Mustard-Like Sludge on Dipstick

[RoGuE]

I took a look at the dipstick in my car today while giving it a wash. I noticed there was mustard colored sludge all along the dipstick. The oil is Pennzoil Platinum (made from natural gas) 5w-30 that I changed back in in December and my coolant level is good. I drive about 75% highway 5 days a week (10 miles of highway each way) so it doesn't get short trips. I also pulled out the cartridge filter and it looks clean, no sludge on it.

The only thing I can think of is that this past week it has been raining almost every day so the oil got emulsified with moisture in the air and left the yellow sludge on the dipstick?

Anything to be worried about?

 

[justalubetech]

If it was towards the top of the dipstick it could just be condensation. If your coolant level is good i'm thinking it's just that.

 

[Falken]

If I really had to guess, you do the full wipe of the dipstick every time you check the oil, and some moisture rusted the spring steel?

Chijunk springsteel dipstick, moisture formed along it...

Don't know really

 

[tommygunn]

Your Rolls-Royce had too much Grey Poupon, so now it fails to proceed

 

[Kuato]

Pictures? They'd help.

Likely to be condensation, but check frequently. If it is consistently bad, a UOA would be my plan, at the end of a shorter OCI.

 

[RoGuE]

I've been pretty busy and haven't had a chance to respond. I took a look at my oil before leaving work and noticed it again when the engine was cold. I managed to snap a mediocre photo. You can see a little of the sludge on the metal lug where it meets the braided cable. It is slightly more yellow in person:

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/...link_copy_flash

I drove home (15 miles, almost all highway) and checked again and I didn't see it on the dipstick, but I did now see it on the oil cap. I didn't get a photo of it, but when I look inside the oil fill hole, I've never noticed it looked this dirty...you can even see where I swiped my finger through it:

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/...link_copy_flash


Should I be worried about this? I never drive it all that hard, and there is only 2000 miles on this oil.

 

[147_Grain]

Perhaps the mechanic who did the last LOF change used the dipstick to spread mustard on his hotdog

.... or acid based corrosive combustion by-products mixed with condensation are present in the oil from all the short trips / unburned fuel dilution.

I vote the latter. Wouldn't hurt to do another oil change now and see if the mustard dilemma goes away.

 

[Stewie]

Clean it and check it periodically

 

[Rick in PA]

I'd check the PCV system.

 

[ISO55000]

It’s impossible to give an accurate assessment with a picture but based on what you showed, your description of the events and some experience, analytical thinking and process of elimination I think you do have cause for immediate concern. Perhaps you may be able to provide additional information.

It “looks like” either emulsion from contamination or severe aeration/churning. (Can’t really tell)- I would suggest finding a white light and clean paper towel and perform a blotter test and let’s see how the rings look and any moisture separation from the oil.

Do an olfactory test- does it “smell” of glycol or fuel?

I would definitely perform a field crackle test for water

I would also strongly recommend pulling a sample for analysis (and do a full spectrum because if my suspicion is even remotely accurate then you should get a particle count and full spectrum range of metals and chemistry to try to assess the condition of your engine as well)

I would tend to discount rain and environmental being a contributing factor because if your engine was susceptible to this to that extreme you would have this occur with some frequency. (And assuming you have not been fording creeks and sucked in a gallon of free water- if that’s the case, drop your oil pan and check for bass and bream too)

If it were my vehicle I would immediately change the oil with a standard detergent oil/filter and run about 50-100 miles. (Basically just a washdown, nothing more)

I would recommend a complete mechanical evaluation by a competent mechanic checking compression, cooling system pressure and anything else.

I would ignore (ONLY for the moment) that varnish and build up in the oil hole simply because your description of your event with that low mileage strongly suggests there has been a significant event/change that has affected the oil creating premature failure rather than a long term accumulation. If this is an “event” rather than long term breakdown then that accumulation is more likely than not a symptom caused by the event and subsequent chain of events rather than a problem in and of itself.

