TECHNICAL BULLETIN

Detecting Coolant Leaks in Engine Oil

Coolant and oil regulate the heat and friction in an engine so it can perform on spec. However,
oil and coolant must remain separate from each other or they will harm the engine.
Approximately 40% of all preventable, premature engine failures can be traced back to cooling
system issues, and many of those cause or are caused by oil and coolant mixing.
Once a mechanical issue or corrosion creates a passageway between the cooling system and
the engine oil, the temperature and pressure changes will move coolant and oil back and forth
through the hole. When coolant glycol enters oil, the chemical reaction attacks engine
bearings and thickens the oil. Oil in coolant impairs the cooling systems ability to remove heat
from the engine, which can create additional holes. These issues will escalate and eventually
the engine will fail.
Oil analysis can detect coolant in engine oil at extremely low levels. Addressing coolant leaks
early will prevent engine damage, greatly reduce repair costs, and avoid unexpected
downtime

What causes an internal coolant leak?

There are several different ways an internal coolant leak can occur.
Engine Overheating Often caused by a bad thermostat, a coolant leak, or a bad
electric cooling fan. When the engine overheats, thermal expansion can crush or
damage portions of the head gasket, allowing coolant to enter the engine via the
cylinder head.
Cracked Cooling Jacket Damage to the cylinder head and/or engine block allows
coolant to flow into the combustion chamber and allows combustion gasses to enter
the cooling system. Coolant in the chamber will dilute the oil to the point where it
cannot protect the piston and rings from wear. A large enough coolant leak may cause
the engine to hydro-lock.
Damaged Lube Cooler Coolant will enter the engine via the oil lube cooler. A faulty
lube cooler can allow a significant amount of coolant to enter the crankcase and
attack the rod and journal bearings, leading to bearing failure and complete engine
replacement.
Worn Seals Similar to cracks in the cooling jacket, a worn head gasket, cylinder
inner seal or injector seal will allow coolant to flow into the engine oil.
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System A leak in an EGR heat exchanger will
introduce coolant into the clean air flowing into a cylinder, which will enter engine oil
via blow-by. In addition, the coolant can damage or adhere to the EGR valve and
disrupt its operations.

How can I tell if I have an internal coolant leak?

There are a few ways fluid analysis typically detects coolant in oil and vice versa:

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Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Emission Spectrometry by ASTM D5185 ICP

instruments quantify the concentration of specific metallic elements in oil, which can
be used to detect the wear metals and additives in oil. This method is used to detect
sodium and potassium, which are carrier salts for coolant inhibitors. If one or both of
the elements is present, you may have a coolant leak. If copper, lead, and/or tin is
present along with sodium and potassium, it indicates the coolant is attacking the
bearings. Immediate investigation is recommended to prevent engine failure. This test
is precise enough to detect the beginning stages of a coolant leak before normal
diagnostics.
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) by ASTM E2412 FTIR
instruments detect the levels of glycol present in the oil by measuring the infrared light
absorbed by the glycol. However, a high presence of water and/or soot will skew the
readings and may report a false positive or a false negative result.
Glycol by ASTM D2982 This basic glycol test is commonly used to detect glycol by
initiating a chemical reaction that changes the color of the oil/chemical solution if
glycol is present. This is normally accomplished by adding a tablet to an oil sample.
However, it can provide false negatives in engine oil because engines operate at high
temperatures and the glycol tends to burn off. It can also produce false positives in
new oil due to small amounts of glycol byproducts present in unused oil.
Ion Chromatography (IC) by ASTM D5827 Advanced coolant testing can detect
the presence of combustion gasses in coolant via IC. If internal combustion gasses
are leaking into the cooling system, coolant is moving into the oil as well. The
combustion by-products will lower the pH, causing the coolant to become acidic and
corrode the cooling system.

Steps to take if fluid analysis determines that there is coolant in your oil:
1. If the leak is small, watch for decreases in coolant level and/or increases in oil level.
2. Perform a coolant pressure test check to make sure there is no coolant pressure loss.
3. If diagnostics indicate problem, it could be due to a leaky head gasket, a cracked
head/block, a leaking oil cooler, worn cylinder inner seals, or a leaking injector seal.
Once the cause has been determined, drain and flush the system(s) before replacing
any necessary parts.
4. Check your cooling system to ensure you have the proper coolant, thermostat, hoses
and cooling fan. Also, check to see if the EGR valve needs to replaced.

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