oil milk

[clever gyro]

What’s this stuff and how do I fix it, the vehicles a 2005 gmc canyon sle 3.5L engine

[teal shoal]

What does the coolant look like

And the actual oil in the engine

[clever gyro]

That was on the very tip of the dipstick but after I pulled it out and put it back in I saw no more

And I’ll look at the coolant when I’m done driving

[teal shoal]

No

Do not drive

[clever gyro]

It’s been like this for about a month but I figured I should probably figure what it looks like now

[teal shoal]

If all of your oil looks like that stop driving immediately

[clever gyro]

I burn oil so there’s some new oil in it

I just put it in

[teal shoal]

That is oil mixed with water

[clever gyro]

Well how do I fix something like that

[teal shoal]

If all of your oil looks like that

And the coolant looks bad or is gone

Then it's probably a head gasket or oil cooler

Does it overheat?

[clever gyro]

I’ve never driven it for more than like 2 hours in one go and that was one time otherwise I only drive for like 20 minutes max and it never had

[teal shoal]

Wait does it ever fully come up to temp

[clever gyro]

It’s been 3700 miles since my last did an oil change and I run synthetic Castrol 5w-30

[teal shoal]

Did the oil look like that

[clever gyro]

It always sits in the middle where it should, I’ve never seen it go higher

[clever gyro]

Not that I remember but the truck did sit for a while before I did the last oil change due to there being a leak that let water into the fuel tank and it didn’t run

[teal shoal]

When you drive it does it come up to temp

Or no

If the actual oil on the dipstick looks like that then change the oil immediately

[clever gyro]

Stays there and never goes higher

It’s a little below full

[mystic dome]

If there was water in the fuel tank I wouldn’t be surprised if some of it slipped past the rings or smg

[mystic dome]

That’s pretty gross

[clever gyro]

I put that in about 8 months ago when I had a radiator leak

[mystic dome]

Nah somethings seriously wrong here. Bad head gasket maybe

[clever gyro]

Is there any way to check that

[glad finch]

GG @clever gyro, you just advanced to level 4! Chat more to level up and earn top roles!

[mystic dome]

Only real way is to tear apart the engine, but seeing the state of that oil and coolant that might be necessary

[clever gyro]

Fun

Well I’ve been driving it like this for a month

What’s my expected lifespan

[mystic dome]

As it stands, pretty low

Only a matter of time before that sludge in the oil clogs the passages and you lose all oil pressure

[teal shoal]

Block test

[clever gyro]

What’s that

[orchid plume]

oh lord

that's the forbiden milkshake

your engine is most likely fucked

[clever gyro]

She runs like a top

[paper hawk]

It’s moisture build up

No it’s not coolant

[paper hawk]

It is quite common in stop and go traffic vehicles that have little revs in rpms

[paper hawk]

At Mr lube it was quite common in people’s vehicles that did very little driving. Just a moisture build up of water mixing with the oil.

[paper hawk]

If you really want to know if it is just coolant or water (probably won’t work as its properties have changed a bit) is a ph test.

Or check your oil

If your oil is fine, let ur rpms rise more often

[teal shoal]

It shouldn't if the vehicle comes up to temp

I've seen it happen on cars that have such a short commute that they don't boil the water off

[paper hawk]

No it happens

Why do you think catch cans exist

[paper hawk]

Ya that is what I am saying, if you bring your rpms up you will burn off that moisture hopefully. If you run in low it can build up. Now he is gonna need a flush.

I am 90% sure this is just a moisture build up and not a head gasket

[mystic dome]

How do you clean that out?

[orchid plume]

huhh

[paper hawk]

A flush and drive at higher rpms so it doesn’t happen again

[paper hawk]

Moisture, not coolant

From aeration

I was just about to say it is common in trucks especially; and look what it is

[paper hawk]

Changing it to a 99% now

@clever gyro

How often do you drive and what percentage of your rpms do you use

[paper hawk]

I mean ya that is what I am getting at, it’s the same thing. Running at a higher rpm to substitute a longer drive is gonna reduce the moisture build up.

An engine is gonna get hotter at higher rpms, also your valves are gonna be more clean and your oil is gonna circulate more. Even on normal vehicles with a decent bet of driving distance. I still recommend driving at a higher rpm every once in a while to try and keep the valves from getting build up; and moisture build up at bay.

[paper hawk]

But also on trucks especially, they are built for “working”, if you drive it like an average day commuter and aren’t hauling stuff around, you need to drive at a higher rpm every once in a while or you will get build up.

They aren’t designed to be driven like a Prius

[clever gyro]

I drive just around town maybe 20 minutes at most for one time

[paper hawk]

At around what rpms and how often, like daily?

Also how much further do you got till ur next oil change

[clever gyro]

Around 1300 more miles till next oil change and I drive it about daily, I’m not sure about my rpm’s maybe around 2-3k

[paper hawk]

Ya I would drive it a bit higher every once in a while. What does ur redline start at. If it starts at 8 drive at 5k every-once in a while

[paper hawk]

K ya, ur fine. At ur next oil change get a flush if the serviceman there recommends it.

[paper hawk]

More near the end of each drive, give it a bit more gas