What is this? (Picture)

[turbo_shelby]

Ok so I brought my car home today, parked it in the garage. I went out to the garage 4 hours later and found what you see in the picture under my car.

I got rid of my pcv valve about two weeks ago, but never had this under the car until today. When I got rid of the pcv valve I just ran a heater hose under the engine to atmosphere. That is where this substance is coming from.

[dragbaron]

I would guess a combination of condensation and oil.

[turbo_shelby]

Also just to add a couple things.

1. The car does NOT smoke at all.

2. I am losing a quart of oil every 200 miles.

3. When pulling the dipstick, I get no such substance as you see in this picture, nor do I see this substance in the valve area when opening the oil cap.

[jamierpm]

can you say SLUDGE?

[sinfulrelations]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragbaron I would guess a combination of condensation and oil.

+1 had a grand am that blew a headgasket looks just the same as the oil i took out of it

[turbo_shelby]

This isn't in the oil pan as far as I know. The dip stick looks normal as well as the oil cap and the rockets and springs and anything else I can see through the oil cap. But at the same time I am losing quite a bit of oil from somewhere. I know there are small leaks in the valve cover gasket. I did degrease the engine a week ago and had it up on blocks and it only dripped two drops in a half hour.

[glhs727]

is it like pudding? if so I know that is what happens when antifreeze mixes with oil. Maybe you have a cracked head or leaky h-gasket. Are you losing any coolant?

[turbo_shelby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by glhs727 is it like pudding? if so I know that is what happens when antifreeze mixes with oil. Maybe you have a cracked head or leaky h-gasket. Are you losing any coolant?

It doesn't seem that I am losing any coolant, its still full. I am going to monitor that closely over the next couple of days.

[onerippinturbo2]

that looks like cv joint grease, check the cv boots on the axles, you porbably have one seeping and slinging grease.

[torgtoe@frisurf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragbaron I would guess a combination of condensation and oil.

i saw this on an Audi the other day- car was tested and there was no headgasket-problem - i go for condensation as well

[turbo_shelby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by onerippinturbo2 that looks like cv joint grease, check the cv boots on the axles, you porbably have one seeping and slinging grease.

This substance is coming DIRECTLY from the valve cover. I have a heater hose hooked up to where the pcv valve used to be and just dumped it to atmosphere under the car.

[NAJ]

That is what oil looks like when it mixes with moisture, either from an internal leak or excessive condensation.
That sludge will end up thru the entire engine and cause problems.
Change the oil/filter(after cleaning top end), clean the valve cover and fix your PCV/Breather issues.

[turbo_shelby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NAJ That is what oil looks like when it mixes with moisture, either from an internal leak or excessive condensation. That sludge will end up thru the entire engine and cause problems. Change the oil/filter(after cleaning top end), clean the valve cover and fix your PCV/Breather issues.

Ok. One thing that doesn't make sense to me is that even with the PCV this should still happen. When the engine is shut off, there is still a direct path to atmosphere from the valve cover, isn't there?

[MarkassBauer]

it does look like cv boot or chassis part grease, thats weird.

[DetroitTurbo]

Condensation builds up in your pcv hose overnight since its open to the air, then when you drive and it blows misty oil into the tube it ends up looking like that, and if your losing a quart of oil that fast you probably have some massive blow by issues. However that seems to be mixed too well, as if it went through the motor before going out the hose.