Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Apparent coolant out blow-by tube. Diagnosis? (with visual aid)

[Signal73]

Noticed milky oil under blowby tube yesterday. Sounds like a bad HG from what I read in a search.

When parked the truck would only sometimes leave a single drip.

I drained the oil, and it dosent look milky after sitting overnight in a bucket.

Did look a little creamy at the top of dipstick when I pulled it out before dropping the oil.

Heres a pic of what dripped out.....

let me know what you think before I start pulling it apart.



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[rlyons]

Looks like cold weather and humidity to me. Unless you see water on the dipstick or oil in the radiator the I would not worry about it.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

The oil looks the same as mine did when my HG went. My truck had alot of oil in the radiator and overflow bottle too. Before you drained the oil, did you happen to notice if it was over full?

 

[McLaughlin]

If you are getting water into your oil pan you will see it when you drain it into a bucket if the truck hasn't been run over night. Had a cracked block problem which dumped all the coolant into the oil pan and if I just loosened the oil pan plug, I could get a steady stream of what appeared to be pure coolant. Oil level on the dipstick was way higher then normal, a bit milky, and the oil seemed thinner then normal. Did not notice any particular oil/residue at the top of the oil stick. If your oil level hasn't change and your coolant level hasn't changed then I suspect something else.

 

[BAnsley]

before you rule on a head gasket check out the engine oil cooler. some times this is the problem especially with a neglected cooling system. This a lot easier to replace than a head gasket. Just a heads up I don't like to see people spend time on something thats not needed.



Later, Brian

 

[KingS]

Like they said if truck sat overnight then drain the oil the water and coolant will come out first before any oil if only oil comes out it has to be from condesation and maybe alittle blowby.



My dad's truck if you get just alittle to much oil in it spits and drip just a couple drops for a bit out the tube.

 

[Timebomb]

before you rule on a head gasket check out the engine oil cooler. some times this is the problem especially with a neglected cooling system. This a lot easier to replace than a head gasket. Just a heads up I don't like to see people spend time on something thats not needed.



Later, Brian

Very good point



Also If you think your blow by tube looks nasty pull a valve cover I bet youll freak. Mine were full of scum oil /water mixed into a cream.

 

[Signal73]

Thank you for all of the replies everyone. At this time, it appears to be condensation in the crankcase, coming out through the blowby tube.



Last night I dropped the oil into a 5 gal bucket, let it sit overnight in the heat and transferred it to a different bucket looking for scum at the bottom, nothing found. drained the p-pump of oil, nothing found. drained the oil filter nothing found. Pulled a valve cover, looks normal.



One thing I ommitted from my first post is 3 days ago I got a stage 3 water/meth sys and have gone through about a half gallon of ww fluid getting the newness thrill out of it. What me and my freinds came up with is because of the high amount of moisture pumping into the motor and the warm/cold temps we have been going through here in CT caused excessive condensation out the tube.



I have a make shift catch bottle under the tube now, and will be monitoring the situation over the next few days without using any water/meth and see if the drips subside...



Take care, Jim

 

[SEmerson]

I get steam out the tube and some water on my dipstick when I do a hard run with my stage 3.

 

[Signal73]

I am currently running both 625 nozzles. Like I said it is the new toy so I have been driving it around in boost only mode which makes it kick in early. Love the power, but the oil drips made me nervous lol.

How is yours setup?

 

[Tom C]

Signal73,



I had the same thing happen after I put the meth on and went through about 2 gallons of washer fluid. My breather tube dumps on the front pumpkin pinion so I thought my pinion seal that I had replaced a few months earlier went bad and was wandering why I had so much water in the front diff. . Turns out it was just the breather dumping. When that happened it was also around 20° out side. Then I put the truck in the garage which stays above freezing. I think it just thawed out and made a mess. I have since then put cardboard down under the truck to catch it if it does it again.



no water noticed in my oil.

 

[Tom C]

One thing you can do is taste the water that comes out :{



If its sweet its antifreeze, If its not sweet then its just water.

 

[Signal73]

One thing you can do is taste the water that comes out :{



If its sweet its antifreeze, If its not sweet then its just water.

:-laf :-laf Tom it was on the tip of my finger at my mouth when my better judgement kicked me in the pants and said what the &^% are you doing

I noticed it had some ice in the puddle afterwards, so that sealed the case for me as far as going with the condensation route

 

[CumminsPower98]

Lots of moisture comes out of these things from the warm air hitting cold air. I have a breather tank and long hose on it and a few weeks ago while driving in subzero temps for a few days this system froze 100% shut and caused it to blow 7 qts. of oil out the dipstick tube while idling one evening. It now has a new and improved pill bottle on it for the winter.