What's in my oil?

[mob]

Hey guys I have a weird problem. Oil is just not coming out right..2nd oil change, probably 10 minutes run time on the motor total since rebuild, and it keeps coming out milky. Car doesn't overheat, doesn't smoke, I haven't lost a drop of coolant in the radiator...when I take off the cap it pours out the top. I took a sample of the oil today and put it in a tupperware to see if any water separates from it but it doesn't, it is just really really foggy, I will get a picture of the sample tomorrow, I am going to let it sit overnight. Only thing I can think of it being is maybe the assembly lube grease I used on the cam and lifters but I didn't use that much... When I took the valve cover off today I saw some of the grease on the rocker arm bolt.

 

[Incon]

What do the inside of the valve covers look like? How much run time on the last oil change?

 

[bentley429isBAC]

Timing cover gasket.

 

[90lxcoupe]

Its the assembly lube. my oil was very milky looking the 2nd change after i did the cam swap. It did not seperate in the drain pan either.

 

[mob]

After rebuilding the top end I ran a motor flush through it and ran it for maybe 5 minutes and changed the oil. It came out very watery and milky colored but the watery consistency was because of the flush. At this point I wasn't worried about it. I ran the car for about 5-10 more minutes before my next oil change, lots of idle time, few spins around the block, and that's it. Change the oil again and it came out with a thicker consistency but it was very milky. Now I've ran the car for about a total of 2 minutes idle time and the oil looks like what is pictured above.

I took off the upper intake yesterday and re-torqued the lower intake, I found a couple bolts that were at like 10-15 ft lbs but nothing alarming.

The valve cover looked clean, there was one splotch on it that looked milky but there rest of it was very clean.

 

[NIKwoaC]

Have you talked to Woody?

 

[mob]

Woody? No, why?

 

[NIKwoaC]

Whoops, I confused you with LarsD there for a minute. Sorry. Woody is who he got his 347 from, at Ford Strokers.

 

[bentley429isBAC]

Did the timing cover come off? If so my money is on that.

 

[LarsD]

You could send some off to one of those oil analysis places and they can tell you exactly what is in it.

 

[bentley429isBAC]

Now that I am not on my phone and can clearly see the pictures it probably is just assembly lube like Jeff said.

 

[mob]

Well I let the oil sit overnight in a tupperware and I see a tiny bit of separation on the top layer, maybe 2mm thick, its real dark, what do you guys think? The bottom looks like a different color but its not, its just the tupper that changes texture at the bottom. I am still in denial that I need to tear the engine apart again so I need a second opinion. The timing cover did come off when I did the cam about a year ago, I cleaned everything real good and also dropped the pan cleaned it out and changed the oil pump, and replaced the oil pan gasket with a new rubber one piece. I just got the car running a about 2 months ago after doing all that.

View attachment 173028

View attachment 173030

 

[Boosted92LX]

I've had water problems before on several occasions, and every time it looked like a milkshake, not like what you've got. If you are getting water it's a very small amount. It could be the timing cover, intake gasket, head gasket or worse. But, since you ran the engine flush stuff, I'd change it one more time. Then see what it looks like before tearing down. It's really hard to get a contaminant out just by doing oil changes. It could take several tries, by my experience.

I have seen lubriplate make the oil look a little milky, but not that bad. Maybe If you used a ton of it...

 

[JEEPSTANG59]

You say the water comes pouring out of the radiator. My thinking is possibly a head gasket, allowing combustion gases into the water, and possibly allowing some seeping into the crankcase. To me it sure looks like water in there, I know you said it doesn't lose any water but keep in mind it doesn't take much to make it milky.

Hope I am wrong,

Paul

 

[mob]

No thats not what I meant, I meant with the car shut off I take the cap off and there's so much in there it literally touches the cap. With the car running there's no air bubbles or anything coming out.

 

[skunk21]

I'm thinking you have a small coolant leak. I have seen small leaks before that will fool the hell out of many people, the leak could be small enough that you will not notice much loss in the rad or overflow but enough to foul the oil. I'm not thinking head gasket but maybe like Josh stated timing cover or intake. It could be slipping by the coolant ports for one or sneaking in another spot. with the amount of oil changes the assembly lube should have thinned out by now IMHO. that side view pic you posted sure does look like oil tainted with a small amount of coolant, they all do not have to be thick milk shakes.

 

[90lxcoupe]

did you silicone the water ports on the timing cover and intake gaskets?

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

maybe it has a cold? put some nitrous to it (antibiotic) and it should be fine in a couple days.

 

[mob]

Ok so I've just had the oil sitting there for about a week and there is a definite separation in the oil, almost a 1/4" thick now. I am almost convinced it is my timing cover gasket. I recently took off my water pump and replaced it and also installed a new power steering bracket. Anyone ever had a problem when removing the water pump that the timing cover starts to leak? Dont the water pump bolts also push the timing cover to the block?

 

[bentley429isBAC]

Ok so I've just had the oil sitting there for about a week and there is a definite separation in the oil, almost a 1/4" thick now. I am almost convinced it is my timing cover gasket. I recently took off my water pump and replaced it and also installed a new power steering bracket. Anyone ever had a problem when removing the water pump that the timing cover starts to leak? Dont the water pump bolts also push the timing cover to the block?

Yes