OK Help...I have had my oil changed at my request at the dealer about every 3000 miles, excluding recently when it's been about 5000 miles since I have had it changed. I checked the level of my oil today and found it down about 1/2. I noticed a yellow "mucus" on my dipstick. When I opened the cap for adding some castrol synthetic I noticed this !!! What is it, and what do you think? The white stick has the "mustard" on the tip for illustrative purposes.

 

your fine.

the car isnt coming up to full temperature like it does in warm weather, so that stuff hasnt boiled off and gone thru the pcv (or catch can) yet.

you will also notice that its on your dipstick too. moisture tha hasnt boiled off.

 

Thanks for the speedy reply. Yes, the car has been sitting more in the winter months, and more so recently. I had just been driving it for about 15 min, engine seemed up to temp, but not for a prolonged period of time. Just looked at my wife's MCS and it looks normal, she has been driving much more than me.

Thanks again.

 

errrrr last time I checked... milk shakes in the motor were bad...

 

Looks like water in the oil....Blown head gasket?

 

Does it still have coolant in the tank?

 

funny .
Do you concur w/ the thought of water in the oil? And is this normal and it simply boils off?

I don't see any oil on the block...but then again I can't really get a good view. How could the "layman" check for this? Is it normal to have some condensation occur and mix w/ the oil as previously suggested?

I have coolant, it's that brown color. What are your thoughts?


The color of the "mustard" is similar to the color of the "water" that I collect from the catch can.

Should I get the car up to operating temp for a while, see if this "boils off" as suggested by "not-so-redandwhitecooper" and see if it goes away?

Or should just plan on taking it in for the dealer to look at?

 

I am not an expert on this, but I saw the same thing (mustard kinda oil) in our Turbo Volvo and it turned out to be water mixing with the oil . I think you should check with the dealer . Though I hope that I am wrong and it will go away when you heat it up... I'm not so sure

Good Luck

 

not to put you in a panic... but in my expirence... it's water in the oil... that's ussually the milk shake...

 

Hmmm... You might consider sending a sample (at least a couple ounces of the stuff) to Blackstone Labs or any other engine oil testing facility. This way you will know for certain what is in your oil and why it is turning...yellowy-mucus color.

How has the car been running? Any issues out of the ordinary?

It's really looking like water (condensation, and LOTS of it) is the cause, though. How many miles on the MINI? Any change in the color of the smoke coming out of the exhaust, especially at wide open throttle? Could be a leaky head gasket...

Let us know the prognosis...

-boognish

 

I can't imagine that the milk shake has very good lubricating properties to it, let alone the viscosity of it. I'd agree that dealer is in order if it's still under warranty.

 

Looks like to me

not like any oil I ever seen

 

I would say to just take it in.... the thing is with loosing a head gasket is that while idling the car maybe fine... but under boost is able to push water past the gasket... at this point your oil is comtaminated... this cannot be good for working as oil should... and can damage the motor further... call mini road side... get her taken in...

 

I agree. If it's a blown head gasket, the dealer can determine it. Even if it's only condensation in the oil, the lubrication properties are greatly diminished. That oil needs to be changed, pronto. Then in the future, make sure you take a long drive every once in a while to get all that junk burned off.

 

Still looks like to me.

 

looks like foaming Gorilla Glue to me, and that's not a good thing

 

 

The car is running fine, as strong as ever, and making plenty of boost, 16.5psi @ WOT. No unusual smoke colors, and the vehicle only has 19K miles for a 08/02 build. Most of the driving is very very very short commute to and from work, and that amount of driving has greatly dimished as the weather in Wisc. has been snowy and icey. Recent medical issues have cause greatly reduced driving in the past 2 wks as well since the weather has cleared up.

It's been suggested to take it for a long drive to burn off the water, (condensation) and the opposite to call MINI roadside assistance and have it taken in.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll post what I end up doing and how it all turns out.

 

^^ why don't you just drain the oil and put a new 5qts in?
that's what i would do.

it looks sick.

 

Clean off the dipstick. check the oil for 2 things. Does some/ most look like oil? Is the oil level higher than the full level. Find a shop that can pressure test your cooling system just to make sure. They use a small hand pump with a pressure gage that screws onto the overflow tank. If the pressure bleeds down you have a leak. In your case the head, headgskt or block. Or a false alarm & its only major condensation. Whatever the case change the oil !! Oh---also what Chow says!

 

This sort of thing is not uncommon for northern MINIs. Short trips don't heat the oil enough to rid it of the condensation. It takes a long time to completely warm up a MINI, at least 45 minutes or more.

If you have 'milkshake' oil—you're screwed.
If you have 'mayonnaise' on the tip of your dipstick—you're fine.

Call your SA and/or take it in to be sure.

 

I've seen this emulsion many times. It is definitely too much water in the oil. Driving won't get rid of that much. And driving with that much water in your oil is not good.

Change your oil and filter immediately. Carefully mark the level of you coolant tank, first thing in the morning before you start anything up... and watch it everyday.

Watch your oil level, is it increasing?

Any garage can do a coolant system pressure test.

A cylinder compression test would also give you good info.

If you have a garage do any of the above, have them do a cylinder leak down test too... all of this testing is very affordable if you can't do it yourself.

If the emulsion comes back quickly, then you definitely have a problem, either a blown head gasket, or a crack in the head or cylinder.... that's the only way that much water get in there.

How long has that oil in the picture been in the car???

YD

 

I think there's a tool that you can attach in place of the radiator cap. It has a sensor in it that can tell if there's anti-freeze in the oil. Do a Google search, I'm sure you'll find something.

 

Now that we are all repeating ourselves I have another suggestion. MOVE SOUTH

 

It is only the condensation that collects in the valve cover from not getting the car hot enough to "vaporize" the water and have it sucked out by the breather lines. Not to worry unless you try and drive this way for an extended period of time. I suffer the same thing during the winter here. I only have a 3 mile commute. If I can't get more time in the car during the week, I will take an hour or so drive on the weekend and then all is good.