Yellow "gunk" on my oil cap???

[Old77]

On my list of things to do tonight is changing the oil in this thing! With what you said, then, I wonder if my injector cleaner may have left this and it's just "residue" from that then.

One thing I forgot to point out is that this "gunk" is NOT on my dipstick. So if it was a head gasket issue wouldn't I see this on my dipstick as well??

Also, my coolant is the red stuff so I'd assume that if it was that it'd be more of a brownish, pinkish color rather than the 'yellowy'. Am I correct?

Anyway, what makes the Pennzoil so bad? My dad has used it on all his vehicles essentially and they all end up going well into the 200k mile range with no problems (one went past 300k with no real issue) and I've always used them on mine as well. I'm wanting to learn about this as I've heard this said before but just ignored it since I've "always used it".

Let me got grab a snack real quick

 

[oneluckypops]

I gotta take the boy to school but when i get back i will try to explain why not to use the penzoil.

 

[Old77]

Cool. Thanks, man! I'll be around

 

[davbell22602]

It could be a head gasket or an intake gasket.

I just did a little research and a bunch of people say it`s normal to have yellow gunk under the cap due to short winter trips when the engine doesn`t get a chance to get hot enough to burn off any condensation. But i`ve never had it on anything i`ve ever owned.

But the fact that you cleaned it off and it came back in a short amount of time tells me that it may be bad news.

Just to be safe i wouldn`t drive it until you get a chance to drain the oil to see what it looks like.

Did you happen to notice if your antifreeze was low?

I got same results when doing a search last night. But thats how I came up with the tstat causing it.

 

[Old77]

I got same results when doing a search last night. But thats how I came up with the tstat causing it.

What about the tstat could cause it??

 

[crazy4offroad]

Add a quart of trans fluid and drive it around the block, enough to warm it up before you change the oil. It'll help clean it out a little.

This X2...

I wouldnt be extreamly worried. I do not believe it could be coolant due to the color like it has been mentioned. In my experience with oil mixing with coolant it comes out as dark grayish or brown.

 

[davbell22602]

What about the tstat could cause it??

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...6eiK6yNeg&sig2=HVHtUN7k1o0ChK0sHFLQ_g&cad=rja

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...xh6Ku-r6A&sig2=WcgwrehDqDerCxVPUeIsrw&cad=rja

 

[Old77]

Add a quart of trans fluid and drive it around the block, enough to warm it up before you change the oil. It'll help clean it out a little.

This X2...

I'm feeling better about the situation this morning based on your guy's comments. I will take pics of the oil tonight as I drain it and throw them up here!

So do you think that the Injector Cleaner I used or the age of the oil could have caused this possibly?

 

[Old77]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...6eiK6yNeg&sig2=HVHtUN7k1o0ChK0sHFLQ_g&cad=rja

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...xh6Ku-r6A&sig2=WcgwrehDqDerCxVPUeIsrw&cad=rja

good links, dave! Thanks, man! The moisture building up due to short trips in the winter time is very possible because the wife mainly just takes short trips around town and (as I've said before) only puts about 400 miles a month on it. So that is a very real possibility. I think that my tstat is ok, though, cuz it gets up to operating temp pretty quickly and stays there with very little fluctuation but the rest of the info seems pretty plausible for my situation.

This is definitely making me feel better about what's up with it. Sounds like it may be nothing serious and I just need to clean it out real good and change the oil in it.

 

[crazy4offroad]

It could be related to whatever additive is in the oil. When water gets in your oil it foams up and looks like a nasty off-white/gray milkshake. Try some royal purple or other full synthetic. I used to be a Penzoil fan too till I started hearing bad things about it.

EDIT: I just looked at that attachment full size, that does look kind of foamy/watery. But if it was staying cool and running smooth I wouldnt worry about it much.

 

[Old77]

Is it a big process to change brands of oil or is it as simple as draining old and putting in new? I've heard that some oils don't mix well but this was years ago and oils have come a long ways since then I'm sure!

 

[davbell22602]

Is it a big process to change brands of oil or is it as simple as draining old and putting in new? I've heard that some oils don't mix well but this was years ago and oils have come a long ways since then I'm sure!

There is no process to brands of oil if your staying with regular 10w-30. I do know when switch to synthetic oil you cant switch back.

 

[oneluckypops]

Ok first let me say it was not my intention to single pennzoil out, because they are NOT the only oil that doesnt hold up well.
You can do online research and find scientific data that says Pennzoil will protect better then most all other oil's. BUT IMO the scientist doesn't see the real world results that a techintion sees. Sure there labs have test cars that they examine the used oil from the oil changes BUT they are changed every 2000-3000 miles religously, truth is working class people dont always change there oil with out going over ME INCLUDED.

Have you ever taken a valve cover, oil pan, timing cover off and noticed a burnt redish color baked on the surface? That is caused from heat. What happens is when the oil breaks down it no longer has a good thermal protection which will cause the redish tint which intime will build up causing build up, sludge, and even grit. Those particles will break away from the surface and pass thru the oil circuit causing clogged filters, and engine damage.

Now the heat is not only the cause of this, poor maintance will cause ANY oil to break down so even Valvoline will loose its protection if not changed regularly as will all oils, BUT I have personally seen several motors fail from build up, and grit and grime. Which ALL but 1 of those engines were long time Pennzoil users, the other was a Motorcraft.

 

[Old77]

So if I switch to Valvoline I can just switch with no issues? The reason I ask is that in the past (years ago) I'd heard that some oils don't mix well with others (due to detergents and other additives that oils sometimes have) so I was told then not to switch brands but if you do make sure the brands are "compatible". This may all be BS at this point (or could have been BS back then too ). I believe my teacher in Automotive class in HS (MANY years ago now ) is the one that said that.

 

[davbell22602]

Ok first let me say it was not my intention to single pennzoil out, because they are NOT the only oil that doesnt hold up well.
You can do online research and find scientific data that says Pennzoil will protect better then most all other oil's. BUT IMO the scientist doesn't see the real world results that a techintion sees. Sure there labs have test cars that they examine the used oil from the oil changes BUT they are changed every 2000-3000 miles religously, truth is working class people dont always change there oil with out going over ME INCLUDED.

Have you ever taken a valve cover, oil pan, timing cover off and noticed a burnt redish color baked on the surface? That is caused from heat. What happens is when the oil breaks down it no longer has a good thermal protection which will cause the redish tint which intime will build up causing build up, sludge, and even grit. Those particles will break away from the surface and pass thru the oil circuit causing clogged filters, and engine damage.

Now the heat is not only the cause of this, poor maintance will cause ANY oil to break down so even Valvoline will loose its protection if not changed regularly as will all oils, BUT I have personally seen several motors fail from build up, and grit and grime. Which ALL but 1 of those engines were long time Pennzoil users, the other was a Motorcraft.

I agree about Pennzoil not being the greatest oil out there. I know Pennzoil causes build up/gummy layer on internal part of a engine on small engines. I also know quaker state oil isn't thick enough for small engines too.