How much do I need to worry about this?

[Angus]

Pulled the oil cap off the wife's SRX and the cap looked like this:

Before when I was checking the oil level, I didn't see the same on the dipstick though. I do have a problem with losing coolant but I believe it's a leak from the lower hose. Engine bay has had a lot of coolant spray around it recently...

Any leads on what to look for next? Clean cap and check again in a few days?

Motor is a 3.6l v6.

TIA

Click to read more...

 

[bikrboy128]

i wouldnt worry about it at all, so long as the oil itself doesnt look like that. i see this all the time, especially when the temps drop

 

[Midn1ght Driv3r]

Personally I always get this around winter time. Yours might be more of issue with the coolant around, but it always collects moisture under the cap. The shop just told me to take it for a very long drive and let it really warm up and it all disappeared.

 

[Dan00Hawk]

I see it on the oil caps of VW and Audi vehicles throughout the winter due to the aforementioned moisture buildup from condensation on the oilcap. However, if the dipstick looks like a milkshake, then that's a problem...

 

[Mike@Devo2ning]

It's just condensation doin it's thing.. Not to worry.

 

[ktraver97ss]

haha same thing freaked me out on truck a while back, it was nothing like everyone mentioned. You should still sell that POS...

 

[Angus]

This is all good news. Thanks for calming me down on this, I was worried more major repairs were coming my way...

Next up, pull transfer case and replace stretched chain and sprockets... [MENTION=112]ktraver97ss[/MENTION] you're right, I wish I could get out of this car that easily...

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

when i was working at the Chrysler/Jeep service dept a guy would always bring in his Crossfire for synthetic oil changes and always wanted us to look at the "milky" substance on the oil cap.

when draining the oil, it was fine, so the substance was "normal"

 

[ktraver97ss]

 

[Zack]

How far is your drive to work?

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Stop buying jank ass cars Angus.

 

[Angus]

How far is your drive to work?

Car has been mostly used just around town, but recently does 30 min round trip commutes, 3x a week... Does amount of run time at operating temp come into play?

Stop buying jank ass cars Angus.

 

[torquelover]

It does, and depends on the car. My daily commute is 5 miles one way, never over 45 MPH. First car that didn't like it was my MK8. Had to take a different route home to get that one up to temp.

 

[Angus]

My janky car started to misfire heavily on Saturday with multiple codes for cylinder 1 and a single code for cylinder 4. Replaced the plugs yesterday and air filter. No more misfire.

The plugs didn't look terrible to me, but needing to be replaced. Left side is cylinders 1/3/5 from top to bottom. Right side is 2/4/6 from top to bottom.

Oh and the air filter was somewhat ready to be changed

And some oil in the air box.

 

[Eagle]

Yeeeeep.... the plugs look stupid tired and obviously that air filter has seen better days. The oil is likely expected too... does the PCV recirc through the airbox? I don't recall how it was setup.

 

[cacicgtp7]

 

[Chester Copperpot]

That's oil?

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

Would sell

 

[Eagle]

Aftermarket turbo car FTW...

 

[Angus]

Yeeeeep.... the plugs look stupid tired and obviously that air filter has seen better days. The oil is likely expected too... does the PCV recirc through the airbox? I don't recall how it was setup.

The PCV enters the intake tube between the TB and airbox.

That's oil?

Yeah, it was something gross...

Aftermarket turbo car FTW...

It's out of my wife's DD SRX...

 

[Eagle]

oh well in that case

 

[Angus]

Got it. Burn it/sell it.

 

[EmersonHart13]

My Heep 4.7 makes that look like nothing.

Totally 'normal'

 

[ktraver97ss]

oh my

 

[Eagle]

wtf!?