Oil, moisture, block heater?

[otis24]

I'm concerned about the level of moisture in my 2006 Chev. Colorado (2.8 I4) given my short distance driving. I drive 2.5 miles to work, home for lunch, back to work and then home. There is a thick milky build up under the oil cap, and I've seen light traces of milky residue on the dipstick. I plan on using Mobil 1 0w30 after this oil change (currently running Pennzoil Conventional for an Auto-Rx rinse phase).

Is it worth the cost of installing a block heater to combat the moisture given the short driving distances? Vehicle never gets to warm up. If so, wouldn't it be wise to run the block heater year round to combat the moisture that builds up during short distance driving?

 

[fdcg27]

I doubt that a block heater will help.
Running the thing long enough to evaporate the moisture in the oil will.
It is surely far to anything from where you live.

 

[JHZR2]

Nope. The electricity you waste would be better spent on a 100 mile nonstop trip once a month.

 

[otis24]

Currently, I am doing a 170 mile round trip once a month as part of my Cub Scout obligations. Hopefully, that will be sufficent to keep the moisture problems at bay.

 

[Kuato]

Yeah the block heater won't get it near hot enough to burn off the moisture.

I'd consider taking a bag lunch once or twice a week, and eating it while driving on the highway.

 

[Darren270]

I thought the milky substance was more indicative of a coolant leak as opposed to just moisture?

 

[otis24]

I had been in the habit of running it to Pukwana, a small hamlet eight miles west of me, once every two weeks just to burn off the moisture. Gotten out of the habit. Need to get back into doing that. Every pay day should work out about right.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Darren270
I thought the milky substance was more indicative of a coolant leak as opposed to just moisture?


It could be, but those same symptoms will happen quite often in climates like SD and worse due to moisture and short tripping. It wouldn't hurt to replace the PCV valve, either, just to be on the safe side, particularly if it's not a costly part. Alternatively, take it for a nice long run, and see what happens. If everything clears up, then it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[skyship]

Originally Posted By: Darren270
I thought the milky substance was more indicative of a coolant leak as opposed to just moisture?


I agree, as this sounds serious because short trips will cause fuel contamination and that does not give a colour change to the oil. The milky traces are coolant in the oil which is real serious and could be a head gasket problem that needs fixing yesterday, because once you see traces of coolant residue in the oil the engine will have already been damaged or sustained some fairly serious additional wear. Coolant and fuel contamination of engine oil are two major causes of premature engine failure with older engines in particular.

 

[Garak]

Actually looking at the calendar and reading skyship's comments brings to mind I forgot something important. What's the weather been like in SD the past while? It certainly hasn't been -40 up here for many months, so, in retrospect, I would be rather alarmed if I turned up a bunch of milky white residue under a filler cap, short tripping or not.

 

[Jim Allen]

Otis, you might consider two other things, a pan heater and an oil to coolant heat exchanger. The pan heater would be the easiest to install and some will heat the oil to about 100F and that's enough to get a head start on warming the oil up. I can't speak directly to your application, but on the two tractors and pickup upon which I have block heaters, they go a long way towards warming the engine up on a cold start.

Not sure the expense of any of this is warranted but I'm not looking at goo in my engine.

 

[otis24]

Didn't notice the milky substance when the temps were more moderate, nor do I notice it after a drive. Bought a pan heater last year, but alas, there is no "pan". Everything is aluminum underneath, so there was no place to mount the magnetic heater.

 

[mechtech2]

Most likely from short tripping, but could be a coolant leak.
Of course, make sure your PCV system is perfect - not just the valve, but free and clear lines.
Pressure tests for coolant leaks are not reliable for small leaks. Note the change in coolant level in the reservoir.

Forget about the electric heater. and why use expensive oil when you should be dumping it early and often with that residue in it [unless it is fixed/straightened out]?
I'd use dino.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: otis24
Didn't notice the milky substance when the temps were more moderate, nor do I notice it after a drive.


Well, you can check the easy/cheap stuff first. The PCV, as mechtech said, would be a place to start and it's generally easy and inexpensive.