OH NO!!!! Oil in radiator

[benckj]

What exactly fails in the cooler? Is there some preventative maintenance that can be done to prevent a future fail?

[mr_bosman]

In my case, pin holes in the core.

I've still got the failed part, looks like corrosion either from bad/incorrect coolant or bad/incorrect oil.

[Doowrag]

Wow so if the dipstick is showing no oil does that mean 9-10L of oil is now in the cooling system?

Seems there's a high risk of seizing the engine if thats the case...

[Troy711]

With mine it ended up pumping all the oil into the cooling system, in tobthe overflow bottle and out the hose in the cap

[4ndy]

Wow so if the dipstick is showing no oil does that mean 9-10L of oil is now in the cooling system?

Seems there's a high risk of seizing the engine if thats the case...

Usually (although I don't know for definite for the Pajero), the difference between the max and min on a dipstick is roughly 1 litre.

[NTChariot]

So this happened to me on Tuesday morning (3-12-19) after driving home from work late the night before. So didn’t notice anything in the dark. I discovered it after noticing drops of oil in the driveway in front of the garage in the morning. The same symptoms here. Black syrup in the coolant overflow reservoir.
A call to the NRMA and it was straight to the Mitsubishi workshop on a tilt tray. At first they wanted to charge me $950 for exploratory surgery on the heads and block. Today they rung me to advise further inspection had revealed a failure of the oil cooler. +/-$3800.00 to have the whole thing drained, flushed, cleaned and fixed..... and I’ll have to wait until early January. Service dept fully booked before Chrissy.
Merry Christmas!

[spot01]

Sorry for your predicament.


Are you the original owner & if so is it still in the 10 year powertrain warranty?

[Jasonmc73]

My thoughts personally would be any mechanic worth his papers could do this job & probably a whole lot cheaper per hour than Mitsubishi dealer or any dealer for that matter.

But maybe now it is at Mitsubishi dealer including the tow to someone who has time you'll probably come out similar price including tow anyhow? Might put you $ 150 extra allowing say $300 for the tow that is worse case.

If you really want to have it fixed sooner, no need to pay a dealer in my opinion in about 95% of instances?

Did they advise you before they took on the job, they would fix it next year?

If not I would be more than upset.

How much are the parts? $1500ish for cooler??? If that is the case fair bit of fat there $2300 labour ouch!!!

At $140 per hour being a dealer probably the case even allow $1800 parts is still 14 hours labour.

[NTChariot]

I haven’t given them the job yet. I’d like to see a written itemised quote first, including a warranty claim for parts to Mitsubishi which the service manager is going to make on my behalf. Should find out more tomorrow.

[old Jack]

How have they proved that it is a faulty oil cooler rather than a faulty gasket or o-ring?.
What is the condition of the engine oil?

It will take quite a few engine oil & filter changes, and coolant changes to eliminate the contamination from both the lubricating and cooling systems, so the cost of consumables and labour could be high. Best guess would be about $700 a change and best case may be 2 complete changes but 3 or 4 are more likely.

Gasket kit is about $50 for aftermarket so expect about 2x-3x for genuine.
EGR cooler online is about $600 so genuine could be between $900 and $1500.

OJ.

[NTChariot]

........ the service manager advises that they need the car for 3 full days to perform the clean and repair. Most of the cost is labour. It’d be an easier pill to swallow if Mitsubishi covered the cost of parts that FAILED eg $1500 oil cooler.

[Jasonmc73]

How have they proved that it is a faulty oil cooler rather than a faulty gasket or o-ring?.
What is the condition of the engine oil?

It will take quite a few engine oil & filter changes, and coolant changes to eliminate the contamination from both the lubricating and cooling systems, so the cost of consumables and labour could be high. Best guess would be about $700 a change and best case may be 2 complete changes but 3 or 4 are more likely.

Gasket kit is about $50 for aftermarket so expect about 2x-3x for genuine.
EGR cooler online is about $600 so genuine could be between $900 and $1500.

OJ.

I have no doubt at al as you point out, the cost charged per litre for oil at dealerships + their specialist fee labour fees & parts charges etc it will be quite expensive.
But when you pay a premium & quite A large premium generally I might add, for what they sell as "specialist service", I would be besdie myself they'll fix it next year.
I'd almost walk on broken glass not to give them the job, if I had suitable option that is

But yeah thats just me & gladly everyone is different.

[old Jack]

Hi Jason,

I agree with the not paying the huge prices some service departments and mechanics are charging. Over quoting a job and then doing the bare minimum seems to be a common practice, hence my comments about how do they know the oils cooler is leaking rather than one of the numerous the oil cooler gasket?

Insufficient and incorrect diagnosis of problems is very common, the mentality of just keep on replacing things until the problem is solved is rife, all at the expense of the owner. Unfortunately many mechanics and the businesses they work for are are just service mechanics and parts replacers, very few really know how to troubleshoot correctly and efficiently.

OJ.

[NTBenny]

Might save you a few bucks if you supply the oil cooler assembly.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mitsubishi-Pajero-NS-3-2-Litre-Heat-Exchanger-NEW-refer-description/113947503915?hash=item1a87cced2b:g:pBYAAOSwwRRdvoIq&frcectupt=true

Benny.

[Jasonmc73]

Hi Jason,

I agree with the not paying the huge prices some service departments and mechanics are charging. Over quoting a job and then doing the bare minimum seems to be a common practice, hence my comments about how do they know the oils cooler is leaking rather than one of the numerous the oil cooler gasket?

Insufficient and incorrect diagnosis of problems is very common, the mentality of just keep on replacing things until the problem is solved is rife, all at the expense of the owner. Unfortunately many mechanics and the businesses they work for are are just service mechanics and parts replacers, very few really know how to troubleshoot correctly and efficiently.

OJ.

Yes efficiency bonus along with upsell bonus is great for dealers.
How do you earn bonus's, sell work (upsell) & have more hours charged against your name than worked = 110% efficient.

Skill, It's a real problem in Aussie & computer diagnosis has taken diagnostics skills away, in some instances, the $25 award rate when mines can pay far more as example.
Not many rocket scientist's will work for $25 an hourish.
K.I.S.S is out the window with diagnostics!!