TheSamba.com :: View topic - oil sludge in breather tube that goes into bath oil filter

Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:25 am

I've had this issue for years seems.

I could not find info via the history on these forums but maybe I'm using the wrong search words.

I get a beige "foamy" sludge from the oil refill neck/oil breather tube

[img]http://www.reluctantmechanic.com/images/vw_beetle_oil_dipstick.jpg[/img]

It travels up the tube that goes into the oil bath cleaner and spills out. Making the engine a mess.

I'm reading from the web that's it's moisture in the oil? And should I use a anti-foaming agent as well as changing the oil soon?

Thanks for any advice

chris
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Tue Aug 17, 2010 10:47 am

Its moisture from condensation. You are not letting the engine get hot enough to boil it off. Take it for a long ride and then change the oil.

Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:52 am

Glenn is right - moisture in the oil.
Could be caused by short trips. Moisture cannot get hot enough to boil off. This is not nice to the engine - contains a lot of acidic moisture that can be damaging to internal engine parts.

However, if you are driving a lot, perhaps you are doing some river fording where water gets up to the crank pulley? Standard engines will allow water to enter around the crankshaft if it gets immersed to this level. Then the water and oil froth up - think mayonnaise, and then the mayonnaise rises to the top of the oil filler, and engine pulses will force it up the crankcase ventilation tube to your air cleaner. Yuck!

Look for moisture entering the crankcase somehow.

Tue Aug 17, 2010 3:56 pm

My daily commute is less than 2 miles.

I'll try burning it off.

thanks!

Chris

Tue Aug 17, 2010 7:43 pm

It's been a particularly cold summer here in the Bay Area too. Not helpful.

Warm up flaps may help too. I picked up an inline oil bypass thermostat, but haven't hooked it up yet - that can also help if you've got an external cooler.

Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:37 am

I was going to say water/moisture as well, I've seen that before on water cooled engines with head gasket leaks. not good.

Unsure how much time needs to elapse before damage occurs running oil in this condition too.

Recently, i've noticed my THINGs carb 'sweat' and I've never before
seen a carb with attacted moisture from the air like this, I had the engine running less than 5min or so, and the carb was Ice cold, thus attracting water/condensation.
I suppose the engine in your case could be doing that, somehow getting in the oil.

I was supprised actually; i've never seen a carb get that cold, and attract water like that, but recently our weather has been 300% humidity....Ugg! :cry:

I know old John Muir's book suggests you "roll one/burn one" while your VW engine is warming up, he hates auto chokes too, but the rolling one part I could see doing waiting for warmup! 8)

Good luck in the fix.
T

Wed Aug 18, 2010 9:56 am

Water is a byproduct of combustion (Hydrocarbon + Oxygen becomes H2O and CO2 among other things) and some of that blows into the oil through blow-by. When everything is nice and warm, the water vapor just blows out through the breather. When the oil is cold, it condenses instead and becomes that weird foam.