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Water In Oil Vs. Oil In Water

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by blown240, Mar 24, 2011.

  1. blown240
    Joined: Aug 2, 2005
    Posts: 1,814

    blown240
    Member
    from So-cal

    I have water in my oil on my 350 sbc. My buddy has oil in his water on his 400 sbc. So that got us to thinging why sometimes the oil ends up in the water, and other times the water in the oil. What are the differences between these two scenarios? Seems like if there is a place where the fluids can mix, then they could go both ways.
     
  2. wingedexpress
    Joined: Dec 24, 2006
    Posts: 893

    wingedexpress

    Depends on where the leak is and what kind of leak such as head gasket or a crack and pressure behind the leak.
     
  3. 69fury
    Joined: Feb 24, 2009
    Posts: 1,452

    69fury
    Member

    intake to lifter valley: water in oil
    head gasket or cracked block/head can go either way depending on if the oil side is pressurized by the oil galleys.

    rick
     
  4. 61bone
    Joined: Feb 12, 2005
    Posts: 890

    61bone
    Member

    depends on the location and which has the most pressure.
     

  5. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    Oil in water could be ATF from the internal radiator trans cooler. Commonly overlooked.
     
  6. deuce354
    Joined: Feb 9, 2005
    Posts: 304

    deuce354
    Member

    X2 See it all the time . We have a auto service center
     
  7. oil pressure greater than water = oil in water
    water pressure greater than oil = water in oil
     
  8. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    What difference does it make? Time for some repairs anyways so who cares.
     
  9. 76cam
    Joined: Sep 30, 2010
    Posts: 643

    76cam
    Member

    Yep both suck no matter how you look at it.......
     
  10. blown240
    Joined: Aug 2, 2005
    Posts: 1,814

    blown240
    Member
    from So-cal

    True, but its always nice to have the info. Thanks!
     
  11. Brad54
    Joined: Apr 15, 2004
    Posts: 6,021

    Brad54
    Member
    from Atl Ga

    I popped the head gasket on a Slant Six Duster I drove home from LA to NE Georgia three years ago. It was in the desert, and I could see the steam Old Faithfulling out the front, between block and head.
    After things cooled down, I checked the oil... no water in oil. Checked the radiator... a little oil in the coolant.
    So I said screw it and continued on my way and got all the way home... where the headgasket let loose because the water pump died the following saturday after I figured out the ignition problem that caused the overheating.

    That one emptied the radiator, but again, nothing in the oil.

    -Brad
     
  12. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    I'll take oil in my water any day. I drove my old datsun a couple months with oil in the water... just pull over and drain the milkshake out of the radiator and refill with water couple of times a week.
     
  13. Destralo Roach
    Joined: Mar 27, 2006
    Posts: 521

    Destralo Roach
    Member

    Yeah, my 85 s10 has had a head crack since I got it two years ago, oil in the water, just drain it a replace once in a while, but on my HotRods I would fix it..........Roach.
     

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