Moparts
milky dipstick -318 * UPDATE*
Posted By: chargers777
milky dipstick -318 * UPDATE* - 12/27/09 02:47 AM
Anyone else ever see this?Doesnt appear to be water in the oil or pan.I just changed the oil.What could be causing this and is it safe to drive?318 is rebuilt-not by me-and was bored 40 tho.over.It now has 24,000 miles and runs great except for moisture on the dipstick tube.*After fixing the pcv valve and replacing the valve cover breather there is no more moisture on the dipstick tube.Thanks everyone for the ideas.
Posted By: aarcuda
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 03:18 AM
could just be condensation
Posted By: SALEM1912
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 03:25 AM
Is the engine reaching operating temp,PCV system working?
Posted By: chargers777
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 03:40 AM
Engine is up to operating temp on the gauge.Putting out heat also.Gauge goes up to halfway sometimes.Do you think the thermostat could be stuck allowing the motor to get too hot alowing it to condensate when it cools off.
Posted By: Aspen7695
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 04:44 AM
I would pull a valve cover off and see if there is milky film inside it. If there is a lot I'd say you need to do additional checking. You can get the car running and up to operating temperature and remove the radiator cap. If you see bubbles in the coolant you have a bad head gasket. You can then do a compression check and see which gasket is gone. If you are lucky it is only a head gasket and not a cracked head or block.
Raul
Posted By: NANKET
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 08:11 AM
I had a 273 that did this, no water in oil, pulled valve covers and it looked great, so I kept driving it that way for years, never used coolant and ran great.
Posted By: FuryUs
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 08:49 AM
Getting the gauge up to temp and heat from the heater doesn't mena you're gettingit hot enough for long enough to dry it out.
Posted By: rockerbob
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 10:02 AM
My car does that. Milky on the dip stick in the cooler months. Summer its fine. When it first happend I thought I had a problem. Changed the oil 4 times in 1 weekend & it made no difference. Checked everything. No collant loss so came to the conclusion it was condensation. No water was in the drain pan, just on the dipstick. Pulled the valve cover and very slight milkyness around oil fill cap. Rest was golden & clear. Have run it two years now like that. As long as you have good oil psi, no coolant loss or mix in radiator, & plugs look ok I say run it.
Posted By: Commando1
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 01:59 PM
It may not be a crisis but if I was buying a car and the dipstick was milky, I'd be walking away from it.
Posted By: 70Cuda383
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 02:21 PM
True, if I was buying a car, and the dipstick was milky, I'd be afraid of it.
however, I also know that it's not a guarantee that something is broke. moisture is normal from combustion. moisture in the oil makes it milky. a lot of short trips, a very humid climate, drastic changes in weather in a short period of time...all can add to moisture in the oil.
just be sure the PCV system IS working, and avoid short trips, and as said, as long as you're not losing compression anywhere, coolant, plugs are looking good, I'd run it.
Posted By: MoparforLife
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 02:56 PM
Any engine will condensate especially in colder eweather. Just because the temp gauge gets warm doesn't mean that the engine is up to operating temperature. It just says that the coolant is. The engine needs to be run long enough to completely warm up and long enough to evaporate the condensation out of the system. This isn't just a drive across town but at least a ten mile or more drive. Condensation is natural byproduct of an internal combustion engine at all temperatures but shows up more and takes longer to evaporate out in cooler/cold temperatures.
Posted By: DEMONSIZZLER
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 03:04 PM
Try tightening all of the timing cover/water pump to block bolts; it could just be that the bolts are loose after cycling the motor from cold-hot-cold. Sometimes this will allow a bit of water to leak passed the front of the block and into the oil pan.
Posted By: dOoC
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 03:29 PM
Quote:
........ except for moisture on the dipstick tube.
COMMON thing to see ...on an engine where the car does not see a bunch of extended driving. On a stop-and-go daily-driver ... it happens a lot.
Now if you took this out on a 100 or 200 mile trip .... and this milky-situation was still present .....it would be a concern then.
Posted By: Dodgem
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 03:43 PM
I used to get that all the time on my older small blocks. nothing to worry about. could be the short drive things was only there in the winter and gone in the summer??? never any water in the oil so it's condensation.
Posted By: SALEM1912
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 07:59 PM
Pull the oil fill cap on a 4.7L this time of year and it will be loaded with that milky stuff. Unless its driven long trips.
Posted By: mopars4ever
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/27/09 09:08 PM
What type of oil did you use?
Posted By: 05dakota
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 12:37 AM
why would oil type/brand matter?
Posted By: aarcuda
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 01:37 AM
remeber the dipstick is cooler than the engine. moisture condenses on cooler surfaceds. thats why to see it on dipsticks and the inside tops of valve covers
Posted By: 68Cbarge
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 01:39 AM
I had seen where the timing chain cover has a hole in it behind the water pump from coolant rotting out the aluminum and gets mixed with the oil---but that may not be your case.
