White Goop on Oil Cap

Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
So...it's been colder here lately in WI, and when I changed my oil a couple weeks ago noticed some white sludge like crap building up on the cap. Cleaned it off, changed the oil, took a sample as it was draining and sent to Blackstone Labs. Haven't heard back from them yet.

Checked it today, and I find this crap on the oil cap and on the ledge inside the fill hole.

IMAG0554.jpg

IMAG0552.jpg

I couldn't tell if the oil dipstick had any on it with the serrated end and with how new the oil is...are head gaskets a common thing with these? I only drive the TB a few times a week and those trips are 1-3 miles tops...could this be condensation from the cold weather since it's not warmed enough?
Really hoping it's not coolant leaking into oil...I can't afford to have someone do the headgaskets on this thing.
 

smt 59

Member
It does look like a result of moisture in the engine, may not be any leak though just lack of use. It looks like you are using conventional oil and not synthetic, once you receive your results and they are good then I would suggest switching over to synthetic if your are not using it now.
 

Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
It does look like a result of moisture in the engine, may not be any leak though just lack of use. It looks like you are using conventional oil and not synthetic, once you receive your results and they are good then I would suggest switching over to synthetic if your are not using it now.

Thanks for the tip! I actually run Mobil 1 in both my vehicles. Haven't been a big fan of conventional oil.
 
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stickypoop

Member
Oct 14, 2014
872
When you drained it, did that look normal? If it wasn't evident on the stick and not noticeable in the drain pan it most likely is just condensation and less of a concern with contamination
 
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Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
When you drained it, did that look normal? If it wasn't evident on the stick and not noticeable in the drain pan it most likely is just condensation and less of a concern with contamination

I don't recall anything jumping out at me when it drained, however the garage has poor lighting. I remember looking in the oil drain pan after looking at that cap and nothing rang alarm bells. I assumed it was condensation from not driving it enough, however there wasn't nearly as much on the cap and none on that ledge when I did the oil change. That's why I was so alarmed today when pulling that cap...on the flip side, the past week has been the coldest so far this season, so that could be a factor...
 

Sparky

Member
Dec 4, 2011
12,927
My cap looked pretty nasty on my old car when I was only driving around the corner for work 5 days a week and it was in the middle of winter. Same gunky funk.
 
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stickypoop

Member
Oct 14, 2014
872
Coolant level staying consistent? If you're not seeing any coolant disappear and the milkiness is contained to the cap area I think you can sleep well until the report comes back
 
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Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
Coolant level staying consistent? If you're not seeing any coolant disappear and the milkiness is contained to the cap area I think you can sleep well until the report comes back

I don't think I'm losing any, but I'm always parked on an incline up in the driveway so it always reads a bit low because of the angle...need to park it for a few hours on the street and see if it's at the COOL line. I've got a cooling system pressure tester I'm going to hook up to it Thurs morning and see if it stays consistent.
 

Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
My cap looked pretty nasty on my old car when I was only driving around the corner for work 5 days a week and it was in the middle of winter. Same gunky funk.

That's actually reassuring, ha. I've never paid attention to the oil caps EVER until the intake manifold gaskets had to get done on my K1500's Vortec 5.7 and I found out this was one of those signs.....call me paranoid lol.
 

mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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I know that getting a Complete Oil Change with a K&N Oil Filer seems pricey and perhaps unnecessary... But besides any "Water" contaminating your engine oil... if it turns out to be Coolant, then you might run the risk of seizing the bearings in the engine as the Highly Acidic Coolant tends to corrode and dissolve the soft Babbitt metals on the surfaces of the Crankshaft, Camshaft and Connecting Rod Bearings. Have you examined the surface of your Coolant Fluid under the Radiator Cap? If you likewise see OIL in the Coolant... then the present problems will likely get more severe... and more costly if driven with such symptoms present. In a Worst Case Scenario... the engine will heat up and the Bearings can seize.
 

thor124

Member
Jul 23, 2013
19
I live in southern Ontario, Canada, and my trip to work is 8km. My oil cap often looks like that this time of year.
 

Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
Update on the TB: I got my oil report back today, absolutely no moisture/coolant present in the sample I sent in the day after Christmas (I drove it about fifteen miles that day prior to changing the oil). My plan is to let it warm up before driving it and try to drive it further distances for a change instead of driving my pickup all the time.
 

Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
:2thumbsup:Here's the quick fix......drive them and then drive them again

And use Amsoil Synthetics. :bonk: :2thumbsup:

I've thought of switching to Amsoil synthetics...but it's hard to let go of Mobil 1 when I'm getting it for $27.99 for six quarts from Amazon...
 
