I was planning on it. The oil change only has about 1000 miles on it.

 

I'm contemplating pulling the heads. It just seems like a great deal of work (not to mention possible broken bolts) to tear it halfway down. I've got a motor that I'm working on to replace it. I also have very little time to work on it.

 

The oil looks normal and there's no foam etc. Its definitely not gray. The only thing I really noticed was the oil cap. Maybe the wet edge of the dipstick isn't water. It just looked kinda odd to me.

Your right though, pulling plugs is probably the next thing I should do.

 

This is what my first thought was and still could be the case.

 

More than likely your short drive to work is not warming the truck up all the way. How fast do you get there? Is it a 5 minute trip down the road or say a 15 minute coast in a city or town area?

 

Even 15 minutes is not enough to clear the condensation out the PCV.
When it runs less than 1/2 hour and sits all day just to get cold again it is going to show condensation.

If the oil is not a milkshake when you shut it off it's likely fine.
You should drive the truck more.

 

This.......

 

It is an 8 minute drive four times a day, since I come home for lunch. I really need to get it out for a few longer drives each week.

 

I did discover something new today. I noticed a small drip coming from the cross member. Then I found this on the passenger side top of the timing chain cover.

 

Not enough time to burn off condensation. You are chasing a ghost.

 

I've got a coolant leak in the same spot, TexasGuy, and I'll be damned if I can't find the source of the leak. My oil looks good and my coolant fluid level is good so I'm not too concerned about it at the moment.

 

upper radiator hose or where it bolts to the intake

 

Sounds about right, thermostat housing usually the cause, and I will say its a mother to get at. i think the last time I had to play with mine I took the a/c/power-steering bracket clean off so i could get to the bolts easily.

 

I think its the timing chain cover. It seems like a design flaw that the water pump bolts hold the timing cover tight. Every time the water pump is removed or replaced the timing cover gasket is slightly relieved of tension. So far every 302 I have owned has now had this issue. Also the water pump bolts do not stay snug.

 

I drained the oil and it really didn't look abnormal. I did notice that the oil filter seemed to hold a lot of old oil when pouring it in the catch pan. It seemed very strange that almost none came out. This might explain why the oil pressure gauge was taking several seconds after start up to move. Its behaving normally now. Anyone ever had a bad FL1A before?