Has anyone ever experienced this? I checked my oil and had a white foamy substance on my dipstick as well as little droplets of water. The water is not green and does not smell like coolant at all. I have a slow coolant leak at the coolant level sensor, i have to add a cup, maybe two, once a week or so over the past two weeks since it started. Should I go ahead and order a new engine or could this be condensation buildup from all the snow and rain we have had recently?

88 TII
no emissions, rats nest removed, the breather tube on the bottom of the oil filler is capped, the one on top is not.

 

Just a few weeks ago I noticed this same thing. A white, slimy goo. Not really foamy but shouldnt be in the oil for sure. Seriously, I think our problem is the water seals have begun to leak. I can definately smell antifreeze on the dipstick too. Maybe its just the cold, but I think my engine is about to die. Both breather tubes on my TII are open, you mentioned you had the one below the oil filter plugged. I thought that was the routine?

 

I think it could be condensation since you say its snowing. Unless you notice it is indeed coolent not just water in the oil I think your safe. Might want to change your oil though.

 

I am hoping it is condensation. I changed the oil thursday before a roadtrip, i drove through some hellacious rain/sleet/snow on thursday night and during the day friday.

bob, the tube coming off the top of the oil filler tube is open, the one coming off the center plate pointing toward the back of the engine is plugged.

 

I had the same proble with my 89GXL. Lots of white foamy crap. My problem is that it smelt like fuel. My guess is that it was fuel leaking past the oil seals and mixing with the oil after the car has flooded for awhile. Even with good seals the fuel would leak past the oil rings after sitting there for awhile. My car was decently healthy only 28,000 after rebuild but it did flood allitle. My best guess is that condensation would bring the fuel up to the very top of the oil filler tube when it got hot (heat rises) bringing condensed fuel up. Or mabey its condensed coolant bringing up fuel particles. I dont know but what I can tell you is after I blew up my engine ond day racing the **** out of it I tore the engine apart and found no signs of leaking water seals. Beware if fuel is constantly mixing with your oil it will eventually wear out your oil seals causing them to prematurely go bad...After seing and smelling the white foamy fuel whatever I started changing my oil every 2000 miles. Should be fine.

 

I noticed this right after my rebuild on the turbo. I'm assuming it's from a typical low compression setting seals type situation.

 

haha this is all crap i heard, so it may not be true, but i heard that if you put too much oil in, it has too much pressure and gets foamy. I would just change the oil and make sure you have the right amount, see if it goes away. Anyone know about this?
-Ben

 

I only had it happen once so changed my oil and sparkplugs. Its never occured since. That was 14 months ago.

I was told that if the car sits to long, water can get into the oil.

 

Sounds like coolant is going into the oil.

Taste it. If its sweet its coolant.

 

LOL tony, although thats a good way to tell.
Did you notice any white foamy stuff when you changed the oil?

 

Is anyone also experiencing white smoke on startup and over 4K RPM or if you let off the gas at high RPM?

I used to get the white smoke and the foamy crap on my '79 GS, was told the engine side oil seals were going.

I also let the car sit for about a month between starts at times, but I do this on my '88 vert and don't have any foamy stuff or smoke.

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

It does not smell like fuel. I am thinking more and more that is is condensation or water got into the open tube on the oil filler neck this weekend when i drove through that rain/snow/ice storm in the mountains. Water droplets seem to form at the very top of the dipstick where the rubber part is. I am thinking that is one of the cooler parts of the engine and water condenses there.....maybe that is wishful thinking though. It is a daily driver and it has flooded once or twice this past year so I would be surprised if it is fuel getting into the oil.

f1bluerx7-i did a rebuild last year, in fact finished it a year ago this month. I have not run into this until the past few weeks since we have had so much rain/snow and this past weekend after that storm.

CRX-walken-changing the oil and checking the sparkplugs after work tonight. I will let you know how they look.

Tony-no thanks.

pmr2000-a little blue smoke on startup when it is really cold, no smoke at high rpms though.

 

CHECK THE PCV VALVE. Or if you have removed all the emmissions and vacuum rack you probably don't have a pcv valve. The tube that is on the oil filler neck should be routed down towards the ground or get a catch can. Should solve yer problems. BTW it is condensation mixing in with oil. Has nothing too do with seals, unless you have other issues. Quaker state oil alos has a tendency to do this more than say Castrol.

 

No PCV valve. I should run a tube from which nipple, the one beside the oil filler cap or the one on the center plate? I changed the oil last night, I didn't see any antifreeze thankfully. I checked it this morning and it looked completely normal again. I will keep you all updated.

 

if you get a pcv hook it up to the oil filler neck and than to a vacuum on the intake.What niple on the center ironare you reffering to?

 

It is on the center iron, facing toward the rear, near where the oil filler tube connects to the housing.

 

here is a pic of it...

 

put the one in the pic to vacuum. Put the one on the oil filler neck to a catch can or the floor or hook up the pcv and then to vacuum