Cooling system

Tiny
PANGURU
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 HOLDEN
  • 1.8L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 88,000 MILES
My Holden Cruze is overheating due to having oil in the coolant. I flushed it with proper flushing solution, in the hope to find out where the oil was coming from. There is sludge in the water reservoir. I checked the dipstick to see if there was sludge at the end, and checked under the oil filler cap, and both were very clean. Yet to check sump oil. There is also a clicking noise around the cooling fan when it starts to overheat. I also want to change the thermostat, but I am not sure where it is. Can you help me please? Cheers.
Sunday, June 4th, 2017 AT 5:57 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
Three possibilities that I can think of. The first is that your radiator has an internal leak, allowing oil to seep into the radiator. Many cars have an oil cooling line that runs through the radiator. Most cars with automatic transmissions have a cooling line for the transmission that runs through there too. Over time, these lines can corrode and start leaking. If the car passes compression tests (as outlined below) then you might have this problem.

The second is that your cylinder head gasket is blown. Generally, when they go bad, you will see water in the engine oil and excessive steam coming from the tailpipe. Or if the gasket is blown in a particular area, it could be allow oil to seep into the cooling system and not really allow coolant into the crankcase. Test by renting a compression tester from the local auto parts store. You take out a fuel pump fuse/relay or unplug the coil, take one spark plug out, hook up the tester, and turn the engine over to get a compression reading. Repeat for all of your cylinders and compare the readings to Holden's specs.

The other possibility is that your intake manifold gasket(s) could be bad. This is only in some vehicles and I am not sure if it applies to yours. You would rent a cooling system tester, take the radiator cap off, hook up the tester, and pump it to whatever pressure Holden specifies (maybe 15psi). Then you look/listen for a leak.

As for the clicking sound, I would have to see and hear it to really be able to guess accurately. It is possible that your cooling fan motor has failed and is making that noise.
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Sunday, June 4th, 2017 AT 7:32 PM
Tiny
PANGURU
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Thanks for your reply Heymen1104. I would just like to add, that the fan is still operating normally when the clicking is happening and it starts clicking as it starts to overheat. Cheers.
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Sunday, June 4th, 2017 AT 9:14 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
I would have to see and hear that clicking to be able to tell what is going on there. But I think the main thing to worry about is how is oil getting into the coolant? You really need to check into it as I have outlined or have a mechanic/mechanically inclined friend look at it.
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Monday, June 5th, 2017 AT 6:43 PM
Tiny
PANGURU
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Thanks for you reply Heyman 1104. I've decided to take your advice and put my car into a Mechanic's Shop. P.S. Sorry, but I'm unable to make a donation today, but I will be, in the future. Most definitely. The world needs people like you's. Very much appreciated. Cheers.
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Tuesday, June 6th, 2017 AT 6:18 PM
Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
No problem Pan.
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Tuesday, June 6th, 2017 AT 7:16 PM

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