The path of least resistance. Probably up the head bolts in this situation.

Youtube is your friend! I think the engine is the same, or maybe slightly different. Process should be similar. Good luck!

thanks dave!

Water in valve cover
 

Hey there Conagher, to answer your questions. Typically, if you have a head gasket leaking, the first sign will be white smoke from the exhaust pipe, when coolant is burned in the combustion chamber, white smoke will emerge from the tail pipe. If the leak is large enough, it will push pressure back into the cooling system, causing the coolant to be pushed out of the coolant expansion reservoir, with overheating and misfire issues. It could also be leaking externally, and could be checked with a pressure tester, just follow the drips back to the source to find the exact spot it is leaking.

Intake gasket, same thing. Only coolant will enter through the intake valves and then be burned in the combustion chamber, white smoke out the tail pipe. Neither of which should be getting water or coolant on top of the head, without water mixing with the oil to start with, "milk shake on dip stick."
It is common for condensation to build up inside the valve cover, especially around the fill cap, on the bottom of the fill cap, and just below the fill cap. From the pic you provided, it looks like clear water, not green or orange coolant, just a pool of condensation. If you have coolant entering the engine at any point, the oil will not mix with it, and it will foam up. I have seen condensation also build up on the top of engine oil dip sticks too; If it's on the very top, no problem, if it's at the bottom, big problem!

My recommendation...Have the coolant system pressure tested to see exactly where the leak is coming from. If no white smoke, no overheating issues, and no milk shake on the bottom of the engine oil dip stick, it may just be condensation...in my opinion.

Interesting.....I know older volvos had a reputation for forming condensate layers on top of the oil in the pan, but once you drove them, it would just boil off.

I of course agree with you on the white smoke signals, and, as a chemist, I understand why "water" (based coolant) and oil don't mix. but if he's seeing the very beginning of milkshake syndrome, shouldn't he nip it in the bud?

I guess you did tell him to have the coolant system pressure checked so he would be nipping it in the bud. A compression test might also be of use.

Sorry, guess I just had to type it out to see that I actully do agree with you on all points.

Really enjoy having you around!

Thank you Derf! I did consider mentioning the compression test, but unless the vehicle is hot, it may not show up. I didn't want to overwhelm him with information, just enough to get a good starting point, and address his questions. I don't see any other way water could get there, without contaminating the rest of the oil too, which should be evident on the dip stick as well. Even if someone added water through the oil fill, it would show up in the pan, on the dipstick. Thanks again Derf, I really appreciate it!

I have seen cracked intake manifolds suck oil into the water passages and show up as milkshake in the radiatior. That's a frigging mess!

I never think of intake manifolds as a source for milkshakes. Dunno why. Anywhere oil can meet water is a milkshake potential.

Thanks, Rube. I'll try to kep it in the back of my mind from now on

Hey Rubehayseed, I'm not sure how that is possible, can you be more specific? I'm only aware of three ways oil can get into the cooling system. First would be a leaking head gasket, second would be a cracked head and third is a cracked cylinder wall. Logically speaking, only compression can overcome a pressurized cooling system.


Anything entering the intake manifold through a crack or leak...water, oil, air or shop rag (LOL) is sucked into the combustion chamber. Maybe with boost, say a turbo or supercharger building pressure in the intake, but it would still have to overcome a pressurized cooling system when the vehicle is hot, perhaps before pressure builds in the cooling system it could be possible in theory I guess, but there would have to be extremely excessive blow-buy for oil to get inside the intake manifold in the first place. Blow-by is the result of leaking/worn piston rings, and/or carbon build up on the valves, not letting them properly seat, causing pressure and oil to enter the intake manifold through the valves or PCV system when blown past the rings.

There are a number of ways coolant can contaminate the engine oil, do to the pressure in the cooling system, but only pressurized oil can be pushed into the cooling system...Cracked head, cylinder wall cracked leaking into the water jacket or blown head gasket...in my opinion. If you know something I'm missing here, please elaborate.