Bubbles in oil

[78 280zcar]

What does it mean when there is tiny little bubbles in the oil or on the dipstick when I pull it out. Also would anybody know about the lock up on an automatic tranny, a mechanic I took it to told me about it but didnt explain it very well, and my car has been overheating still and I was thinking it could be the lock up on the tranny. Thanks

[sblake01]

I don't like the sound of 'tiny bubbles in the oil"! Could be a head gasket which would also be the cause of your overheating. Are there bubbles in the coolant or any evidence of coolant in the oil or vice versa? I'm not that knowledgeable on auto trannys but I doubt if it could be the cause of your overheating problem. (Somebody check me here if I'm wrong)

[78 280zcar]

I hope it isnt a blown head gasket :stupid: so you think that could be why it is overheating, whats the best way to check to see if it is blown, do a compression test or is there another way. Thanks for the help.

[zeiss150]

you have a blown head gasket my friend. Sorry for the bad news. The "bubbles" are actualy Water, if you look really close at them they should be green, like your anifreez. A blown head gasket will make you over heat for sure. As far as checking for it make sure that it is water in the oil. Drain your oil in to a pan the water will settel to the bottom and the oil will float to the top. another way is to check the water in your radiator. Open the cap and look for oil floating at the top of the coolent. you can also to a compression test. if two cylinders next to eachother have low compression compaired to the rest of the cylinders then you have a head gasket leak between thoes two cylinders.

Good luck, Matt-

[2ManyZs]

Most likely it is, but, if the oil looks like the froth on top of a cappuchinno or whatever that "stuff" is that Starbucks sells, it could be as simple as a worn oil pump that is cavitating and filling the oil with air too, or a clogged oil pickup could do it as well....

You could also test it by doing a leak down test on the radiator, pressurize it, and if it leaks down with no obvious signs of leakage on the outside of the engine or around the heater inside, it's probably the head gasket. If you pressurize the rad, and it loses pressure no signs of leakage, you should find evidence of fresh coolant on the dipstick that will be unmistakeable.

[78 280zcar]

OHH BOY!!! I just got done changing the head gasket on my chevy luv also, (come to find out that that wasnt even the problem). I did check the oil right after I had ran it and it was kinda overheating. How should I check it should I check it cold to see if there is coolant in there or should I check it hot. Is it pretty hard to change a head gasket on one of these cars? Thanks, Shane

[zeiss150]

I would check the oil when its cold. If you warm it up you will mix up the oil and coolent and it will make your oil a light brown color (if there is a lot of coolent in there) when you drain the oil out of enigne you should look for water as soon as the drain plug comes out. As far as chainging the head gasket you should be able to do in in an afternoon. I would think it would be much easer than a V6. The one thing you must make sure of is that you DO NOT DROP THE TIMING CHAIN !!!! If you drop it you just added another afternoon to the job. If your going to do it yourself you should get this book ...

"how to rebuild your nissan datsun OHC engine" by Tom monroe.

Its a great book It will take you through the top end rebuild step by step.

good luck Matt-

[frank13]

It means you've had one too many drinks with Don Ho!

It might also mean that you've overfilled the sump with oil. This foaming bubble affect is called Airreation. Were there is too much oil and the extra oil works in reverse of helping out it screws the preasure and delivery up because the rotating assembly is pumping through so much oil it starts to much in air which also leads to cavitation through the oil pump, more bubbles. And all this air and bubbles leads to the seperation of the protective layer of oil from the metal parts that need it. O yeah less cooling going on as well. If you check the oil dipstick or filler cap and got the Hershey squirts (intermix) your leaking either oil out into the cooling sytem through the head or block and back or leaking coolant into the block and or head and back. If neither you could be venting combustion gases either through oil passeges or check you radiator while the car is running (cap off). If there is also bubbles in there your gasing into the coolant system through coolant passeges. Do a compression test. Hey what's up zeiss150. Don't have a 40 or 30 Wide Angle laying around that you don't want do you? !!! :devious:

[Fun_in_my_z]

i dont wanna give you any bad thoughts but ive seen them bubles before. we pulled the head to change the gasket and dicover a crack in the block big enough to put a penny in.

i hope this isnt your prob. good luck let us know how it turns out.

[zeiss150]

hey frank, If im gonna spend $6900 its gonna be on my ZZZZZZZZ

Matt

[78 280zcar]

Well guys I checked my dipstick and it looks like reguler oil to me there is no water in it, its not milky or anything lioke that. What would be an easy way to check to see if the oil pump is working. Thanks for the help.

[zeiss150]

did you drain the oil out of the engine to make sure that the water hasn't settelled to the bottom of the oil pan? Maybe you did doge the bullet:ermm: is your radiator good? Bad oil pump? bad water pump?

Good luck, Matt-