I just picked up a 1998 Audi A4 2.8 Quattro Auto with 170K miles on the car. Previous owner had it from 50K and bought it used in 2003. He said it needed camshaft chain tensioner work on bank 1.

I got the car home and noticed it looks to be burning coolant from the exhaust as well as the smell. Check under the oil cap and its got some of that white milkyness to it like a blown head gasket would have. Pulled the dipstick and the oil does seem to have some coolant in it but not a ton. The car runs really well and shows no signs of anything being wrong otherwise. No oil seems to have mixed with the coolant in the expansion/overflow tank so I'm not really sure where/what to check now.

Is it possible that this is simply the oil cooler? what checks would rule that out or at least tell me it was the head gasket or not?

Thank You

 

I get that with my cars too. Im sure its just condensation in the engne.
Im not sure how the Crankcase ventilation system works on the V6 yet. But my ADR engines, the 1800's the plastic housing that comes from the engine cracks & splits or just breaks off.
So if water gets in around there it will get some into the engine/oil.

That milky is noticeable on the underside of my APS V6 oil cap. Mostly after short runs.
Id just leave it, take it for a good run to evaporate out the water maybe.

Oil in coolant & coolant in the oil can just be a broken oil cooler. I bought a A4 like that, just replaced the cooler & flushed out the oil & coolant & its a great engine. My current daily driver.