HELP --- V6 4motion Engine oil in coolant

[katmart]

Please help, I am sure Crasher will know this.
My 2002 V6 4motion just started leaking under the car. It is oily and coming from the coolant reservoir. It has never overheated so I am hoping it is not the headgasket.
Is this likely to be headgasket or oil cooler? It never uses any oil but when I checked it on the weekend it was about 1/2 litre low (must have just started). What sort of job is it todo headgasket or oil cooler and roughly how much?
Any advise appreciated.

[katmart]

Can anyone help?

[Crasher]

An oil cooler is relatively easy to do and I suspect that is your problem, do the cooler first and see how it goes. To get the oil out of the coolant you will need a cleaner and Merc dealers sell a citric acid based cleaner that works very well but I use Flash.

[katmart]

Thanks Crasher, is the oil cooler a job you have done on a V6 yourself and how common is it do you know? I have ordered the parts from local VW dealer who do not stock it and say it is not a big seller. I will attempt it at the weekend, have you any tips - do you attack from below or above and take off the inlet manifold? I know flushing out the coolant is a bugger as I used to work on Vauxhalls in the 90s when Cav 16v red tops had this problem which was an internal crack in the cyl head (hope its not that). I have used strong detergent and bleach (dont try this at home). Only just replaced the rad fan as you advised last week aswell. I recon there is just over 1 litre of oil unaccounted for.
Any tips appreciated.
Also fixed the interior light fault in the n/s/f door with a switch from RS componants (£3.80) will advise if interested.

[Crasher]

They are a bit tight to do and there are quite a few pipes and parts in the way. It is mounted on top of the oil filter housing and I think the nut on top is 30-mm if I remember correctly.
The oil cooler used on the BDE engine (068 117 021 BX) is a big seller and has been used on a huge range of VAG products from 1980 to the present and is well known for cracking internally and allowing oil into the cooling system. Make sure he as ordered the two seals for the top and bottom, they are very important.