Oil filler cap - emulsion

[iani]

Stating that I hadn't had any problems with my RB recon engine on the Newark Engines thread really wasn't a good idea. I am now getting quite a lot of emulsion on my oil filler cap, there's been a tiny amount for a while but it has got a lot worse.

If the previous owner is to be believed, the engine should only have done c. 750 miles when I got it and I've put another couple of k on there so I guess it may not have had the heads torqued appropriately (hindsight is a wonderful thing). Is there any point in my trying this at this stage? assuming the worst, what is the typical cost of having someone like Wards fit new headgaskets?

Ian

[Andy Rundell]

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iani wrote:

I am now getting quite a lot of emulsion on my oil filler cap, there's been a tiny amount for a while but it has got a lot worse.

i wouldn't press the panic button too soon........ remember it is very cold at the moment, so unless you are using it regularly and getting everything well up to temperature you have well get a bit of mayo-type stuff due to regular condensation in the cold air

[nib]

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Totally agree with Andy,only today a friend was on about his oil filler cap full of white emulsion on his astra,cold air and a hot engine = condensation.

Whats it showing on the dipstick?

Are you losing any water?

Mark

[KOY 23]

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I fitted an oil catch tank. Around 50% of what it caught was water, and that was last summer. It is surprising how much water vapour is in the crankcase.

John.

[iani]

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nib wrote:

Totally agree with Andy,only today a friend was on about his oil filler cap full of white emulsion on his astra,cold air and a hot engine = condensation.

Whats it showing on the dipstick?

Are you losing any water?

Mark

I haven't lost any water to speak of, I have just checked the dipstick and it's showing nice fresh VR-1, am I guilty of Stag paranoia? I hope so

I always warm the car up until the water temp is 80C but I suppose the engine might not be at full temp.

Ian

[Thurlo Squire]

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iani wrote:

I always warm the car up until the water temp is 80C but I suppose the engine might not be at full temp.

Ian

The oil takes quite along time to get up to full temperature. SWMBO runs a BMW with oil temp gauge fitted and the water gets up to temp in a couple of miles but you really need to do around 15 miles for the oil to get to the same temp as the water.

Nigel

[singapore stag]

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KOY 23 wrote:

I fitted an oil catch tank. Around 50% of what it caught was water, and that was last summer. It is surprising how much water vapour is in the crankcase.

John.

What is the primary function of an oil catch tank?, does it prolong an engines life?.

Sukh.

[GDPR]

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Check the crankcase breathers are ok. If the breather pipes and system are split and/or blocked, the crankcase won't purge properly so you'll get a buildup of water vapour that'll condense out in this weather - especially with short runs.......

Russ

[iani]

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kryten wrote:

Check the crankcase breathers are ok. If the breather pipes and system are split and/or blocked, the crankcase won't purge properly so you'll get a buildup of water vapour that'll condense out in this weather - especially with short runs.......

Russ

Breathers are in place and appear sound, they're only 1 year old so unlikely to have collapsed, I'll remove them to check when it's not so cold in the garage.

Ian

[NickA]

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iani wrote:

<snip> they're only 1 year old so unlikely to have collapsed, I'll remove them to check when it's not so cold in the garage. <snip>

I guess it depends where you bought them from; there's some proper ropey parts on the market

[flying farmer]

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It never hurts to retorque the heads now and again. If you have standard gaskets fitted I have found them to keep settling for about 20,000 miles. Payen gaskets don't seem to need retorquing anywhere near as much. Make sure the engine is properly cold- leave overnight- then slacken each head nut by half a flat and retighten to the correct torque. If you have standard gaskets fitted it is not unusual for the nuts to go up one or two flats for the first couple of times you do this.

I usualy check the torque on an annual basis, seems a shame to lose a head gasket for a job that takes 10 minutes

Neil