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White substance on dip stick?

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Old May 29, 2014 | 07:55 PM
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White substance on dip stick?

So I checked my oil yesterday and the top of my dip stick had some white "fluid" on it. Upon further inspection, it was also on the top of my oil fill neck. Here's a picture of it. Car had sat for about a year and I have done an oil change to it. Any ideas of what it is? Also car is a 1990 with and n/a 13b.
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Old May 29, 2014 | 08:24 PM
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That doesn't look too bad, and the fact that you live in Canada and the car's been sitting makes me think this is completely normal. Does white smoke come out of the exhaust?
If not, The weather changing (getting warmer lately?) is simply separating the moisture/condensation from the oil.
Change your oil, and keep an eye on the dipstick. If the white stuff persists (which I'll bet it won't), then it could be something more serious.

Good luck!
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Old May 29, 2014 | 09:07 PM
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It's water condensing in your oil.
This is quite common in cold(er) weather if the car is only driven short distances and the oil doesn't reach full operating temp.

A good long drive should clear that right up.
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Old May 30, 2014 | 07:35 AM
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Just clean that out of the filler as best you can.
The best thing is to create better ventilation of the oil system which you can do easily by getting a catch can.
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Old Jun 3, 2014 | 09:08 AM
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Just water + oil = mayonnaise, yeah, and probably from condensation. Drive it to boil it, condensation gone. It's a rust issue, so you probably need an oil change after a year since it burns up the oil's rust prevention additives, even after 0 miles. Other than that it's no big deal. When storing a car one of the biggest functions of the oil preservative is to add more rust prevention additives. Be sure to always follow this and the many other proper storage procedures whenever you aren't going to drive your car for a while. I'm sure there are guides out there.

If it came from the coolant instead of outside it'd be a whole different story, but this is common from sitting a while in damp weather.
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Old Jun 3, 2014 | 04:21 PM
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this also happens under the oil cap. like everyone says, if you drive short distances the motor and peripherals wont get hot enough to steam off all the condensation and this happens. It can also look like baby poo sometimes.
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Old Jun 3, 2014 | 06:03 PM
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Water condensate in the oil. Take it for at least a 20 minute drive to make sure the oil hits operating temp, it should boil out the moisture. Sounds like you did the oil change after storage? If not, like others said, change it anyway. In a piston engine, getting this sludgy mess on the underside of the oil cap and so on can be a sign of a lot of ring blow-by, but I don't know if there's a comparable issue that contaminates the oil of rotaries. As far as storing your car properly: How To Store Your RX-7
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Old Jun 4, 2014 | 02:51 AM
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The respones to this question just goes to show RX7 forum members have class. Think the ressponses on other sites would have gone in another direction
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Old Jun 4, 2014 | 06:19 AM
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Originally Posted by TomU
The respones to this question just goes to show RX7 forum members have class. Think the ressponses on other sites would have gone in another direction
which direction?

A. bashing for asking a question that has been covered over and over(which i too am surprised he didn't feel any wrath for not searching..)
or
B. that the condensation in the oil ment his motor was blown and the he needed a new engine.
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