Renault Clio Has Water In The Engine Oil – What Caused This?

Reader Question
Austin,

I have a Renault Clio. I discovered I had a leak when the water kept running down very quickly, and the car was overheating. One day it completely conked out. I was advised to use radwell. This seems to have worked for a while, but I now have a problem…my husband has found oil in the water.

He says that the water is used for the cooling system, and somewhere along the line there must be a hole but he does not know much about cars. Do you have any ideas? Thanks, Kim
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Kim,

Sounds like you probably have a “blown” head gasket which is allowing antifreeze to seep into the internal parts of your engine and mix with the engine oil. This is a serious and expensive condition.

I would have a mechanic do a “pressure test” of your cooling system and verify my diagnosis of a possible head gasket problem. You can then have the engine torn down and have the head gasket replaced (and I highly recommend asking your mechanic to do a valve job on the cylinder head once it is removed). This procedure is the proper way to repair the problem, but will probably cost $1000 minimum.

There is a cheap and easy alternative…at least it is an option that might work, and won’t do any harm if it does not.

1. Buy a can of K&W Engine Block Seal additive from your local auto parts store.
2. Drain out ALL antifreeze from the radiator.
3. Add the can of Block Sealer to your radiator and top off with tap water.
4. Drive car for about 500 miles or so.
5. Drain radiator and refill with the proper amount of antifreeze.

During these 500 miles you will NOT have freeze or overheating protection—since there is no antifreeze—so if it is snowing where you are, park your car in a garage at night to prevent freezing.

You also need to repair the original problem—the leak or whatever caused the overheating and damage to the head gasket in the first place…or it will happen again.

Blessings,

Austin C. Davis