Whiteish/yellowish gunk in oil tank?

Siena911 · 03-04-2003, 04:43 AM

Hi all,

I know this has been covered before, and it is usually a result of doing many short trips. However I do around 20 miles per journey, twice a day. A normal trip for me includes a motorway trip at 70mph. The journey time is usually 40 around minutes.

Surely this is not a short trip.

Now I checked the oil on Sunday, after fitting my new fuel pump and going for a brisk run, and there was tons of this stuff around the filler neck and the dipstick.

Is is possible for moisture to get into the cooling system in any other way?

Anyone else have these issues?

Later
Jakes

scphelps1 · scphelps1's Garage

I'm assuming that your weather now is pretty cold/wet. Is that a fair assumption? Although your trips aren't overly short the accumulation of this crud is still dependant on ambient conditions. The more moisture in the air, the more that can make it's way into your oil.

gregk1 · 03-04-2003, 04:49 AM

It's condonsation, And normal just take a rag and wipe it out and put the cap back on and GO! My 74 does the same thing and a little more so when the weather is colder.

Wil Ferch · 03-04-2003, 04:50 AM

The next obvious question would be if the oil gets up to normal temps...regardless of the "minutes" or miles run.
This could also be residual finally coming out of the system. See if this is still there after the next 1 or two oil changes...but get that temp up to at least 90 degC....100 degC would be better to make absolutely certain water is boiled off. This is the eternal conundrum we face..for many of us it's too hot temps...for some it's too cold.
--Wil Ferch

Siena911 · 03-04-2003, 04:56 AM

OK thanks for the replies guys, does this mean that its the same condition inside the motor or is this usually only something that manifests itself in the tank. I don't know how you would tell if this occurs inside the motor.

And yes the weather has been cold and wet lately, so more moisture. I will have a feel on the front oil cooler pipes to check if they are hot, I had not thought of it not getting up to temp properly.

Give me the heat anyday....
Jakes

Siena911 · 03-04-2003, 04:57 AM

Does Pelican do a HOT COLLAR:-)

tsuter · 03-04-2003, 05:02 AM

That is right - it be water! Combustion produces a lot of water and it is going to freeze in various parts of your motor. And also right - it doesn't boil off until 100C or 212F and it is damn hard to get these cars to warm up and boil it off in the winter.
Need a mini oil cooler "cut out" lever for winter so the car will run at 230-240F easy and circulate the oil slower. Anyone designed one of those??
I'm sure someone will stay check the thermostat - OK - now what - it's checked and yes it works.

dickster · 03-04-2003, 05:06 AM

i have similar problems. doesn't matter how long i drive for, motor rarely gets up to a temp that opens the ext. stat.

i thought about covering the engine mounted cooler to heat things up quicker - anyone done that?

otherwise, wipe the filler neck regular, and change oil on 3k.

Siena911 · 03-04-2003, 05:12 AM

I usually change oil between 3-5 k, I just wonder how much damage gets done when this stuff floats around the oil system?

Dickster congrats on getting your car back BTW. That is really good news, so you'll be coming on the Spring run then....

Cheers Jakes

Jamie Summers · 03-04-2003, 05:14 AM

Come into London for the day and sit in a few traffic jams, that'll get the engine temp up high enough !

Works for me even in the depths of February !

Siena911 · 05:20 AM

LOL, Jamie,

Have done that (in my honda) for far too long, now when I sit on the M25 I just imagine how the car feels, born to run but forced to just sit and idle forward at 3 mph.

I sometimes wonder why I drive this car when there's no open road, and then I get a clear stretch of road and I remember very WELL!!!!

Jakes

Edit - I also would not like to pay the Congestion Charge...

scphelps1 · scphelps1's Garage

I don't think it is an issue with floating around the motor. Once it makes contact with hot oil it should vaporize. Of course, this has the potential to be a neverending cycle. The vapor could then condense again and on and on . . .

Siena911 · 03-04-2003, 05:24 AM

And they said there was no such thing as perpetual motion, And they sa......

Jamie Summers · 03-04-2003, 05:32 AM

Siena911,
I know what you mean about the frustrations of sitting in traffic when you have a car built for the open road. Living in London I now have a left calf like Arnold Schwarzeneggar. The one thing I really look forward to is my regular drive down the A3. As you get to the end of the 50mph section and it widens out to three lanes there is a really long left hand curve (I'm sure you know it !) The engine is nice and warm by then - into the bend at 50 in 3rd floor it and out of the bend at 120 in 5th HEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEEEE HEEEEEEEE !

Siena911 · 03-04-2003, 05:40 AM

OOOOH boy do I know that curve, one of my favourites, the other one is coming back from west horsley towards guildford on the A246. Single file which widens up to two lanes, aaaaah, I think I need to go for a drive now..
Jakes

Jdub · 03-04-2003, 06:32 AM

This simply shows the efficiency of an oil-cooled engine. Assuming your oil thermo. is not stuck on, you are seeing the ability of the oil lines and cooler(s) to cool the oil.

And at the risk of sounding like a broken record (jeez what the heck is that?) it is good practice to detach the ventoff line just below the oil cap and, with a bit of maneuvering, rethread the line straight down, aiming it into a rag or cup at the very, very bottom of the engine so that all the gunk can flow out. If you are very particular, remove the airbox, filter, and plenum between the sensor plate and the throttle body (the big ribbed pancake). Carefully clean up the plenum and every so very gently remove the grunge you will find on and around your sensor plate.

John

Wil Ferch · 03-04-2003, 06:59 AM

I would also think that a pure synthetic oil like Mobil 1 would suffer less..maybe not at all...of the crud/ condensation crud formation...I know it doesn't accumulate acids like mineral oil can.
--Wil Ferch