I've got a couple of problems with my '89 Mi16 (102k miles) and am
emailing to see if any other 405 owners have experienced these:
1. I 've got yellow goop (indicative of water/coolant contamination of
the oil) under the oil filler cap. Is this a clear sign of a blown head
gasket? Besides cleaning the goop out, what should be my plan of attack?
I should note that no goop shows up on the dipstick when I check the oil
level. Should I change the oil immediately? It is possible the oil filler
cap was not on properly and was soaked with rain water. Car really runs
fine and no noticeable coolant or oil leaks other than those noted below.
2. A seal which surrounds the power steering wheel, driven by the rear
cam shaft( I think) seems to be leaking oil pretty badly. Has anyone
experienced this? How big a fix is replacing this seal?
3. I am getting a faint odor of coolant when I turn on the heater,
although no coolant smell is present at the upper dash vents. The weak
odor seems to go away after warming up. I suspect worn o-ring seas in the
joint where pipes carrying coolant enter the heater core. I know M.
Taylor had his heater core replaced at time of purchase, but he described
a blast of coolant smell when he turned on the heater and fan. Mine is
much more subtle.
Thanks!