Posted By: Mr71Bee
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 01:53 AM
seen it. could be condensation, but leaking from the intake coolant passage is not uncommon. All it takes is a little bit. start simple: I would pull the intake, new gaskets etc. If you are careful enough draining the coolant, you might be able to catch some of the evidence of a leak in the lifter valley. By the way, coolant, esp antifreeze will makes for a VERY bad lubricant, so I would not run with milky oil.
Dallas
Posted By: mopars4ever
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 03:49 AM
Quote:
why would oil type/brand matter?
Because in my past experience of using Quaker State oil I had a similar problem and I switched brands and I never had the problem again. I was curious to see what brand he used.
Posted By: chargers777
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 04:51 AM
I used shell rotella oil.Today I looked at the pcv valve.The previous owner had tje vacuum lined reduced down to a pencil size vacuum line and plumbed into a very small port at the front of the carb.This port was below the throttle blades so it probably wasnt full manifold vacuum but I didnt check.I ran the line to the rear of the carb where it belongs.Hopefully that helps.P.S. we have been driving it to work-25 miles one way.
Posted By: MoparforLife
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 11:58 AM
Quote:
start simple:
This is the point. If you aren't loosing coolant - you don't have a leak. Also if there was a leak the oil level would increase and coolant would turn the oil milky right away. Condensation will also turn the oil milky after a period of time but not near as quick. Remember to that ice cold the coolant level will look to be somewhat low in the radiator, after it is warm it will expand somewhat.
Posted By: dOoC
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 12:16 PM
Quote:
we have been driving it to work-25 miles one way.
Honestly ...25 miles is not going to heat-up the oil enough to "burn off" that condensation.
This is something you are just going to have to live-with.
Posted By: MoparforLife
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 01:45 PM
Quote:
Quote:
we have been driving it to work-25 miles one way.
Honestly ...25 miles is not going to heat-up the oil enough to "burn off" that condensation.
Or long enough if the condensation is great. As said before if there were a leak the oil level would increase and the coolant level decrease.
Coolant leaks do happen but not not with the frequency one would be led to believe and the majority of the ones that do occur are external.
Posted By: Dodgem
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 02:02 PM
Quote:
Quote:
why would oil type/brand matter?
Because in my past experience of using Quaker State oil I had a similar problem and I switched brands and I never had the problem again. I was curious to see what brand he used.
Yea my milk problem was much worse with qwaker state than any other oil!!
Posted By: RodStRace
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 03:10 PM
You can install a warmer thermostat to help too.
My small block was happier with a 195 than a 160...
Posted By: MoparforLife
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 12/28/09 05:35 PM
Quote:
You can install a warmer thermostat to help too.
My small block was happier with a 195 than a 160...
They all will be.
better lubrication too.
Posted By: MACDiesel
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 01/03/10 09:58 AM
I saw the same thing this morning when I checked the oil on my 440. I ended up canceling my day of cruising because I didn't want to risk running it without doing a compression check. We live in Hawaii and don't see temps below 70 in the day that often. So all my buddies here are freaking out because we don't see that too often. However, we recently moved to the much higher central Oahu where its always 10-15 degrees cooler than the rest of the island. At night and early morning the temps get down to low 50s. I know its only 10-15 degrees but the humidity never leaves 80-90%. So I guess this makes sense. The car hasn't seen temps this "cold" since its been on island.
I probably just pissed a lot of people off, talking about how "cold" it gets on Oahu.... my bad. Hey at least most of you mainland guys have a track to run on.
Posted By: MoparforLife
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 01/03/10 12:40 PM
I can't believe this.
My God it is that time of the year. Even in Hawaii you are going to have a certain amount of condensation. There is even condensation in the desert to a certain degree. It is a natural combustion byproduct in an internal combustion engine.
Yesterday there was an actual ice build up from one stop light to the next from water running running out of the exhaust at -20 degrees. I have an ice build up on the quarter panel of the truck from a hundred and twenty mile trip in that weather.
You won't find anything wrong other than short drives not burning off the condensation. Blown head gaskets are not that common. Coolant leaks do happen periodically but a great majority are external when they do happen. The colder the weather the longer it takes. Just because the temp gauge reads normal don't mean that the engine is completely warm or for long enough.
Posted By: MACDiesel
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 01/03/10 07:19 PM
I want to put in an oil temp guage but I'm not sure which temp range to get. There are some that peak at 180 degrees and some that start at 180. What do you think?
Posted By: chargers777
Re: milky dipstick -318 - 01/04/10 04:32 AM
My problem turned out to be the pcv valve not hooked corectly by a previous owner.All is fine after plumbing it into the proper place and changing out the plugged valve cover breather.No motor condensation on the dipstick tube.Thanks to all the people with useful suggestions.