Muck In The Oil

I recently bought a timing chain gasket set. I replaced all the gaskets, installed a new timing chain set and water pump, and replaced the rear main seal.

Everything came out good, except that the oil pan gasket leaks. So, I'm re-doing that job again.

When I drained the oil(brand new...7 miles on it), it came out milky. At first I thought, " what the... " It didn't come out like that when I did the job the first time ( a week ago).

Then I thought...maybe it's the Vasoline that I packed the oil pump with during re-assembly. Does this make any sense? Has anyone ever experienced this before?

I'll do a pressure check just to be safe.

 

Could be, doesn't really look like water does it?

 

Yeah..it looks a little different than water. That's what I'm hoping.

 

Could just be an excessive amount of condensation from short driving or short run times.

 

I'm bettin' if it's milky at all there is water in it in some amount. I have sent a lot of oil samples to the lab, and I do not recall a milky one coming back with any analysis other than water in it.

 

oh yeah...I agree, it's water.

 

So, if I packed the oil pump with Vasoline to prime it, put in new oil and filter, ran it 7 miles, then drained it, wouldn't there be some form of residue in the drain oil from the Vasoline?

I would assume that if I left the oil in for 3000 miles, then changed it, there would probably be no residue left. The Vasoline would probably get diluted over time.

When I drained the oil the first time I did the job ( @ about 2000 miles), there was no white stuff in the oil at all.

I'm gonna put everything back and do a pressure check, and go from there. I appreciate all the feedback.

 

The reason I do not think it is vaseline...is because vaseline is pretty much...oil. I use it to help prime an oil system as well...but have never been able to see it in the oil...Of course...I'm not sure if I have ever looked at it before the oil was brought to full Temp...so maybe.

 

FWIW, when i had my oil pump packed with vasoline, it caught a prime right away... and I promptly discovered an oil leak on the filter, but what came out looked very much like what you've pictured. A mix of oil and milky stuff. My gut feeling is it's vasoline, but don't discount what more experienced members are saying.

 

X3 on the Vasoline!

 

Ya know what you should do?...Take a little used oil, drop a hunk of vaseline in it, heat it up enough that the vaseline melts, give it a stir and see if it looks like that. The curiosity is getting to me (I may even try it).

 

Thats exactly what I was thing Mac, but you beat me to it. Sure fire way to find out.

 

You might have to stir a lot, like with an eggbeater. Apparently petroleum jelly is a waxy extract from petroleum, and doesn't have any water or such in it. I'd think it would dissolve completely, but maybe not. I'd guess the whitish stuff is an emulsion, like mayonnaise, whipped up by the crank action.

It may just be normal condensation water - I expect it won't readily evaporate until the engine gets to operating temps, if it's there.

 

Okay, I went to try the expierment and the wife says no-way,not in her kitchen. Too cold out in the polebarn ( 9*F today) to do it out there...I'll wait to see if someone else performs the test first , now that curiosity has got me I am also eager to know the results too.

 

Actually...you should use brand new oil. I had just put in new 15w-40 in the jeep, drove it 7 miles, discovered the oil pan gasket leak, then pulled the oil pan. And there it was....

 

Okay , if I have a chance this weekend to try the expierment what do you suppose the ratio of oil to vaseline would be? If I were to use 1/2 quart of oil ,how much vaseline should be mixed with it ? I believe for accuracy that one would want to try to keep the ratio simular to an engine filled with 5 qts. and the oil pump packed with the vaseline but I dont quite know how much vaseline that would have been.I also figure that it would require heating to about 180*F and I would whip it up with an old eggbeater( if the wife doesnt catch me). Any ideas ?