do with it? :)

Anyway, if your mechanic dismissed oil in the coolant as inconsequential, he is wrong.

The head gasket is damaged...and will only get worse. Better get it fixed before greater damage is done to the engine.

gamini

I think it is great that he is trying to save you money. However, I agree with Gamini that it will be a bad failure when it goes. head gasket failure can mean having to mill the head back to flatness if it gets too hot and warps. Diesel heads sometimes don't take too kindly to this. I can't remember exctly why, but I think it has to do with how close the coolant passages are to the bottom of the head. I would really suggest having the head gasket done before it does you in first.

Just my two cents.

Good luck, Bill

As with all others, that is a sign of head gasket failure. You can do two types of tests... one is CO detection... if you detect CO in coolant, you got a head gasket problem. Another is more crude... pressurize the cooling system... if pressure keeps going down without any external leak, then you got a head gasket problem.

Well I realize it's best to fix things. But sometimes it depends on other factors. Just to put some perspective on this. I had the same problem with my daughters cavalier, put some gasket sealer in the coolant..... 2 years ago with no further problem. It might give out tomorrow, or last another

cheers, guenter

Yep, but both can tell you no also... If no CO and no pressure leak.... then head gasket is OK.

Any coolant in the engine oil?

Also, consider that the transmission fluid is pumped through the bottom radiator tank to be cooled and that loop could be leaking - transmission fluid into the coolant.

So be sure of the oil source before tearing into anything.