Water in engine?
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Joined: Feb 2011
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From: Detroit, MI
Water in engine?
After the drowning rain we had the last few weeks, I think I might have a problem. I drove through a few deep puddles/rivers/tsunamis (up to I think around a foot and a half deep.) From the outside, no apparent problems. Seems to still be running alright.
But when I checked the oil the other day, there was an ice-cream-cone's worth of cream colored fluff on the cap. I realize that's often the sign of a bad head gasket, but it doesn't smell like coolant, just oil. There was enough of the fluff to get all over the inside of the neck of the oil filling tube. I'm not sure how water gets into an engine, but I think I got some. I know one of my valve cover gaskets is in poor health (I lose about a quart of oil through both sides every 2 months or so, depending on driving habits) but I can't imagine getting much water in that way.
Anyone know what's going on here?
But when I checked the oil the other day, there was an ice-cream-cone's worth of cream colored fluff on the cap. I realize that's often the sign of a bad head gasket, but it doesn't smell like coolant, just oil. There was enough of the fluff to get all over the inside of the neck of the oil filling tube. I'm not sure how water gets into an engine, but I think I got some. I know one of my valve cover gaskets is in poor health (I lose about a quart of oil through both sides every 2 months or so, depending on driving habits) but I can't imagine getting much water in that way.
Anyone know what's going on here?
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Joined: Dec 2008
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From: SE Mich.
I've had 2 f150's both with the 5.4 they both would get that creamy crap under the cap only during the winter months....from what I have read its just from condensation...I've found if I do a nice long road trip that burns it all off...
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Grand Rapids, MI
Normal
Keep the cap clean and change your oil regularly. Short drives can be harder on oil then long trips.
The PCV systems on new motors are designed to keep almost all of the crankcase vapors (oil fumes + stuff) trapped in the engine. Good for the environment, bad if you drive short trips where the engine oil doesn't get hot or stay hot for long periods of time. Remember, when an engine is running at or near perfect stoichiometry (air to fuel ratio), one of the by products is water (Check out your tail pipe when your start your engine on a cool morning). So a very small amount of "produced" water will enter the oil through the cylinder to piston ring interface on start-up when the engine block is cold and water can condense on the inside walls for a few seconds. This is only a very small amount but will build up on the cap (high, cold point) over time.
The PCV systems on new motors are designed to keep almost all of the crankcase vapors (oil fumes + stuff) trapped in the engine. Good for the environment, bad if you drive short trips where the engine oil doesn't get hot or stay hot for long periods of time. Remember, when an engine is running at or near perfect stoichiometry (air to fuel ratio), one of the by products is water (Check out your tail pipe when your start your engine on a cool morning). So a very small amount of "produced" water will enter the oil through the cylinder to piston ring interface on start-up when the engine block is cold and water can condense on the inside walls for a few seconds. This is only a very small amount but will build up on the cap (high, cold point) over time.
Thread Starter
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Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 77
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From: Detroit, MI
Keep the cap clean and change your oil regularly. Short drives can be harder on oil then long trips.
The PCV systems on new motors are designed to keep almost all of the crankcase vapors (oil fumes + stuff) trapped in the engine. Good for the environment, bad if you drive short trips where the engine oil doesn't get hot or stay hot for long periods of time. Remember, when an engine is running at or near perfect stoichiometry (air to fuel ratio), one of the by products is water (Check out your tail pipe when your start your engine on a cool morning). So a very small amount of "produced" water will enter the oil through the cylinder to piston ring interface on start-up when the engine block is cold and water can condense on the inside walls for a few seconds. This is only a very small amount but will build up on the cap (high, cold point) over time.
The PCV systems on new motors are designed to keep almost all of the crankcase vapors (oil fumes + stuff) trapped in the engine. Good for the environment, bad if you drive short trips where the engine oil doesn't get hot or stay hot for long periods of time. Remember, when an engine is running at or near perfect stoichiometry (air to fuel ratio), one of the by products is water (Check out your tail pipe when your start your engine on a cool morning). So a very small amount of "produced" water will enter the oil through the cylinder to piston ring interface on start-up when the engine block is cold and water can condense on the inside walls for a few seconds. This is only a very small amount but will build up on the cap (high, cold point) over time.
I never put one and one together. Though something tells me my 220,000 mile engine isn't running anywhere near perfect...I understand that some of the condensation is expected on the cap, and I always wipe it off then I change/check the oil, but its usually just a little film. This time it literally looked like an ice cream cone worth. I don't really recall if it got any worse last winter, but it certainly wasn't this bad.
