i poured oil in my radiator - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

matthufham · 11-19-2009, 01:30 AM

ok here's the situation.. i say i'm going to install a new temp sensor, and top off the old radiator. picked up the bottle of antifreeze and poured, then noticed it was old motor oil in the bottle not antifreeze after pouring a few cups worth. i put the hose in the radiator and flushed out some of the floating oil, but there's still some in there. that was actually 2 days ago and it hasn't had a cooling issue, but is this going to be a problem if i don't flush it?

Bullydawg · 11-19-2009, 01:51 AM

It isn't too hard to flush it... Better safe than sorry. It could mess with the sensors... I am not positive though.

DARKmj16 · 12-31-2009, 01:03 PM

i would think it would oil the water pump

but ya i think it could affect the sensors. and ya i would flush it, simple, easy, and quick.

hmm just a tought but if oil gets to hot doesnt boil/burn? umm thinking like that you may want to flush now.

ATX-Iroc · 12-31-2009, 08:56 PM

theres a drain plug on the bottom of the passenger side on the radiator that way you get most of it out.

DBLTKE · 01-08-2010, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DARKmj16

i would think it would oil the water pump

but ya i think it could affect the sensors. and ya i would flush it, simple, easy, and quick.

hmm just a tought but if oil gets to hot doesnt boil/burn? umm thinking like that you may want to flush now.

exactly how cool do you think it is inside the engine?

mmadden55 · 01-08-2010, 05:11 PM

It will goo up your water passages if you don't flush it out soon.

DARKmj16 · 01-08-2010, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBLTKE

exactly how cool do you think it is inside the engine?

32 degrees? atleast thats wut mine is bc i havent started it today

i dont get the question

DAREDEVIL 1 · 01-08-2010, 05:58 PM

Sorry, but i have to say this...........i just laughed like hell , with my wife because i read in the shop manual i bought yesterday :

Do not pour oil in radiator , do not mistake tranny dipstick with engine oil dipstick, do nut pour break fluid in the power steering res and vise versa .

We laughed so freak'n hard and i said ,,,ONLY IN AMERICA,,,how would somebody do this????

And know,,,,,,,,,i read this !! TOOOOOOOOO FUNNY !!!!

articwhiteZ · 01-08-2010, 06:04 PM

your not the first to do that... and will not be the last..

this is a trick that a got from a radiator shop...

Drain your Radiator.
fill with fresh water only.

then add 2OZ (about a shot Grass full) of Dawn Dish Soap.
to you Radiator.

drive for 30 min. your going to see alot of stuff come out.
more then OIL if its not clean.. after.. it will be clean

flush with fresh water you will see stuff. you did know wnow was in there.

drain.. and refill with antifreez.

camaronewbie · 01-08-2010, 06:28 PM

Will the dawn dishsoap make bubbles?

I saw a Unique Whips show where they added a bubble-maker to the exhaust of something, so at idle the car made bubbles.

But that was my first thought too - add some Dawn to the system and run it at op temps - even if it did make bubbles in the cooling system, sooner or later it would stop bubbling and a good flushing and refill would remove the Dawn residue.

Not sure where you're at - but with most of the country in a freeze, make sure you don't forget to get antifreeze back into the system before it sits again!

articwhiteZ · 01-08-2010, 06:55 PM

it will not bubble up that much. not that much air in your radiator

Norwood · 01-16-2010, 01:15 PM

if you are worried about the bubbles, you could use dishwasher soap or laundry soap. Both are very low in suds and better detergents.

TraviZ · 01-16-2010, 01:38 PM

sensors in your coolant stream are just thermoswitches. oil wont do a thing to them. that much I do know. What other effects, I do not know..

91interceptorZ · 01-16-2010, 02:46 PM

just a couple cups probably won't do anything but affect the coolant properties (like freezing point temp).....If you want it flushed, open your drain on the radiator on driver's side bottom, run car with that draining, and keep adding water to radiator. Then drain all water out, and refill with coolant. simple.

If you want to do it the correct way, go to a shop, have them flush it with a power flush machine. They will use cleaner with the machine.
You'll be fine either way....it's worse to put coolant in the oil than other way around.

Firebat · 01-16-2010, 03:41 PM

Tip: Label your old containers that have used oil in them or different fluid with a magic marker. Label all the sides and put a big X on the cap. For black containers, use a silver magic marker. Its helped me before, not only from pouring the wrong fluid in, but also by knowing how much of a certain fluid I had in the garage so I could determine if I needed to buy some more or not.