W210 e320 1999 - liquid “crosstalk”

[brilliantblue]

Hi all. I’ve got this 99 e320 that runs great, doesn’t leak a drop, never overheats. Grandmas beauty save for grandma hit a pole at the bank or something. Regular MB service up until 2018, then essentially parked. 72000 now. Got it from an estate sale.

A couple of weeks ago the coolant level light comes on. I check it out but the level looks only a tad low. I top it off and keep driving. The light goes off. Days go by, I’m looking around on the ground and under the hood for signs of a leak but nothing visible. I know I need to dive into but my plate is overflowing so I top it off again when it comes on a few days later, and again a few days later.

Yesterday a new light comes on - “oil sensor faulty”. This morning before going to work I think “I better check the oil” and I may have found where my coolant has gone :/ The oil cap has light brownish crap stuck to it. The dipstick pulls out with a thinned dark liquid that freely drips from it. It stinks a bit like gasoline as well.

I know head gasket is a possible cause. What are the others? Oil cooler? Injectors? Im trying to get my bearings so I know how bad I want to pursue getting it remedied.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions/advice.