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Author Topic: Car/motor question  (Read 1681 times)

280plus

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Car/motor question
« on: June 05, 2009, 12:54:00 PM »
2004 Chevy Cavalier, 72K ish on the miles. Car runs ok. Seems pretty clean except the 4 cyl motor has brown goo inside when you pull the oil fill cap off the valve cover and run your finner around in there. I'm pretty aware that brown goo = moisture mixed with oil but I think if it is a condensation thing (not head gaskets) and if so is this A. normal B. fixable like with a new PCV or something or C. I should forget this one and find another.

I know my 83 AMC eagle with the 258 6 cyl had the same issue for years and it never seemed to be a problem.

thanks!  =D
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RocketMan

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2009, 01:19:57 PM »
I normally keep my finner out of where it doesn't belong.  Especially if it can get brown goo on it.  =D
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Stand_watie

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2009, 01:28:21 PM »
     Don't know about the 2004 cavalier...but that's just fine for an 83 gmc eagle =D
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White Horseradish

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2009, 01:45:52 PM »
Do you make a lot of short trips? Sometimes this can happen when condensation gets into the oil and it doesn't heat up enough or for long enough for it to get cooked out. Alternately, it can be just crappy oil or problems in the PCV system.
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K Frame

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2009, 01:59:50 PM »
Was, like, your original plan as a kid to become a proctologist, and that is just some sort of weird substitute when you couldn't get into medical school or something?
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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2009, 02:10:10 PM »
Ok, all the smartass wags aside (  =D ) it's nothing to worry about.  When your oil starts to look like milk, THEN you worry. 

Just be sure to change it often enough,
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Nick1911

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2009, 02:13:26 PM »
You can clean out some of this sludge with a little ATF in the oil, I'm told.

Personally, I've not encountered this problem yet.
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AZRedhawk44

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2009, 02:38:37 PM »
Quote
Do you make a lot of short trips? Sometimes this can happen when condensation gets into the oil and it doesn't heat up enough or for long enough for it to get cooked out. Alternately, it can be just crappy oil or problems in the PCV system.

+1.

I bought cheap "house brand" oil at Autozone and did an oil change with it, then ran a bunch of short trips around town for several months.  No long road trips or highway cruising.  Checked the oil and had yellow/brown sludge.  Yuck.

Changed the oil to a decent oil (I bounce between Chevron, Castrol, Valvoline and Texaco based on what's on sale) and problem never repeated.  Even when doing nothing but short road trips.

But... I do make it a point to get a couple good road trips in every few thousand miles.
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lupinus

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #8 on: June 05, 2009, 03:31:06 PM »
Is this your car or one you are looking to buy?

The goo you speak of is likely just sludgy oil build up.  If it was lots of moisture or a head gasket it would likely look like a watered down chocolate milkshake.  Sludge builds up over time.

Likely causes could be either lots of short trips, blocked up ventilation (probably via PCV valve), or cheap oil which usually has a cheap additive package.  Lots of short trips means the oil never really gets hot enough to evaporate all the moisture in it.  Clogged PCV does strange things, and cheap oil is....well cheap.

At 73k unless it's seen hard driving and is running good some sludge likely wont have cause any serious problems.  Get a good oil additive that cleans out the system, run it for the recommended time, and do an oil change with a good conventional oil and change every 3000 or 3 months on the dot.  After a few changes keep using a good conventional or even better switch to a synthetic oil.  Using the additive will help clean out the current sludge and frequent oil changes afterward will help "flush" the rest from the system.  After that proper maintenance will keep it from becoming a problem again.
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seeker_two

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2009, 03:33:23 PM »
Quote from: RocketMan on June 05, 2009, 01:19:57 PM
I normally keep my finner out of where it doesn't belong.  Especially if it can get brown goo on it.  =D

Fortunately, Ned never had that problem....  =D
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Regolith

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #10 on: June 05, 2009, 06:25:07 PM »
Quote from: Nick1911 on June 05, 2009, 02:13:26 PM
You can clean out some of this sludge with a little ATF in the oil, I'm told.

ATF huh?  Do you use a single agent, or an entire field office?  Seems like one would do. 

How do you get them through the oil filler hole?  They're a bit big... 
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seeker_two

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #11 on: June 05, 2009, 06:30:49 PM »
Quote from: Regolith on June 05, 2009, 06:25:07 PM
ATF huh?  Do you use a single agent, or an entire field office?  Seems like one would do. 

How do you get them through the oil filler hole?  They're a bit big... 

Considering the last thing ATF "cleaned out" (i.e. Waco), I'd avoid using them on a car engine...  :rolleyes:
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280plus

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Re: Car/motor question
« Reply #12 on: June 05, 2009, 07:14:46 PM »
Thanks guys, I'm looking at buying it for the kid. Mama's all spooked over the goo now so it may not go through.

Somehow I knew a story about sticking my finger in a hole and pulling out brown goo would result in, well, you know...  and I wouldn't have it any other way!  :laugh:
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