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my oil is white?!?!?!

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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:18 AM
  #1  
Sfvxj88's Avatar
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Default my oil is white?!?!?!

i know this usually means that coolant is leaking into the oil and burn most likely from the head gasket but my radiator fluid never goes low and im not over heating... any advice would be appreciated 91 cherokee 4.0l ho
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:29 AM
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Well, it doesn't take much coolant to make your oil look like a milkshake so you may not notice the loss. Throw a bottle of "Bar's Leaks" in there and see if you can get the gasket leak to plug. Otherwise, you're probably going to be pulling that head off. I wouldn't drive it, you're scrubbing the oil off your cylinder walls and you could ruin your engine quickly. The problem with a blown head gasket is that you can use some additive to plug the leak, put in new coolant and oil, and then as soon as it gets hot enough the plug fails and you've wasted two jugs of AF and 6qts of oil. If your oil is really milky white I'd go right to a new gasket (don't forget to get your head machined, it'll increase your compression anyway!).
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Sfvxj88
i know this usually means that coolant is leaking into the oil and burn most likely from the head gasket but my radiator fluid never goes low and im not over heating... any advice would be appreciated 91 cherokee 4.0l ho
First..., Hi and welcome to CF from Tj in NJ.Drain the oil and put new stuff in there and watch it carefully. Just a little water/moisture will make it look like a lot. Do a pressure test on all cylinders...Tj
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:34 AM
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From: Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
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Engine: 4.0 rebuilt w/ bored TB, banks header, upgraded ignition, 3 row rad, high flow h2o pump, 180* t-stat
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Originally Posted by alpine.adrenaline
Well, it doesn't take much coolant to make your oil look like a milkshake so you may not notice the loss. Throw a bottle of "Bar's Leaks" in there and see if you can get the gasket leak to plug. Otherwise, you're probably going to be pulling that head off. I wouldn't drive it, you're scrubbing the oil off your cylinder walls and you could ruin your engine quickly. The problem with a blown head gasket is that you can use some additive to plug the leak, put in new coolant and oil, and then as soon as it gets hot enough the plug fails and you've wasted two jugs of AF and 6qts of oil. If your oil is really milky white I'd go right to a new gasket (don't forget to get your head machined, it'll increase your compression anyway!).
that and itll cause ur oil to sludge starving the engine for oil. id just replace the head gasket and get a valve job while your at it. also good idea to replace all gaskets associated with head ( head gasket, valve cover gasket, themostat housing gasket, intake/exhaust manifold gasket, and the valve stem seals) and if you remove the fuel rail when you pull the intake be sure to replace the o rings on the injectors that seat into the manifold. and clean the intake while its off too.
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:35 AM
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Originally Posted by TrekkerJmm
First..., Hi and welcome to CF from Tj in NJ.Drain the oil and put new stuff in there and watch it carefully. Just a little water/moisture will make it look like a lot. Do a pressure test on all cylinders...Tj
x2
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:39 AM
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You only drive short distances, don't you? Drive the damn thing until the engine reaches operating temp, then drive it some more. You need to give the engine a chance to burn off the moisture that collects inside.
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Bustedback
You only drive short distances, don't you? Drive the damn thing until the engine reaches operating temp, then drive it some more. You need to give the engine a chance to burn off the moisture that collects inside.

THIS.
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:43 AM
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I've heard that on a few different threads...
about driving it to get the condensation out.

Where do you live?
How's the weather?
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:44 AM
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Also, if driving the H2O out of it works...
please post to let us know-
Thanks-
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 11:47 AM
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Did it sit,how many miles,how well was it maintained before you got it?
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 06:10 PM
  #11  
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if your oil looks like this when you change it you have a blown head gasket or a cracked block
Attached Images  
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 06:16 PM
  #12  
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From: Rio Rancho NM
Year: 1996
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even worse than scrubbing the oil off is that antifreeze softens the babbit on the main, rod and cam bearings. Any engine that has had any antifreeze in the oil has it's life majorly shortened.
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 07:15 PM
  #13  
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From: corpus christi, texas
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whats a babbit?
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 07:54 PM
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Default Babbit

Babbit is one of the materials all your engine bearings are made of. Back in the eary auto days the bearing was poured using molten babbit, it took someone who knew what they were doing. Late 30's some engines started using incert bearings, like the modern engines.
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Old Feb 26, 2010 | 08:26 PM
  #15  
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From: corpus christi, texas
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so we have modern bearings, not babbit? that is something interesting to know. i never ever even wondered what bearings where made of till you said that babbit deal
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