Water In Oil?? (pics, Please look)

I may have water in my oil, but I am not sure.

A little history. I have about 500 miles on the 350 motor swap in my 51 Chevy. The motor came out of an 88 Suburban with 66K on it. When I got the motor, I pulled it apart and it looked pretty good, so I swapped it to a carb and put it in. That was about 3-4 months ago.

Last week I was driving it and knoticed a little smoke and a burning plastic smell. Today I was looking around to see what it could have been smoking. I found a small trans fluid leak from the dipstick. Perhaps the trans fluid is hitting the exhaust.

I then checked the water and the oil. The water was low and the oil dipstick looked funny.

Here are some pics of the dipstick.










Does this look like there is water in my oil? I havent had a chance to drain it yet, becuase there is another project in the garage right now.

The car runs STRONG and the oil pressure gauge is pegged full. Also since I have had the motor it has never gotten above 180 degrees.

Any Thoughts?

 

Looks like oil to me but hard to really see,milky white or choc milk color is the usual.What does it smell like ?

 

Maybe the intake gasket is leaking around the water ports. Maybe try and replace the intake gasket and put a small bead of silicone around the water ports. This happened on my small block, but the oil was way more "milky".

 

I didnt really knotice a smell. It just looked like it may have water droplets on the dip stick.

 

I'm not a mechanic- but I'll put in my 2$ before real help arrives. I currently have water in my oil and it's oil + milky white- I've allways known water in oil to be white.I'm changing my head gaskets.Good Luck! --- real helped arrived as I was typing...

 

check your intake gaskets

 

hard to tell by those pictures , but picture #3 looks like water in the oil to me

as others have said...check you intake gaskets. i had this happen to me on a 350 chevy and it was the gaskets.

 

It is easy to tell if water is in the oil, just take out the drain plug. Since oil floats on water, the water will come out first.

 

Old trick. Pull the dip stick and expose it to a flame, match, Bic, Zippo. If you get several "Pops", that would be moisture expanding as steam, indicating water is present.

 

I agree with 36 3 window... picture number 3 looks like oil/water mix.

 

Definately water and oil from the looks of the stick. If it looks like chocolate milk that's what it is. Get a compression check or all in out replace the head gaskets. Better now then later. But if you hear a knock, might need a teardown. 66k miles is not alot for these motors to have water in the oil unless it was severly abused beforehand.

 

I guess you had the heads off and put new oil in.
Were the head bolts are close together between cylinders,they go into the water jacket.I think i would pull those 3 bolts each side,one at time and put some sealer on thread then retorque.
Drain oil and see how much water in oil. Take it from there.

 

How long was the engine running? It could be just condensation.

 

Do a radiator pressure check to see if it leaks down then do a leak down on the cylinders to see if it might be a problem in that area, you replaced the intake so you might not have got a good seal in that area, but check both before you assume it is the intake, it could be a head gasket or a crack somewhere you need to check all the possibilities before proceding to make sure of what it is so you do not do unnessesary work.

 

looks like water in the oil to me could be intake or head gaskets or possibly cracked head or block

 

I installed a used GM amulinum intake manifold, with new gaskets. I never have had the heads off. Just the intake, exhaust and pan.

If I was just to guess, I would say the intake manifold gasket, but I will do a compression test for sure. How do you pressure test the radiator?

The engine was only running for a few minutes, and the car has been sitting outside, but condensation in the dip stick?

 

What are those "chunks" on the stick....you gotta keep it clean.
Is it water or coolant? Did the engine have PTA (permanent type antifreeze) in it when you pulled it out of the Sub? Taste the "water" you drain out. If its sweet, its either an intake gasket*, intake manifold, head gasket, cracked block or head.
*-replaced

 

yes-you have a smallish leak from your intake swap. I hate those. You'll want to fix that.

yes you can get condensation in the crankcase especially if you're not vented properly and dont have at least a 180* stat in it. Since you said it's now low on water, i'd say it's the intake.

 

yep- oil/water-- drain your oil pan and pour some into a jar and let sit for awhile- should seperate..

 

Is your radiator down ? It appears to be water from the look of the dipstick. Probably not what you wanted to hear but your first suspicion is usually right.

 

If the oil level is noticably overfilled you've probably got a bit of work ahead of you.

But if the oil level seems about normal you may in fact be seeing condensation in the crankcase. You mentioned swapping the intake and adding a carb. Do you have a properly operating crankcase ventilation system? A PCV system will help pull moisture out of the crankcase.

Also, if you're running a 180 degree thermostat consider changing it to a 195. The higher engine temps also help to evaporate moisture in the crankcase and remove other deposits from the oil.

 

you can buy a kit from any of the tool trucks or napa should have them, basically its a air pump that you connect to the rad. and pump air into the rad. that pressurizes it and if the gauge go'es down you got a leak somewhere.

 

Also a leakdown test on the cyls. is better then a compr. test, it helps you pinpoint right were the problem is. Do you have smoke coming out the tailpipe? if so it should be white in color that indicates water in one or more cyls. but from what you say it sounds as if it is your intake leaking, did you torgue the intake right? why dont you check it again.

 

Can you do a leak down test with a compression tester? Maybe leave it hooked up and see if the pressure drops...

 

Looks like water in the oil to me. Oil looks like oil, and nothing else. I would take a compression check to rule out head gaskets. If compression is good, intake gaskets are about the only other way to get water in the pan, other than (let's hope not) cracked heads or block.

 

there are some intakemanyfolds that have not a proper fit between your cilinderheads so yea it is posible that a gasget is leaking a little.this can happen when youre cilinderheads where decked.youre degree angel off the heads is a litle difrent.than you have a tiny small opening between youre heads and youre intake.

 

I love chocolate milk...........


i'd be drainin' oil, and swappin' out gaskets right about now...

 

I am going to be out of town for a week working. When I get back, its all coming apart.

 

comp. testers have a schrader valve to let the air out so you can't just watch it leak down, its a waste of time just taking it all apart, FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS FIRST.