Anti-freeze in oil?

[kapjim]

When I changed my oil last night there were some bubbles in it which
is not unusual, but I poked the bubbles and the mass seemed to be of a
different consistency. I am suspecting this is anti-freeze. The
first thing that comes to mind is a blown head gasket but are there
other possibilities (perhaps less expensive to repair)? I'm not DIY
mechanic and I suspect the cost of a head gasket repair does not make
sense on a 13 year old car with 181,600 miles on itl.

 

[Steve Daniels]

When I changed my oil last night there were some bubbles in it which
is not unusual, but I poked the bubbles and the mass seemed to be of a
different consistency. I am suspecting this is anti-freeze. The
first thing that comes to mind is a blown head gasket but are there
other possibilities (perhaps less expensive to repair)? I'm not DIY
mechanic and I suspect the cost of a head gasket repair does not make
sense on a 13 year old car with 181,600 miles on itl.

Was it running well? I guess I'd do a compression test were I
worried about it, but what I'd probably do is ignore it until it
started running badly.

 

[clare]

When I changed my oil last night there were some bubbles in it which
is not unusual, but I poked the bubbles and the mass seemed to be of a
different consistency. I am suspecting this is anti-freeze. The
first thing that comes to mind is a blown head gasket but are there
other possibilities (perhaps less expensive to repair)? I'm not DIY
mechanic and I suspect the cost of a head gasket repair does not make
sense on a 13 year old car with 181,600 miles on itl.

The head gasket IS the less expensive to repair. Other options are
cracked head or block - mabee a few others - but none simpler than the
head gasket.

 

[clare]

Was it running well? I guess I'd do a compression test were I
worried about it, but what I'd probably do is ignore it until it
started running badly.

At which point you could scrap it.. 181000 on a Soob is not
exceptionally high miles.

 

[nobody >]

When I changed my oil last night there were some bubbles in it which
is not unusual, but I poked the bubbles and the mass seemed to be of a
different consistency. I am suspecting this is anti-freeze. The
first thing that comes to mind is a blown head gasket but are there
other possibilities (perhaps less expensive to repair)? I'm not DIY
mechanic and I suspect the cost of a head gasket repair does not make
sense on a 13 year old car with 181,600 miles on itl.

I don't have a huge amount of experience with coolant getting into the
oil, but bubbles weren't the tell-tale.

On the 3 "BHG" episodes I've been involved with, the oil was the color
of a chocolate milkshake (heavy on the chocolate). That was long before
baristas in booths, so it would be more like a mocha. The mix gets so
"churned"/homogenized by the engine that the water/coolant mix and the
oil won't separate for weeks (if the engine isn't run).

This has been many years ago, could be that present oils and coolants
could have changed that.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

When I changed my oil last night there were some bubbles in it which
is not unusual, but I poked the bubbles and the mass seemed to be of a
different consistency.  I am suspecting this is anti-freeze.  The
first thing that comes to mind is a blown head gasket but are there
other possibilities (perhaps less expensive to repair)? I'm not DIY
mechanic and I suspect the cost of a head gasket repair does not make
sense on a 13 year old car with 181,600 miles on itl.

I SUPPOSE under certain low-use/odd conditions, there could be some
condensation collect in the oil pan. But I'd say 99% BHG. And
sometimes a compression test may be OK on a 'cold' car. Are you losing
coolant from the reservoir/radiator? Are there bubbles of exhaust in
the radiator?

Carl
1 Lucky Texan

 

[.._..]

At that age and miles, swapping the motor out is about the same price as a
head gasket repair.

 

[johninky]

Ditto on the oil looking like chocolate/coffee with cream if there is
a mixture of coolant and oil. And it takes very little coolant to
accomplish this. I can't believe you have "globets" of antifreeze
floating/suspend in the oil. Also replacing a head gasket isn't cheap
if you pay someone else. Dealers charge between $1500 to over $2000
for this repair.

 

[kapjim]

I SUPPOSE under certain low-use/odd conditions, there could be some
condensation collect in the oil pan. But I'd say 99% BHG. And
sometimes a compression test may be OK on a 'cold' car. Are you losing
coolant from the reservoir/radiator? Are there bubbles of exhaust in
the radiator?

Carl
1 Lucky Texan

Nothing odd looking when I changed the oil this time. No coolant nor
oil had to be added. Must have been....

 

[Dave__67]

Nothing odd looking when I changed the oil this time. No coolant nor
oil had to be added.  Must have been....

Certain foresters and outbacks have an oil-coolant heat exchanger, I
could see a small crack or defect letting a small amount of coolant
into the oil.


Dave