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Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
I've never seen moisture in mine, but I drive it well over 10 miles every time it is starated. Maybe this is just not a ga problem? Lol

Typical Wisconsin problems here.... :badday:

On Sunday it's supposed to be a high of 5F here in La Crosse. :uhno:
 

smt 59

Member
I've thought of switching to Amsoil synthetics...but it's hard to let go of Mobil 1 when I'm getting it for $27.99 for six quarts from Amazon...
It's not always all about price, I'm north of Toronto using Amsoil since the truck was brought home and have never had this issue in it or any of my other vehicles which all use Amsoil. Prior to this I did experience it.
PS, it's a north of 60 thing BT.....lol
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,950
North Las Vegas
I've thought of switching to Amsoil synthetics...but it's hard to let go of Mobil 1 when I'm getting it for $27.99 for six quarts from Amazon...
Why are you only buying 6 Quarts? Your rig calls for 7
 
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mrrsm

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Oct 22, 2015
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That is a little more than 14.25 % Drop in Total Crankcase Capacity... A Big Loss of Cooling, A Big Loss of Lubrication and a Big Loss of the Means to Dilute Gasoline Blow-By from Badly Worn Rings over a longer time frame between top offs (6 Qts?) and/or add-ins to make up the loss....

Definitely Nothing to Sneeze at!
 

Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
Why are you only buying 6 Quarts? Your rig calls for 7

They sell them by the six quart cases. I buy two each time and use what I have left towards my pickup's oil changes.

That is a little more than 14.25 % Drop in Total Crankcase Capacity... A Big Loss of Cooling, A Big Loss of Lubrication and a Big Loss of the Means to Dilute Gasoline Blow-By from Badly Worn Rings over a longer time frame between top offs (6 Qts?) and/or add-ins to make up the loss....

Definitely Nothing to Sneeze at!

Trust me, I'm smart enough to check my dipstick and check my manual and know how many quarts my engine takes....
 
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littleblazer

Member
Jul 6, 2014
9,265
Mine did this as well, but only when I short drove it. Like back and forth to school in the coldest winter we had ever. If I drove it for more than a mile a day... like a 10 mile drive, it went away. It's simply condensation from the cooling of the engine vaporizing with oil. As for it not being as prominent with amsoil... there may be an emulsifier in it which allows the small amounts of water to mix into the oil rather than rest on top. So when it burns off you won't notice it as much. Marine gear oils are made in a similar manner. That way the bearings and races in upper units don't get destroyed if there is a little water that got in there. (Yes I know it was already said.)
 
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mrrsm

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I'd be curious to know if the oil on that cap also smells of Gasoline Fumes...as H2O is always a by-product of combustion...ergo... if the rings in that engine are a bit..."relaxed"...then the blow-by gases would include Water Vapor as it goes past all the rings from each cylinder and forms a a king of "internal cloud" that when cooled...allows the Water Vapor to condense into water droplets that will collect cool on cold engine parts. So in this case we have HOH... living in Two of its Three possible Physical States of Matter... and contaminating the oil and engine innards over time in the process.
 

Rogue92

Original poster
Member
Apr 19, 2014
83
I'd be curious to know if the oil on that cap also smells of Gasoline Fumes...as H2O is always a by-product of combustion...ergo... if the rings in that engine are a bit..."relaxed"...then the blow-by gases would include Water Vapor as it goes past all the rings from each cylinder and forms a a king of "internal cloud" that when cooled...allows the Water Vapor to condense into water droplets that will collect cool on cold engine parts. So in this case we have HOH... living in Two of its Three possible Physical States of Matter... and contaminating the oil and engine innards over time in the process.

No, the cap does not smell of gasoline fumes. The rings in the engine are not a bit "relaxed" since my oil analysis shows no fuel in the oil. I understand the chemistry behind combustion and the byproduct of gasoline in that process. I'm not sure what you're trying to get at here.
 

JMTB02

Member
Feb 18, 2019
1
PA
Hello all! Found this forum/post via google and just wanted to put my experience with this same problem. I’ve only had my TB since December, but I’ve done quite a lot to it. One of the issues I had was this excessive goop in the intake baffle, under side of the oil cap, and in one of the PCV hoses. It got so cold a few weeks ago that the goop in the baffle froze into giant chunks. I also had 2 really bad spark plug tube seal leaks (cyl 1 & 6) and a valve cover leak. During the VCG job, I found even more of that goop on the under side of the valve cover (see picture). What I found was that the PCV port through the intake manifold and the block were completely clogged with this crap, the engine was not breathing at all! After cleaning and scraping as much as I could out, i went to brake clean and compressed air, and eventually cleaned everything out. Fast forward about a thousand miles and we are still clean as a whistle under the cap, in the baffle and in the PCV hose! It was a pain in the butt doing the VCG, but definitely worth it, as I’ve noticed a considerable difference in throttle response, and my fuel economy has gone up.
 

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zaid3ssaf

Member
Jan 1, 2020
151
Midwest
Sorry for reviving an old thread but I am planning to flush my engine with liqui Moly engine flush. I know you shouldn't do a flush if the engine is sludged badly because your run the risk of dislodging a chunk of sludge that can clog the orifices. I changed my oil and every 1000 miles the last 3 times ( just in case) preparing for the flush and the oil wasnt exceptionally dirty. How do you know if the sludge is bad without removing the valve cover? IMG_20200504_175959.jpg

This is how the oil fill port looks like:
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Anything under the cap? It can do this if you do short drives, especially in cold weather. Wipe as much of the shmoo as you can and go ahead with your flush.
 

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