I have a 1998 Cobra, 114K miles on it. A few weeks ago I noticed oil had spilled on the driveway. I found it was coming from the coolant tank, somehow the oil was being pushed into the radiator, and forced out the cap. I had the oil cooler where the oil filter screws into replaced, along with a new radiator and overflow tank. Today, when I checked the coolant, I noticed it was low, and once again there is oil in the cooling system. I checked the oil, and it's low. I can assume that oil is still being pushed into the cooling system. I don't see signs of water in the oil, just oil in the radiator. The engine runs smooth, and I haven't got any codes thrown, check engine light isn't on. Question is, if it wasn't the oil cooler that was bad, what else could be bad?

 

Welcome to MF! ....is it possible that you have a blown head gasket?

 

ya my first guess would been the oil cooler...but i go along with tim on this one and the only other way would be blown head gasket...you wouldnt get a code from that and it wouldnt necesarrily run rough if its soo small...it is wierd to see oil in the water but maybe a increases throttle with thin oil it has enough pressue to blow past the gasket into the cooling system but not enough for you to see the white smoke

 

I'll go with this, not that it can't be the head gasket but 4V head gaskets are fairly strong.

 

I can see water in the oil easily with the pressure difference of the systems, a small leak would back it more too. You have to remember that the cooling system at max may reach 18psi, while the oil system easily can reach 75+psi. I believe it is a gasket failure, the normal indications being water in oil, oil in water, and smoke from the exhaust.

 

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but that usually would mean bad gasket, or something cracked. ( heads or block)

 

I'd start with the oil cooler. Then the gaskets.