Help me ID green gunk under 3.2 valve covers?

Maxhouse97 · 12-30-2018, 05:00 AM

Upon opening passenger side lower valve covers I found the below, any ideas?

QueWhy · 12-30-2018, 05:07 AM

The color looks so different in both pics it's hard to say for sure but it looks like water mixed with oil to me. Anyone who's ever had a blown head gasket in a water cooled car has removed the oil cap to find this "milkshake" like substance.

Does this car take a bunch of short trips without coming up to temperature?

75 911s · 75 911s's Garage

Poor attempt to stop a leak using some type of yellow silicone.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by QueWhy

Anyone who's ever had a blown head gasket in a water cooled car has removed the oil cap to find this "milkshake" like substance.

That pocket is not inside the engine. I could see a bit of oil seeping past the gasket and mixing with outside water but not sure how the frothing would occur.

Brad Penn oil is green. Just saying. Maybe?

QueWhy · 12-30-2018, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

That pocket is not inside the engine. I could see a bit of oil seeping past the gasket and mixing with outside water but not sure how the frothing would occur.

Brad Penn oil is green. Just saying. Maybe?

That's what I was thinking. Warped valve covers, bad gasket, or whatever is letting oil and water in that pocket and the engine is never getting hot enough long enough to evaporate the water. Normal engine vibration enough to mix t? I dunno? The op could tell if it was oil pretty easy.

The Castrol I used in a BMW I had was green too.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by QueWhy

Warped valve covers, bad gasket, or whatever is letting oil and water in that pocket

There is a bit of corrosion on the cover in that first pic. Could allow some minor seepage into the pocket past the gasket.

I don't see any issues that worry me. Whatever is mixing with the oil, assuming it's oil, has to mix with something from outside the engine. OP has to discuss what the car has been exposed to. Rain driving? Could even be a cleaning agent.

Reiver · 12-30-2018, 07:24 AM

Looks like oil....you should be able to tell by the consistency....and as Bob said that other frothing area is not internal to the motor so water spray on a wet day or a power wash and a leaky seal??

Check your rocker shafts for leaks...

911obgyn · 911obgyn's Garage

Ghostbusters slime, your engine is haunted

Maxhouse97 · 12-30-2018, 11:07 AM

Thanks guys. I use Brad Penn, so green oil. Substance that cam out was a clear green, so if it was oil it was not from the engine as this oil should be black right? Unless it got there immediately after an oil change and stayed (not mixing with the rest of the oil).

But as said this was outside the oiled area, so maybe some oil did leak past and mixed with water. I have pressure washed (gently) the engine before.

Just trying to figure out whether this is a problem. Later I found a broken head stud so I have bigger issues to deal with now!

proporsche · proporsche's Garage

your problem is not a problem..it is amix of water an oil. Since you used pressure to clean, it got in ..no worries it is outside the oil cooling system or let`s internal..
Ivan

have seen ti before.....

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxhouse97

Later I found a broken head stud so I have bigger issues to deal with now!

The late Grady Clay (RIP) was a strong believer in fixing only what was/is wrong.

You can drop your engine and pull the cam towers and heads off as one unit.

Your broken stud was on the exhaust side more than likely.

Have a machine shop remove the bottom row of studs and you replace with steel "all thread"

I have tools I will lend you like the dial indicator and I think you need the Z-block for cam timing.

I have the giant crows foot for the cam sprocket but believe yours is a newer design.

You got beer and a spare bedroom? Just saying. Retired here. I snore.

Many ways to skin a cat.

Need some chains that have one link that can be "opened". Factory chains are "one piece".

Reiver · 12-30-2018, 02:46 PM

I never pressure wash anything for the reason you've just experienced....pressure washing is not 'gentle' by definition...it is pressure.....it forces water past seals/gaskets/rubber boots etc.....e.g. your front A arm torsion bars are 'protected' by a greased felt seal...and guys wonder why they can rust when they have pressure washed the underside of the vehicle...

proporsche · proporsche's Garage

Reiver..absolutely correct...
Ivan

Maxhouse97 · 12-30-2018, 05:41 PM

Ok thanks - noted.

Mighty kind of you to offer Bob - am debating between doing it myself, taking it to a shop for the whole rebuild, or something in between (I.e. .taking the engine out myself and dropping off at a shop to save on “easy” labor). Currently scouring the engine build threads but leaning toward the latter, as my 4 & 5 year old destroy my free time.

Walt Fricke · 12-30-2018, 08:20 PM

The first picture looks sort of like someone used Simple Green to clean the engine before removing it. But if a rebuild is going to happen, not to worry. Care in the reassembly will deal with whatever led to it.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxhouse97

Currently scouring the engine build threads but leaning toward the latter, as my 4 & 5 year old destroy my free time.

Wise choice.