purchased a 2009 with around 1300 hrs. Doing an oil change at 1500 hrs, was pouring oil from one bucket to another and noticed a very small amount, maybe a total of 5ml of neon green coolant in the bottom. just enough to make a small green streak near the end. I've checked oil regularly, smells good, constant level, same with the coolant. oil is not getting milky. some black smoke when I start the machine and very little when put under a heavy load, but no white. what's everyone's thoughts on anything else to check or do going forward? keep an eye on things and keep running it? I only use it about 7 hrs a week to pic things up and move them around
Welcome to HEF woodduckhunter ! I would suggest at this point to keep running it but keep a real close watch on it. Before you start the machine when it is cold check under the radiator cap for an oil film on top of the coolant. I would also take an oil sample of the engine oil in the engine after it is warmed up to see if it gets flagged for coolant. The only two areas in that engine for oil/coolant transfer are the engine oil cooler and a frost plug that is under the timing gear cover.
Also, a periodic check, at the drain plug is in order. Loosen drain plug, water/coolant will wick around threads, and leak out, first. If upon continued monitoring, this continues, I'd test at radiator, with combustion gas leak detector kit, to see if it is possibly a HG issue...
I'm leaning towards the head gasket.. RE-torque.. I'd do the rad. pressure check before AND after.. but I wouldn't stop using it..
ok, thanks for the replies guys. I had never had this come up with any other equipment. have got oil in the coolant more than once.... I was hoping it may be something smaller similar to what mg said. I always thought that a bad head gasket would put oil in the coolant because the oil pressure is higher than the water psi???
The entire coolant system is pressurized. Only part of the oil system is pressurized - oil return is through gravity. So it depends where the head gasket leaks. Usually it's between the cylinder and coolant passage, which lets coolant into the cylinder, down past the rings and into the oil pan. Happens after you shut the machine off and the coolant still has pressure. Can also happen between a coolant passage and oil return, but more rare.
Cannot re-torque....torque turn bolts. Good call Dave. I should have listed that on my initial post .... Phil is correct. If one of the items I mentioned are defective then you would definitely have oil in your coolant. If your coolant is oil free then it won't be the cooler/frost plug.
Ok so this one has pressurized coolant, I wonder if you could get more life outta the HG, if you dumped in some blue devil block sealer, and after doing that, each time you shut it off, release the pressure cap?