white oil on dipstick

[plarivee]

my jeep just started to show a small amount of white oil on the dipstick today. no oil on the cap just the stick. it has been raining out for about a week now and only gets driven 3 days a week. is it moisture from the air? or should i be concerned about a gasket? it hasn't been blowing any smoke:???:

 

[SteelHeadz]

If the oil in the pan looks like a mocha milkshake, you have a water mixed in with the oil. That could be a bad gasket or a crack in the cylinder head.

 

[FloridaCherokee1988]

I'd do an oil change real quick man and see if the oil in your oil pan is mocha colored too, if so then it's exactely like Steelheadz said, bad head gasket or bad head. If the oil in your oil pan is still normal then it could just be some moisture that seeped in and mixed with the oil on your dipstick.

 

[plarivee]

it was just on top of the line on the stick. the rest of the oil on the stick looked good.

 

[phall92139]

Could be a small amount of water got passed the o-ring seal at the top of the dip stick or the dip stick wasn't fully seated. However, the only way to really know what's going on is to change the oil. Cheap enough and easy enough to do. Otherwise your just speculating may find that waiting causes more problems.

 

[jfrabat]

Could be a small amount of water got passed the o-ring seal at the top of the dip stick or the dip stick wasn't fully seated. However, the only way to really know what's going on is to change the oil. Cheap enough and easy enough to do. Otherwise your just speculating may find that waiting causes more problems.

X2; an oil change should be less than $20 (a bit more if you use synthetic) and will save you A LOT of headaches if you do have water in there...

 

[Ggg]

It sounds a lot like a moisture issue to me, especially after the detailed dipstick description. I agree an oil change is cheap. Drive the engine after it reaches full operating temp for at least 1/2 hour or more, this will rid it of moisture. The reason I say drive instead of letting it idle is the trans and axles are also susceptible to moisture and they also need to come up to temp to rid them of moisture.

 

[Red cj5]

An oil change is cheaper than a new engine!

 

[plarivee]

thanks guys. im gonna go change it now and see how she is after a week or so.

 

[JohnnyO]

Short trips and not being driven much will put condensation on the dipstick and/or inside the filler cap.

 

[Team Twisted Off Road]

You can also pressure test the radiator to see if you have a bad gasket.. the tool to do that is not that expensive.. also if you do a compression test to each cylinder that would pin point if the head gasket is bad and where it is..so oil change $20 testers $50 each? motor $$$$.$$ if you ask around the parts stores may lend you one..

 

[glenn beck]

let it sit then undo the oil drain plug. water likes to settle at the bottom of the pan. let out a few tablespoons (dont pull the oil plug all the way out) if the oil is cream looking then its lots of water and you have a problem. if the oil looks good steal a tea spoon from the wife. heat the tea spoon of oil with a lighter if you see small bubbles its got a small amout of water proberly from moisture if the bubbles are large its got enoght water to require a change if it pops and hisses then its a lot of water and you have caught it early.

 

[phall92139]

You can also pressure test the radiator to see if you have a bad gasket.. the tool to do that is not that expensive.. also if you do a compression test to each cylinder that would pin point if the head gasket is bad and where it is..so oil change $20 testers $50 each? motor $$$$.$$ if you ask around the parts stores may lend you one..

I know you can check out a Coolant Pressure Tester w/adapters through Autozone's Lone-A-Tool Program. I did this a while back and saved the bucks for a tool I wouldn't use that often.