Milk in valve covers!
 

So I have milkshake in the valve covers on 1 of my engines. TNT says it's too much to be condensation, just pulled the intake manifold and they say it's not corroded and the leak is not coming from there. There is no milk in the crankcase oil. Where else could this leak be coming from? Engine is 1999 hp500

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Sounds like condensation to me. ALuminum Valve covers???

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

If there isnt milk in the pan, it must be condensation IMO. If I have to idle for an extended period before shutdown, I see the same thing.

I try and get my oil-temp above 220 before heading for the trailer, seems to keep this issue under control.

I recently noticed that I would get some condensation inside the oil fill cap when I ran the boat on the hose for about 30 minutes, I will avoid that as much as possible in the future.

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

I am getting the same. I just redid my top end , I am still convinced its my intake gasket . I just installed another intake gasket and its still leaking. I am going to tryto swap out those little allen head bolts one by one and put a big flat washer underneith a hex bolt and retorque. Do you think that will seal it ?

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Got an oil temp. gage? If the oil temp. is less than 212*F., then water (one of the products of combustion that will get into the pan and oil system) will not be vaporized and extracted completely through normal ventilation and will show up as "milk shake" on your breathers and valve cover fill caps. But, if you have "milk shake" elsewhere you need to check the gaskets or for that little crack that got missed at rebuild time. After confirming that your oil is reaching proper temp. then go to a leak-down test. --- Jer

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

If the oil in the pan is fine it is condensation, on raw cooled motors it is more of a problem then on closed cooling setups. Higher engine temp helps a lot. Some engines have PCV valves if you have them change them that will help some. Getting air to flow through will help, I put a breather on my port valve cover and two hoses off the starboard up to the air cleaner to draw more air but I also have closed cooling. Another thing is if you run in "fresh water" go to a 180 thermostat that will help to cure it plus you may find a tiny bit more power.

Phil

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Yes, and I cant get a reading on it, never comes on, that engine has always run at 3 psi water pressure wide open (crossover no t-stat) the other runs 5 psi water pressure and has no condensation. I'm going to put the re-circ pump back on & t-stat back in. But in the mean time tnt says the milk has rusted my valve springs etc, and I need a rebuild? Any suggestions?

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Post pics of the valve spring. How many hours on the motors? May only need valve springs. If your not over 250 hours on an Hp500 your should be fine. If you replace the valve springs use Isky Toolroom.

Your motor should have a oil thermostat, if not consider one.

my $.02

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Dont you think if you stick 2 fingers in the oil fill hole and they come out green and foamy thats too much condensation or something more?

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

probably just condensation, however, if you let the motor sit for an extended time with that in there it will attack the valve springs and possibly valves.

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Water presure ??? You might want to ck the line to see if any block rust or sand is blocking your reading .I wouldnt think 5 psi would be enough to cool it.

Have have some pick to post of condesation on the valve covers when I get home tonight.

If it has that mush condesation I would think the oil temp is not get up to what jpclear
said about 212..

My old Scarab blower motor didnt have a oil thermstate and had condesation real bad on the valve covers,it never hurt anything,It also would heat the oil up to 240-260 running hard at 12lbs of boost :eek:

On my race car and street cars it condesates also and never rusted the springs .


Rob :drink:

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Does the thermostat control water temp. I wouldnt want to see milkshake in my engine ever! Change the oil get rid of the shake.

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

A Tstat controlls the temp, if you run in salt run a 160 if you run in fresh you can go 180 the increase in temp will help to get rid of the condensation.

Phil

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

That seems low. No restriction. Shouldn't there be more pressure to make sure you have a good fill to prevent steam pockets?

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Yes I agree that is too low, I'm having the old owner send me the re-circ pumps and I'm going to re-install them (thus removing the crossover and reinstalling the t-stat), that should bring the pressure up. Bringing the pressure up and having a t-stat should bring the temp up and hopefully solve the problem. I'm thinking I'll have them clean the cream cheese out of the valve covers and then I'll put on the re-circ pump and see if I get condensation still, provided the valve springs aren't bad enough. TNT is telling me to send the engine out and have it torn down completly, I think that's alot of money to spend when clearly condensation seems to be the problem, and the cause being no t-stat. I am going to have them check the head gaskets while the engine is out of the boat, just to make sure, but as everyone has said, if it's not the head gaskets or the intake manifold AND the water isn't in the crank , what other than condensation could it be?

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Are you getting excessive steam out of your exhaust pipes ? If not looks more like condensation .

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

This is condensation.This much doesn't show up in the oil,But again its a race car engine


Rob

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

is that a methanol engine?

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Race gas.Its doesn't get any oil temps until a few passes but I figure the reason is it heats up fast and I cool it down real fast.Small radiator with fans and no grill,electric water pump.


Rob :D

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

On the older 500's I've seen the Gil Offshore manifolds get leaks and you get water reversion back into the motor and causes this problem. A few years ago, I helped a friend with this.

Also, wipe your finger on the valve spring. If you see brown on your finger you ought to replace those springs. I wouldn't think a total rebuild it needed unless you have high hours?

Also, I liked the crossovers with the thermostat and bypass.

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Cool, ( is that a pun?) I am into roundy roundy myself, but the Baytown Dragstrip runs along the back fence of our pits, finish line is about halfway past the pits. We'll be busy working on the cars and glancing over to watch the action on the dragstrip.

http://www.houstonraceway.com/speedway.asp

Methanol causes bad condensation if you don't get it up to racing temps pretty quick. Keeps the motor nice and cool though.

Re: Milk in valve covers!
 

Not getting alot of steam AT ALL, that would eliminate an exhaust manifold leak correct? Engines have about 250 hours on them