Milkshake in oil pan

[nh_hillwalker]

Late this summer I noticed oil appearing in my coolant. Researched it, and found out about oil cooler leaks. At that time I resolved to replace the seals when I put the P up on blocks for the ice and snow season. I frequently checked the oil and found no evidence of coolant. However, the day I put the car up on blocks, I checked the oil and found milkshake oil. I estimate that I had driven the car for about 30 minutes since the last clean oil check and the massive seal failure. I replaced the oil cooler seals and immediately went out and bought 4 oil filters and 20 quarts of oil. I Ran 15 quarts of oil and three filters through the engine. On the last two changes I ran the car until it was warm and immediately drained the oil. I then put the last 5 quarts and a "quality" filter on, ran it until warm, and then finished my winter mothballing.

In the spring I intend to pull the oil pan and replace the rod bearings and center mains. The outer mains would require an engine pull since they are full bearings and not inserts.

The car is right at 150 k miles so bearing replacement would be wise anyway. Oil pressure has always been very good, and to my knowledge the car has never been overheated .

1985.5 944 n/a 5 spd Car had never seen ice and snow until I brought it to NH from Texas this last spring.

Anyone have an opinion as to whether I am making the right decisions?

[Dantilla]

Don't you need to pull the engine to get the pan off? Or just the front suspension?

[ae1969]

Originally posted by Dantilla
Don't you need to pull the engine to get the pan off? Or just the front suspension?

You can drop the crossmember and get at it.........


nh_

Swapping the rod bearings should be considered a maintenance item on these cars. At 150-200K miles they should be swapped.

Surprisingly the main bearings hold out incredibly well on these cars. The only one I noticed wear on has been the middle thrust bearing. I would not worry about those. I can't recall ever hearing of one these cars experiencing crank walk or anything like that.

Now spinning a rod...........well thats another story. Hence why we should all swap out the rod bearings.

[Rmills944]

To do the bearings, wouldn't it be much easier to pull the engine to get to them and the other internals?

[Z-man]

If you still have the original oil filter from when you first developed the milkshake, brake it open and see if there are small metal fragments in it. If that is the case, you're rod bearings are gone. However, you plan on replacing them anyway, which IMHO, is a good idea.

Check the condition of the oil pressure sender unit - it could be shot due to the coolant flowing through it.

You may want to check the condition of your cylinders - you can get a scope to check it out, and look at your spark plug for evidence of water in the chambers. If there is such evidence, you might want to consider replacing your head gasket. Expensive, but if it is shot, you'll have continual problems.

-Z-man.

[GUMBALL]

"Milkshake" is a sign of a glycol-oil mix. Glycol in the oil will carbonize in the bearings, destroying them.
I must agree with Z-man. Have a GOOD look at the contents of the oil filter. If there is metal there, then there is metal in ALL the other bearings as well - which means a complete tear-down, thorough cleaning, and complete re-build.

[nh_hillwalker]

No evidence in the filter, and as I said, only about 30 minutes running time with the antifreeze mix in the pan. I think I may have just dodged the bullet. Won't know until spring when it warms up enough to get out and under. Thanks all.