My bronco just quit running and there is milky looking oil on the end of the dipstick and in the breather that is on top of the valve cover going to the air filter box.
I highly doubt it's your intake manifold, however I am positive it's your head gasket(s). Even if it's one, you'll want to replace both. If this is the case, you'll need to remove the intake anyway, so you'll want to replace that gasket as well (if equipped).
Also, since your'e removing your heads, you'll need to replace your valve cover gaskets too.
This should all come in one kit: valve cover gaskets, head gaskets, intake manifold gasket (if equipped; the gasket that is); and, since you're pulling your heads, you may as well replace your push rods, lifters and rocker arms. If affordable, but not necessary; highly suggested.
Please let me know if you need any further assistance with this.
Sounds serious but perhaps not terminal. Have you noticed any loss of coolant lately or white exhaust. Before starting take all the plugs out and spin the engine on the starter and see if anything gets kicked out of the empty spark plug sockets. Also check to see if the spark gap on any of the plugs looks cleaner than the rest.
From the evidence of emulsified oil my guess is you have a leak at the cylinder head gasket. This will require at least one cylinder head to come off. The 'clean' plug will most likely indicate in which bank of cylinders the leak has occurred and if water was expelled out of an empty spark plug port this will confirm the bank. The gasket will need replacing along with a complete oil change. Run with oil for only a short while and then change it again.
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You need to run a compression check on the cylinders and see if you have a head gasket leaking or an intake gasket leak. Milky look to the dipstick can only mean one thing and that is water in the oil and maybe the leak is just starting. It might be condensate but if it is it is not normal. If you don't find a problem I would check regular to make sure it is not getting worse.
Hi Wendy, hope I am wrong but it sounds like a cracked head or blown head gasket.
If the engine hasn't been started in a couple hours pull the engine oil dipstick and look at the oil level. If the oil level is over the full mark you likely have water in the bottom of the oil pan. Milky/semi-white oil on the dipstick would indicate the same. If the oil looks good and at or below the full level look in the water overflow for the radiator. Any sign of oil or milky looking foam is an indication of oil in the water from cracked head/block or blown head gasket. If both the water and oil look good start the engine, let it warm up and look to see if you have water coming out of the exhaust pipe. It is normal to see some water come out of the exhaust after starting a cold engine due to condensation in the muffler and catalytic converter but a healthy engine should have only a slight amount of water vapor coming out of the exhaust. Anything more would indicate a cracked head/block or blown head gasket.
The FIRST thing you need to do is get a dipstick. The condensation in the valve cover is most likely from moisture getting drawn into the engine through the dipstick tube. Not to mention that it is also drawing unfiltered air in that can mess with your air-fuel ratio and act like sandpaper on your internal engine parts.
Also, if you are afraid that you may have water in your oil, you can check for water in the oil by taking the oil pan drain plug out.
Blown head gaskets don't make the engine run cold, they make them run HOT! (Over 240)
Blown head gaskets also do not make things come out of the valve cover. The valve cover is ABOVE the head gasket. Gravity makes liquids run downhill. You most likely just need to fix an oil leak at the valve cover.
Sounds like you have a possible head gasket leak internally. The white gunk is a mixture of oil and coolant. Check your oil dipstick if its creamy in color too then quite possibly. Check the coolant level, if low then I'd definitely suspect it going into the oil. If both oil and coolant look good than it could just be regular blow by condensation. check the air filter for restriction, and the PCV valve for being plugged up.
possible engine damage.Check for water in in the oil at the dipstick it will be grayish or milky looking.If it doesnt start you maybe burnt the valves and or a piston
Remove and plug the PCV valve hose with bolt to check and see if this is the issue, many times the crankcase is not venting properly and the PCV valve needs replacment it is inexpensive enough just replace the PCV valve located on one of the valve covers it has a hose going to it.
On top of the valve cover there is a fresh air breather unit. Make sure the breather unit is not plugged. Also the fixed orificePCV should be clear. Find a tool that will go through the orifice and make sure it is clean. Remove the vacuum hose and check it for cracks or internal damage. With the engine running, make sure you have vacuum through the hose. Let me know when your finished cleaning the crankcase breather system. Regards,
it is looking like it could be is the car run regulary? as sometimes when its cold a build up of condensation causes the cap that has oil on it to turn milky can you take the breather pipe off and check there if there is a build up there it could be the start of a headgasket problem.
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