After I did that washdown and put your normal oil in I would monitor that fresh change daily and see if the problem starts coming back.

We can guess about everything but I always prefer to technically diagnose and deal with the results.

 

[ragtoplvr]

You are in the south, right. So not extreme cold temperatures.

I would check the level of the coolant, both by looking in the tank and by opening the radiator cap. If all is good you probably have normal condensation and it will resolve when summer hits.

If coolant is low, then the leak must be found.]

Rod

 

[Yup]

Originally Posted By: ragtoplvr
You are in the south, right. So not extreme cold temperatures.

I would check the level of the coolant, both by looking in the tank and by opening the radiator cap. If all is good you probably have normal condensation and it will resolve when summer hits.

If coolant is low, then the leak must be found.]

Rod



Normal condensation? If that was normal for a car I had I'd sell it and buy a different brand. 2 winters ago we had days in a row where temps didn't reach -10F for highs and I didn't have issues like that. Either he drives one block to work every day or he has something serious going on. Just my opinion.

I should clarify...unless your dipstick is in a really cold part of the engine. I assume you pull it out, wipe, and check again?

 

[stephen9666]

My wife's VW did this in the winter. It was just condensation and never hurt anything. Short trips made it worse.

The fact that the OP said it wasn't there after a 15 mile drive seems to lean towards the condensation answer.

But keep your eyes on it.

 

[clarkflower]

The pictures look a lot like my BMW oil after the head gasket went out.

 

[demarpaint]

It's probably condensation, hard to tell without seeing it. I'd pressure test the cooling system to rule out a bad head gasket.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: Yup

I should clarify...unless your dipstick is in a really cold part of the engine.


I have seen this before. I think there are two places on the Ecotec engine where there are some cold spots in the winter - up high in the dipstick tube, and under the oil fill cap. Especially under the oil fill cap since its located at the top of an additional plastic "riser" to locate it above the plastic engine cover. Probably takes a long time to burn off any condensation that gets up there.

 

[ISO55000]

With all due respect ( and living not that far from the OP experiencing the same weather)to the people of this thread- if that's condensate the OP must park his car in a greenhouse with all the misters running and have all the caps off allowing maximum possible ingress.

I'm not going to stick my neck out much on a picture I didn't take and a scenario I haven't personally seen but that oil gives all indication it has been worked and is emulsified.( to an unknown degree) Anyway that aint free water. I would believe there's a good bit of dissolved water present also.

If that's true then nothing short of a centrifuge or vacuum d emulsification is going to get it out. ( that visually looks beyond anything a coalescing filter could handle)

In any case I would change/wash it immediately- if its as emulsified as it appears to be it is now most likely damaging the engine.

 

[Yup]

Unless it's inside the dipstick tube and sticks as you pull it out...I'd be changing the oil and keeping a close eye on coolant level (when engine is cold, of course, so you don't lose any skin). Again, I don't know the engine...maybe the dipstick is in the cold trunk. But that does not look like something I'd say, "no biggie" over.

 

[RoGuE]

Rick in PA-There is not a conventional PCV system in this engine with a replaceable valve.

ISO55000- It definitely does not smell from coolant or fuel. How is the blotter test performed? And field crackle test?

I don't think this is a coolant issue. No smell and the tank is at the same level. The dipstick could be in a cold spot, it does extend a few inches away from the front of the engine. I suppose it is possible that it is only occurring in the dipstick tube. And it is especially strange it is not apparent when the engine is warm.

Could it just be my engine is not working well with the new natural gas derived version if Pennzoil Platinum?

Ironically enough, this car had exclusive 4 mile trips in traffic each way to work until a year ago.

 

[RoGuE]

I just looked up the blotter and field crackle test. I'm at work right now so I can't do the crackle test. But I got some white card stock and did the blotter test. It's in my trunk drying right now. I'll report back later.