Water in oil ?

[TOM4FORD@AOL.COM]

We have a 2005 GT with 10,000 miles. When we drained the oil, it looked like chocolate milk. The water levels of the engine are normal. Car is driven very little so we don't really know what we have with this strange oil. We did not have this problem at the 5000 mile service. Any info would be wonderful. Thanks

 

[FENZO]

Condensation can build up and find its way into the oil if the car is driven infrequently, and/or on short trips (not enough time to boil the water out, turns foamy). Situation is exacerbated by cold, damp weather. The other options are too dire to think about.

 

[nsfkid]

Change your oil more frequently & check the dipstick on more regular basis to check its condition.
Go for a longer drive now and then. If this fails, Sell me the car a HUGE discount:rofl

Mke

 

[nota4re]

We have a 2005 GT with 10,000 miles. When we drained the oil, it looked like chocolate milk. The water levels of the engine are normal. Car is driven very little so we don't really know what we have with this strange oil. We did not have this problem at the 5000 mile service. Any info would be wonderful. Thanks

Tom, you have every right to be concerned. I don't think that needs to be a lot of water in the system to cause this, but more water than would be introduced through condensation. Unattended, this could be a catastrophe so, once again, kudos for you for soliciting help.

My first suspect would be the engine oil cooler which physically is just below the oil filter housing but probably best viewed with the mid-pan removed. On some of the early 2005 cars, the oil cooler sometimes developed an external leak. Look for any evidence of this - and don't mistake any oil that could have dripped from a recent filter change as genuinely coming from the cooler. I suspect that on the car that you are looking at, there could be an internal leak. The oil cooler uses the engine water lines to carry heat away and a small, pinhole leak could have developed allowing water to enter the oil. It is a high suspect for me because if the engine is otherwise running normally, I wouldn't suspect heads or head gaskets and the oil cooler is the closest point they reside together. Couple this with the fact that the enginge has been more than bulletproof, and the oil cooler becomes a prime candidate.

I urge you to be very cautious with the situation - as it looks like you already are. After a fresh oil change, I would do another oil inspection in less than 100 miles. If the oil is once again milky, I honestly would replace the oil cooler next. Not a sure thing, but I would make that bet.

Good luck to you sir, and please let us know what you find. (Also, you can PM me for my cell number as I would be more than happy to discuss this diagnosis.)

 

[SteveA]

Check the water to see if it smells like exhaust or has any soot in it. Change the oil asap (duh) and check the oil after the first 10 or so miles, then 50 miles, then 100 miles and hopefully it's was nothing more than condensation. If oil foams white or turns milky again start with a compression and leak down. Is the motor stock? Good luck and please keep us posted.


Just read the post by Kendal and that is good advise on the cooler.

 

[BlackICE]

Have the oil analyzed. The results can tell you if you have coolant in the oil.

 

[paul b]

You may want to pressure test the cooling system.

 

[donnymac]

Have the oil analyzed. The results can tell you if you have coolant in the oil.

That is a good idea. Not all labs are the same. Make sure the lab you pick understands the mission. Results should explain the contamination which should lead you to the source.

 

[2112]

I have had this in boat motors. In my case I wasn't so lucky. Cracked block and head gaskets were the culprits. I hope yours is just the cooler or less.

The reason I posted is because getting all the contaminated oil out of the system is a PITA. Any water of significance left in can trash your main and rod bearings in a short amount of time.

What I do to get all the water out is commonly referred to as Pickling the engine when a boat goes under water and the engines ingest a lot of water.

Drain Oil
Fill with diesel and fresh filter
Run oil pump with drill or other external means
slowly turn over motor to allow all passages to be flushed (by hand preferably)
Drain all contaminated diesel and repeat until no evidence of water.
Allow diesel to settle and drain from low point
Repeat with oil and expect to drain it at least twice to get all diesel out.
Refill and check for contamination before firing.


Doing this with the oil will prove to be very difficult. The diesel will pick up the water much more effectively than oil will. I have tried doing this with just oil changing and it took nearly 10 refills to get water out versus 2-3 times with diesel.

Just my experience.

 

[NorthwoodGT]

Had the exact same problem on a GT I owned 2 years ago. without a doubt, it was a head gasket issue. especially if the car has increased boost as this one did. had a lot of other Ford products thru the years with blown head gaskets and the result was the same, malted milk looking oil. I've done the same douche process as 2112 describes using diesel oil to flush the lubrication system but I would remove any coolers and lines I could as well and try to flush them out separately to make sure all the gunk gets out of the system. another area is the valve covers. junk tends to hide up inside behind the baffles. also make sure to flush out the oil reservoir tank on the GT.

 

[2112]

Getting all the water out of an assembled engine is tougher than it sounds. Good suggestion on the coolers.

 

[MNJason]

If it were my car Id get a sample off to Blackstone ASAP.

 

[paul b]

Did you smell the coolant, usually a headgasket leak leaves a bad odor, any oil film on the coolant?

 

[peiserg]

As an fyi, what does a headgasket replacement run in the GT? Im running a pulley/tune as a lot of people are. Not that i'd expect an issue at this power level, but it would be nice to know money wise. IIRC I spent $4700 on the HG on my NSX, although that ALSO included timing belt/water pump. That was also a boost issue, as the NSX is a non boosted platform, and i was running 8 psi with a centrifugal supercharger on a totally stock motor.

 

[BlackICE]

As an fyi, what does a headgasket replacement run in the GT?

I don't know, but the motor has to be pulled out.

As far as boost a proper OEM engine has no problems with head gaskets running up to and beyond 21 PSI.