2006 Malibu 3.5L 20 miles Mobil

[msmoke00]

Our shop did this analysis on a 2006 Malibu 3.5L with 37735 on the motor. Customer stated they had the oil changed 20 miles ago at the local Chevy dealer. Brought it to us and said the motor was ticking before and after the oil change at the dealer but the dealer did not say anything about the oil condition. When we drained this oil with 20 miles on it, it looked like a heavily creamed coffee, VERY white-brown.
Our question we were looking at is if coolant was getting into the motor causing this color. We did both a hot and cold cooling system pressure test and did not loose coolant level or pressure. Head gasket testing, for combustion gases coming through the cooling system was also negative. What is the consensus on coolant on being in this system?

 

[901Memphis]

Without high sodium and or potassium it's negative for coolant. Might be too short of a run to get enough of the elements in there.

 

[Rolla07]

Water in the oil might be cause for concern..id try and figure that out...maybe oil wasnt changed for a long time before that??!! No idea..pure guessing..

 

[Barkleymut]

Are they 100% certain the oil was changed at the dealer?

 

[Sam2000]

Remember how people say 20% of oil remains after an oil change?

Well if this is true then if coolant was there before the oil change then it should still show up right?

So no coolant but for some reason you have a water problem.

 

[msmoke00]

Originally Posted By: Barkleymut
Are they 100% certain the oil was changed at the dealer?


Customer waited on the oil change 6 days earlier at the dealer. She said it took the normal time and she had all the receipts to show us from every service since new, including the most recent one.

This car is a perpetual short tripper (2 mile trips twice a day) and doesn't normally go out to stretch its legs. We are guessing it's massive condensation, but the pcv system checks out.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: msmoke00
This car is a perpetual short tripper (2 mile trips twice a day) and doesn't normally go out to stretch its legs. We are guessing it's massive condensation, but the pcv system checks out.

I take it you guys have had a brutal winter, too. Nonetheless, that's still a lot of water to explain away, even with short tripping and a brutal winter, even if PCV were an issue. I'd assume another oil change is in order, and I would hope there were no shenanigans at the dealer.

 

[msmoke00]

Originally Posted By: Garak
I'd assume another oil change is in order, and I would hope there were no shenanigans at the dealer.


We've taken the valve covers off and cleaned all the wonderful snot out of it. It's getting a couple new lifters tomorrow (with at least one oil change if not a couple to get all the gunk out) and then going to assess what the main/rod bearings sound like. I really hope the dealer wouldn't do anything like this. It was ticking before she took it to the dealer for the oil change, so we're pretty sure the there weren't shenanigans then, unless it happened from their previous services. Their failure to report the oil's different condition is why she brought it to us.

 

[Garak]

Yeesh. I can't understand why the dealer wouldn't have told her about the oil's condition. I suppose if they don't point out the error, their reasoning is it's not their fault. Or, they somehow didn't notice, which strikes me as next to impossible.