95 850 t-5 Oil coming from exhaust no smoke.

[T5 Alive]

I have recently purchased this car,it had a crack on the transmission cooling part or the radiator.

My water Bottle is full of cream that suggests to me oil is in the water. In the past I have had a V6 VW which had cream in the water system due to the engine oil cooler malfunctioning and not the Head gasket. there is a film of black oil on the boot from were this is happening whilst running but no Smoke!

I assumed the oil cooler was the problem on my Volvo 850 but they dont appear to have one until the V70 models.

My Question.

Would a cracked Rad allow oil/transmission fluid into the water system? is there anyway that this would allow an oily/water substance to come out of the backbox and not smoke? I am just hoping its not Piston Rings but I assume it would Smoke if this was the case.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[misha]

It can mix transmission oil and coolant since they are sharing the same radiator,but ONLY automatic transmission.
Don't even start the car in this condition untill you solve this or your auto transmission is toast....if not allready.

[T5 Alive]

Thanks for the reply.

Would transmission fluid still turn to cream when it mixes with the hot water?

I have now replaced the Rad and topped up the Gearbox oil Should I start her up and see if it still creams?

would the Rad cause oil to come out of the exhaust?

[erikv11]

Thanks for the reply.

Would transmission fluid still turn to cream when it mixes with the hot water?

I have now replaced the Rad and topped up the Gearbox oil Should I start her up and see if it still creams?

would the Rad cause oil to come out of the exhaust?

(1) Yes

(2) It sounds like the gearbox oil was never turning to cream to anyway, only the cooling system, so there is no danger at all in just starting it up. But watch that gearbox oil. I would start it up and watch the gearbox oil just as carefully as the coolant. Note that it can be difficult to get all of the oil out of the coolant system, there may be some left over and you ay need to flush the system a couple times.

(3) Not likely, sounds like another leak, or maybe there is some smoke you haven't seen.

(4) Your 95 does in fact have an oil cooler, you probably figured that out while changing the rad. Oil cooler is more likely the problem than the trans cooler, the oil cooler lines are much higher pressure. Did you check the oil, is it OK and not chocolate milk colored? It usually is OK when the oil cooler fails in the rad, but worth checking.

[precopster]

It all turns to cream whether trans fluid or engine oil. I've had both scenarios in my cars over the years.

If you place a rag in the froth and then wipe the rag on concrete trans fuid will hardly leave a stain once dry. Engine oil stains concrete.

Not a very scientific test but worked for me on my 960 which had both coolers, though separately fitted.