Hello there.

Our Octy 1.9TDi has just a had a new engine fitted (please see: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/octavia/epic-oil-leak-saga/74863/#post880151) and it is lovely to have it back all bright and shiny, etc.

However - yesterday my wife started her up and got the coolant temperature alarm binging her. I looked in the coolant header tank and saw what I think was a few wispy bits of oil floating on the surface of the coolant. Plus, a wispy bit stuck onto the sensor prongs.

Using a specialised tool (baby's spoon) I scooped up the wispy oil and using a second specialised tool (cotton wool pad held with tweezers) I wiped off of the wispy bit from the sensor probes.

Restarted and oil is well - and has been since. No further oil apparent in coolant yet, although we have not been any distance.

This car has had what seems like every possible gasket changed as well as a new engine so I cannot believe it is a head gasket problem. I am thinking (and I am no mechanic) that there has been a tiny bit of cross contamination of fluids during all the work that was done and that - hopefully - there should be no further repetition. This view is shared by the dealer.

Any thoughts welcome ...

Best,

D.

Sounds feasible. Only time will tell.

it may just be a one off, some oil crept in during fitting of the engine. If it doesnt occur again all is well.

That's plausible, but tell the supplier in writing, just in case it's a gasket.

Also worth telling them as you'll want a new header tank at some point as the oil will cause the coolant light to come on at some stage due to lack of electrical flow due to the crud building up on the contacts.

Aaaah - this is sage advice, as always. Thank you gentlemen - will keep you posted.

Bing - bing - bing ...

... kept doing it, so went back into garage yesterday. Coolant bottle replaced and refilled - also got given remainder of G12 bottle which was a bonus.

All sorted.

It can take ages to flush oil out of the coolant system - it gets everywhere.