Lots of milky condensation in oil cap and filler neck

I think it may have to do with the temperature outside more than the length of the trip. I notice it during the winter, but not in the summer. It doesn't seem like any issue as this is well documented on this site. I am not worried about it at all.

 

Thanks for the reassurance. I have operated equipment of most shapes and sizes burning most types of fuel in any imaginable condition. Only once have I seen condensation in the filler cap. Ironically it was my first car, an old Toyota van. Head. gasket. Unfortunately, if the cause is the plastic neck, it is sub-par engineering in an otherwise above average piece of equipment.

 

Our forklifts at work do this because of what Chris just said. Need to run that baby good!

 

What leads you to this conclusion?

 

Tell me that you believe moisture accumulation anywhere in the engine is a sign of brilliant quality control.

 

It happens on any motor operated short times in cold weather. This was taught in my autoshop class 30-40 years ago. derp

 

30-40 years ago, there was a vent on top of your valve cover to deal with moisture and pressure. Nowadays crankcase emission standards do not allow a simple breather.
Also, you live in Georgia. you may have lived elsewhere in the past. Ive lived along the canadian border most of my life and for 5 months a year, 32 is hot. Somehow, Fords, dodges, Chevys,caterpillar,Cummins, international, Deere, agco, Volkswagen, Honda, New Holland, and even old Waukeshas haven't done this. diesel, gas, svo, propane.
Also, operating the taco for a short duration in cold weather did not apply to my v6. Only long distance driving in slightly below freezing weather. See my previous post regarding timeframe and mileage.
The question is not whether an engine creates moisture, the question is how the manufacturer decides to design a system where moisture is discharged not a system where moisture is allowed to accumulate.
I am simply surprised by this oversight by Toyota's engineers. Most likely, in testing the plastic neck was known to produce condensation buildup and it was too expensive to use a different material.

 

Think about this.Where I worked I had a large air compressor and used Pennzoil 10W30 in the compressor crankcase.This was a air cooled compressor.Every 3 months I had to change the oil because it got very milky.The compressor only ran for about 30 minutes a day.The only thing I did to correct this problem was change to Pennzoil 15W40.I think the heavier oil would cling to metal parts to avoid condensation.You may want to stick with 5W30.I guess what I am trying to point out is that condensation occurs even when there is no liquid cooling system.Even a low gas tank will condensate on the inside.Since you can not completely fill the engine with oil you will get some condensation.The old 300 six cyl ford engines did this a lot and it never hurt them after two or three hundred thousand miles and I dought it will hurt these V6s.

 

I noticed this condition when i did my first oil change. i switched to mobile-1 synthetic @ about 600 miles. my truck is almost a year old with only a bit over 2k miles on it. of course i did not check the bottom of the filler cap since i changed my oil back @ 600 miles. ( i check my dipstick all the time) until this morning when i read this thread. it looks clean, but when you wipe it off with a white rag you can definetely see the yellow stuff on the white rag, but i don't see any deposit on the cap it self until i wipe it off.

 

Condensation will always migrate to the highest point in the system, being the fill cap.

 

It has no negative effect, so why is it sub-par? They're not going to waste money on an electric filler-neck heater or porting exhaust to a heating manifold around the filler neck just to get rid of something that doesn't have any effect on engine performance or wear.

 

My '07 Volkswagen did this. Its nothing to worry about.

Combustion always produces water vapor. Crankcase blow by is produced when exhaust gases make it past the piston ring during the compression stroke, so it makes sense that this water vapor would exist in the valve cover. Most valve covers are made of plastic nowdays to save weight and cost, and plastic does not conduct heat as well as metal. Condensation of water vapor on the cooler plastic surface is inevitable, and does not represent subpar engineering. It is simply the same thing that always happens inside the crankcase and valve cover, but it happens more quickly and is concentrated on the surfaces that are cooler than the rest of the engine.

 

Wow obsess much?

For those who feel this is unacceptable trade it before it blows.

FYI they haven't had road draft tubes since the early to mid sixties.

 

By the way, the crankcase is fully vented on the Tacoma engine. The entire reason that the deposits form is because it is cool enough there to condense water and oil vapor together.

On an older car of mine, the valve covers were just stamped steel, and in cold weather they'd be coated on the inside. Never had an oil related problem on that engine.

 

Ah, a thread brought back from the dead. My truck still runs like a top. Over the summer months this stuff goes away and as the weather gets cooler, it comes back. Nothing to sweat.

 

Maybe, but maybe not. Whats considered short? I drive 9 miles to work and on days off, a lot of drives are only across town...3 miles. I've driven 400 miles this month and I still have not developed any of the stuff outlined in this thread.

 

I would consider any trip that does not get your engine to full operating temp. that to me would be a short trip. Anyway no worries with this, obviosly the OP nor anyone else has had any problems with this, so its nothing to worry about.

 

mines looks like that too

 

True.

Although I wonder if anyone w/ the condensation has had an oil analysis done? Just out of curiousity, to see how it comes back.

 

Not sure, but it would all depend on when you took the oil out. If you take it out warm or hot, then moisture is prob "cooked" off. If cold, then you might get something else. Probably not evern worth it to check.