Milky Oil!
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,058
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From: Too close to Houston
Milky Oil!
In the last few hundred miles our '83 appears to have developed a water leak into the oil. Or a lot of blow by as the oil has turned milky. The dipstick is milky all the way to the top unless you wait overnight to check the oil level.
The engine has 180,000 miles on the original rings and bearings. A new cam was installed about 20,000 miles ago along with a gasket set to stop the external oil leaks. It wasn't burning any oil at the time, but now needs a quart every 5-600 miles.
My question is how long can we run the truck with the milky oil without having to worry about spinning bearings, etc? I really don't have time to work on it now but can look at replacing the engine this summer. In the meantime I don't want to worry about it stranding my son somewhere between our house and his school which is about 70 miles away. What do you think, keep the oil level up and drive it 'til is starts to knock?
The truck in question is the '83 in my signature. A F-100 with carbureted 302 and AOD. 3.55 rear end turning LT265-75R16 tires.
The engine has 180,000 miles on the original rings and bearings. A new cam was installed about 20,000 miles ago along with a gasket set to stop the external oil leaks. It wasn't burning any oil at the time, but now needs a quart every 5-600 miles.
My question is how long can we run the truck with the milky oil without having to worry about spinning bearings, etc? I really don't have time to work on it now but can look at replacing the engine this summer. In the meantime I don't want to worry about it stranding my son somewhere between our house and his school which is about 70 miles away. What do you think, keep the oil level up and drive it 'til is starts to knock?
The truck in question is the '83 in my signature. A F-100 with carbureted 302 and AOD. 3.55 rear end turning LT265-75R16 tires.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,935
Likes: 34
From: Arcadia, Fla
[quote=Sport45;8222150]
My question is how long can we run the truck with the milky oil without having to worry about spinning bearings, etc? I really don't have time to work on it now but can look at replacing the engine this summer. In the meantime I don't want to worry about it stranding my son somewhere between our house and his school which is about 70 miles away. What do you think, keep the oil level up and drive it 'til is starts to knock?
quote]
Its best to quit driving it ASAP, milky oil will not lubercate at all. I seen engines fail in 5 minutes with milky oil! 70 miles away is a distance for trying to "milk" the engine in that condition.
My question is how long can we run the truck with the milky oil without having to worry about spinning bearings, etc? I really don't have time to work on it now but can look at replacing the engine this summer. In the meantime I don't want to worry about it stranding my son somewhere between our house and his school which is about 70 miles away. What do you think, keep the oil level up and drive it 'til is starts to knock?
quote]
Its best to quit driving it ASAP, milky oil will not lubercate at all. I seen engines fail in 5 minutes with milky oil! 70 miles away is a distance for trying to "milk" the engine in that condition.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
Likes: 4
From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
If it was mixing with the oil it wouldnt seperate overnight, I'm guessing you've got condensation in the top of the crankcase. If you take the drainplg out and let a litttle oil out that would give you a better sample than the dipstick.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,429
Likes: 4
From: patricia ab canada
like the other s say i would drain the oil and see if you have coolant in the oil.if there is my guess would be you intake gasket since you said you replaced the cam maybe one of the intake bolts has come loose. are you using antifreeze?but as bashby said it could very well be condensation with it being cooler out and the heating cycle of the engine will cause this milky stuff on the dipstick but in the valve covers as well.
if you have coolant in your oil i would not dive it.
if you have coolant in your oil i would not dive it.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 16
From: Kuna ID
I put 30k miles on my 83 with a 300 with milky oil, I tried replacing the head gasket, but I think the block was cracked. I was a kid and couldn't do much else. It still ran pretty good when I traded it in. You could try some powdered aluminum in the radiator if it is a gasket leak.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,058
Likes: 424
From: Too close to Houston
That's good to hear. I'll do a compression test and if a couple of adjacent cylinders are low I'll go in and change head gaskets. I hesitate to change the manifold gasket without knowing for sure that it's the culprit.
We did go to 20W50 oil on the last change to "cure" a low oil pressure at idle problem. I suppose it's also possible that this oil is acting different than the Rotella 15W40 it was running before. It's the first time the 20W50 has seen cold weather in this engine.
We did go to 20W50 oil on the last change to "cure" a low oil pressure at idle problem. I suppose it's also possible that this oil is acting different than the Rotella 15W40 it was running before. It's the first time the 20W50 has seen cold weather in this engine.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
Try checking the level on the dipstick several times, wiping it off each time. See if there's any milky oil showing up each time. If it's condensation, I think it wouldn't show up after the first few times you check it.
Also you might drive it just long enough to get the oil flowing, maybe just across town and back, and then after about 5-10 minutes of sitting with the engine off to let the oil drain back to the pan, check the oil again. You could also do an oil change and see if it goes away.
I had a similar problem with my truck a couple years ago. We got some cold weather and I started seeing milky stuff on the dipstick and all over the bottom of the oil breather cap. I think mine was a mix of condensation and a leaking air cleaner lid (too small...had to rig up a Dodge one to fit when the original one broke) allowing water in through the oil breather filter.
Hope you get this all straightened out, it sounds like a great truck!
Also you might drive it just long enough to get the oil flowing, maybe just across town and back, and then after about 5-10 minutes of sitting with the engine off to let the oil drain back to the pan, check the oil again. You could also do an oil change and see if it goes away.
I had a similar problem with my truck a couple years ago. We got some cold weather and I started seeing milky stuff on the dipstick and all over the bottom of the oil breather cap. I think mine was a mix of condensation and a leaking air cleaner lid (too small...had to rig up a Dodge one to fit when the original one broke) allowing water in through the oil breather filter.
Hope you get this all straightened out, it sounds like a great truck!
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,058
Likes: 424
From: Too close to Houston
That gives me another thought. It does indeed "clean up" after wiping the stick a few times and what's left on the bottom doesn't look milky. My vent hose off of the aftermarket breather cap is routed to the frame rail in front of the tire. Could the PCV sytem be drawing moister air in from that area than it was getting from the PCV filter that used to be in the breather housing?
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
Likes: 2
From: Mexia, TX
I'd bet money that has something to do with it. Can you tell if there's any moisture or water inside the vent hose? Being in front of the tire would allow it to pick up water off the street as you drove.
Try routing it up under the hood in an area that won't be near water or moisture (behind or under the air cleaner, for example) and see if that helps. Is there a reason you don't have it hooked to your air breather?
Try routing it up under the hood in an area that won't be near water or moisture (behind or under the air cleaner, for example) and see if that helps. Is there a reason you don't have it hooked to your air breather?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
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Likes: 424
From: Too close to Houston
The vapors were filling the breather housing with oil to the point that it was dripping out the snorkel. The PVC valve is new and has good vacuum. Seems to work fine at idle but the blow-by exceeds its capacity when in use.
Posting Guru
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,271
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From: Mexia, TX
Is there a little foam "filter" inside the oil breather cap itself? If not, you might pick up a new breather cap (like $5) or find something that'd work. I guess if you could grab a little lawn mower air filter (oil-coated type) you could cut out a chunk to fit, and that should work. It should let air flow through it even with oil on it.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: Too close to Houston
Yes, the breather cap has the foam element inside. I figured the foam would replace the PVC filter I was no longer using in the air filer housing. My son is going to re-route the breather hose to an area more mid-line to the truck near the firewall. Maybe that will be a drier area. The truck is not consuming more oil than usual and the coolant looks okay.
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