by "Quadradeuce" (quadradeuce)
Published 03/18/2017 at 16:01
by "Quadradeuce" (quadradeuce)
Published 03/18/2017 at 16:01
Tags: Oil nightmares
STARS: 0
So I took my 4 year old into work with me today to change the oil in my wife’s Saab 9-7x (AKA a trailblazer with a non hideous interior). When I popped the oil filler cap I found this:
Visions of blown head gaskets danced in my head. A quick look at the dipstick calmed me down a bit, as the oil looked normal. Once drained, I poured it into a semi clear jug:
Looked like normal dirty oil. Full disclosure, this oil change may have been over due. I usually change oil every 5k miles. Full synthetic with a good Wix filter. This one may have gotten closer to 8-9k miles. The coolant reservoir is completely full and clean looking. No white smoke that I’m aware of. But this is clearly some moisture in the system. Hopefully just the weather going from freezing cold to 50s every other week, combined with neglecting the oil.
Thoughts?
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
03/18/2017 at 16:02, STARS: 3
Could just be condensation.
How long is the car driven on each trip?
"Aero" (Aero)
03/18/2017 at 16:07, STARS: 1
This happens when the oil isn’t allowed, or able, to get to proper operating temp for long enough.
"AkursedX" (akursedx)
03/18/2017 at 16:09, STARS: 0
That’s my assessment. Nothing to really worry about. Take the car on some longer trips and let things get up to temp.
"e36Jeff now drives a ZHP" (e36jeff)
03/18/2017 at 16:09, STARS: 2
It’s just normal condensation in the oil system. It happens when the oil doesn’t get warm enough to boil off all the water thats built up in the system from normal engine operations. I used to get this on my e36 when I lived 2 miles from work during the winter. I’d just do a lap of the Baltimore beltway and it would disappear.
"KFN" (kfn)
03/18/2017 at 16:21, STARS: 0
I had a similar freak out last winter with my Audi - it was just condensation.
"Quadradeuce" (quadradeuce)
03/18/2017 at 16:23, STARS: 1
My wife’s commute is less than 15 minutes.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
03/18/2017 at 16:25, STARS: 4
Take it for a long drive every now and then, that’ll burn that condensation off.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
03/18/2017 at 16:32, STARS: 0
It’s probably just from condensation not getting burned off from taking mostly short trips. 9k miles isn’t extreme for synthetic oil. My wife’s BMW only calls for changes every 10-12k miles. I still do them every 5k.
"vicali" (vicali)
03/18/2017 at 17:13, STARS: 0
Tacomas will do this if they do lots of short trips, the oil cap is on top of a 6 inch plastic extension tube, engine gets hot but tube stays cold and water condenses out.
"Sovereign, Purveyor of Coupes" (sovereign-automotive)
03/18/2017 at 17:19, STARS: 0
Condensation. On the local BMW group there’s usually a post about once a week from the m5x guys (an engine known for its less than stellar cooling system, and consequently, headgaskets) with a filler cap that looks the same. 9/10 it’s from condensation, not any headgasket issues.
"Quadradeuce" (quadradeuce)
03/18/2017 at 17:21, STARS: 1
It does have a long filler neck, probably due to the ridiculous engine cover.
"wafflesnfalafel" (wafflesnfalafel1)
03/18/2017 at 17:55, STARS: 0
yeah - that doesn’t look like gasket milkshake, likely just short trip-itis. I second the idea to take it out for a longer drive once a month. My wife’s old Altima wouldn’t get quite that much condensation, but it would steam out the oil cap when I changed it and it was a predominantly short trip car.
"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
03/18/2017 at 18:15, STARS: 0
My renault has permanent mayo because it has a long filler neck. The condensation that builds up never gets cleared properly.
"JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7" (jayzayeighty)
04/04/2017 at 16:56, STARS: 0
Rotella T6 and a good quality, larger filter (Mann Passat filter) fixed the sludge problem on my mom’s short-trip-driven 1.8T.