Engine oil question

I honestly didn't know what form to post this under but after a cracking open my oil cap for the 1st time after purchasing my 2nd Gen. Tacoma. It has this weird almost like mayonnaise substance on it. Should I be concerned. Someone please share your knowledge.

 

Yes, be concerned. You've got water in the oil - most probably a gasket has failed somewhere in the block/heads and letting coolant into the oil

 

OK I appreciate it. Is there any way to figure out which gasket it is?

 

As you have oil and coolant channels running throughout, it's hard to guess where specifically; unless you can see some sign externally. Maybe others are aware of specific failure tendencies with this motor, but I don't have any experience with it directly.

 

I'd do an immediate oil change, let it drain as long as possible, then look in the drain pan to determine how much water is in the crankcase. There's really only one spot where there is a water/oil interface created by a gasket leak---the head gasket. Pull your plugs and compare them, you'll get one or an adjacent pair that are different from the rest. Are you throwing any misfire codes, or having any engine temperature issues? You have a fairly serious leak there, needs addressing NOW.

 

Its common in the north in the winter months. More so with conventional oil. Same reason an oil catch can will be full every week in the winter and last months in the summer.

 

I've always heard that this is just the result of changing temperatures and condensation.

 

The only thing that I do notice is that my engine coolant is really low.

 

It’s condensation, very common when the truck is driven on short trips where the oil doesn’t quite get hot. Go drive it for 30 minutes and it will be gone.

 

I do live in Wisconsin in its negative 10 1 day and then 40ﾟ the next day.

 

As mentioned above....id bet money on the head gasket failure. Could be wrong though....engines do get moisture buildup if they dont get hot enough to burn the moisture out. You noticed any temperature issues? When my head gasket blew on my 89 Mustang it would overheat while driving down the road but cool down when stopped. It was really the opposite of what you'd expect. With that much moisture in the oil, I would not drive it. You'll be doing more damage to the engine. Drain the oil and put fresh oil in. Drive it a bit while watching your temps and then check the oil for moisture again.

 

Very likely a head gasket. My old Honda, years back, had the oil cap look exactly like that when the HG failed. Look at the overflow reservoir, a blown HG can, along with looking like that, overpressurize the cooling system and force coolant to the overflow filling or overflowing it.

 

There are globs of this stuff coming out of my cap.

 

Never any overheating or temp issues l.

 

^my money is on this^
Does you truck see many long trips or mostly short 10-15 minute drive times?

 

Sure looks like a head gasket. If the oil is milky when draining I'd bet the head gasket is the culprit. How much water have you lost in the radiator reservoir?

 

Not really. Only back-and-forth to work and to stores and stuff like that.

 

What's the dip stick level and what's it look like

 

The dipstick level is perfect and it doesn't have that stuff on their.

 

Other places water could get in the oil would be a cracked block, but that is unlikely