bmcc49er

Seems there was a thread that this was caused by overfilling the oil...

Tbone

looks almost like what I'd expect coolant in the oil to look like. I don't think the oil should look like that ever. I'd go to the dealer.

Trevor

Purple Helmet

looks like water/coolant. I would have the oil analyzed and then take it to the dealer, hey any car can have a problem, anything is possible could be water, maybe a long road trip or change the oil and see if it comes back, assuming it passes a block test and no exhaust gases are detected in the coolant.......

GotBass

When I fill up I bring it up to about 7/8 full. Moisture could be a possibility.

Thanks for the feedback.

RotorWheeee

I had this last weekend ( emulsufied oil on the dip stick) and had the car in for 16000 km check up a couple of days later, asked about this and was told it was normal , so long as it was just on the dip stick. Somthing to do with condesation in the dipstick tube .

Spin9k

Yea this happened to me last winter and I got all excited, there are several old threads here about it from back then - the dealer and Mazda both said it was 'normal' even though it looks scary and weird, kinda suckie, but what ta hey - it did stop as soon as the weather warmed up. Does make checking the oil level next to impossible though - and it's none to easy on a warm day.

Guess best to forget it and life will go on - happily - just another no biggie in the end - NTM the warranty will cover should it ever be proven a bad thing.

Rotary Nut

This normal. It is just water vapor mixed with oil vapor that has condensed on the dipstick. This happens when the car is regularly driven for only short distances in cold weather. It eventualy goes away if the car is driven for a while allowing the heat of the engine to burn off the moisture.

Some have suggested driving a while with the oil filer cap off allowing the water vapor to dissipate.

expo1

Very normal for this car

https://www.rx8club.com/search.php?searchid=274515

WarpFactor

My GT has 4000Km on it, so I haven't pushed it very hard yet - still breaking it in.

I checked the oil today after filling up, and noticed that the dipstick had what looked like yellow grease on it. It was at the top of the dipstick, and down near the other end in the oil. Is this normal? Doesn't seem like a good thing to me.

I haven't changed the oil yet (only at 4000Km so far). And I haven't had to top it up at all. The oil level is still in the middle of its measuring range.

Any ideas?

StealthTL

iTrader: (1)

It's quite normal, the dipstick tube stays relatively cool, and any vapor in the sump condenses into that 'yellow ice cream' you see.

Sometimes appears inside the filler cap, too.

S

Haze

Yup, it happened to me last year, and I expect that it will happen this winter as well. The problem is that the engine oil is unable to heat to operating temperature when the ambient temperature gets to around twenty or below (farenheit) no matter how far you drive. Water is always condensing into your oil, but under normal conditions, it is evaporated off when the oil reaches operating temperature. Since it can't get to that temp when the ambient temp is too low in winter, the water gets beaten into the oil and makes vaseline, which is what the greasy stuff is. It isn't very good, but it is a normal part of this car.

Actually, you will probably notice that in the single digit temps (farenheit), the temp gauge may not even be able to get to its normal position in the center of the operating range.

KKMmaniac

Haze:

I'm glad you brought up the fact the oil isn't getting hot enough to get rid of moisture in the winter. We have seen too many threads about the "what's the gunk/slime/cappucino/froth/cream/etc. on my dipstick?" question.

I'd like to add, if any of you have the 6-speed with two oil coolers, and put your hand on one of the coolers after a 15 or so mile drive when the temp is below ~30 deg. F, you'll notice the oil coolers are barely warm. (at least compared to a similar drive in the summer)

I'm curious, is this cold temperature, condensation in oil phenomenon as prevalent with RX8's with auto transmission or std. output, 5-speed in other markets, (one oil cooler) or in Australia? (doesn't even their H.O. model have one oil cooler?)

WarpFactor

Thanks for all the replies guys. This is the first car I've noticed this yellow gunk in the oil. Mind you, it's the first car I've had with two oil coolers. I guess all the short trips I do doesn't help either.

My last car had a turbo which made things extremely hot in a very short period of time.

Would partially blocking one of the oil coolers help let the oil warm up a bit more? You know, like how the semi-trailers put a cover on their grills in the wintertime?

Haze

Covering an oil cooler is a darned good question! I was just thinking that myself, but I think that I might do a little reading in my repair manual about how the oil system works before I try it. Of course, there is also the radiator to contend with.

The most real difference between this car and a standard reciprocating engine, as far as this cooling question goes, really has to do with the lack of engine mass. The primary cooling system in a car is actually the block. The block gets heated and becomes a heat sink both drawing away heat and, when the engine is turned off, retaining heat. It balances the heating and cooling effect in most engines, but the rotary has traded that effect for a very light weight engine with very little mass. Hence it runs warm in summer and cool in winter.

It seems to me that lowering the cooling ability of the engine in winter is probably the right thing to do to make sure that the engine is able to run at its operating temp, which is the best place for an engine to run.

Well, all that said, I am sure that there are people, for whom this is not their first rotary, who will tell me why this is a stupid idea. There may also be some threads on this, so I'm off to do a search.

Oh yeah, short trips are a partial reason that you are getting vaseline in the oil because again you aren't reaching operating temp. Try to take the car on a long drive somewhere, when you are going, and get it really warmed up, and it should be able to evaporate off the water in your system making all right with the world again.

Razz1

Yes, cover the cooler partially.

The main thing is you are NOT warming up your car long enough.

Comes fromcondensation creating moisture/ water in your oil.

Please cover it up and warm up longer.

Origanally from the coldest place on earth, Minnesota.

WarpFactor

Okay, I've put a couple pieces of cardboard in front of the oil coolers to partially block them. They don't look pretty, but this is a functional test.

Funny that I should be seeing this problem, as it hasn't really gotten below freezing around here much. For you folks in really cold areas, you must see this yellow sludge a lot more.

Nubo

I would NOT cover the oil coolers. As far as I've been able to make out from these threads, the "gunk" is a localized issue that is only happening at the dipstick and maybe the filler neck. The oil inside the engine and sump is hot and is not full of this stuff. The combination of position and lack of "flow" into the dipstick tube is what is resulting in locally cool temperature allowing this to happen. I would not compromise the cooling system just to combat this cosmetic issue. If I had this issue and wanted to try something I'd first try wrapping some type of insulation around the dipstick tube. Something that can take the heat, of course. This might keep the temp high enough to avert the condensation.

Jers8

I checked my oil yesterday afternoon and noticed that there was a chocolate milk looking substance on the dip stick. The oil level is about 3/4, and when I cleaned and rechecked it, whatever "it" is wiped back onto the dip stick. any ideas as to what this is or could be?

i'm not driving too aggressive lately, only city driving to and from work - no highway. thanks to Hampton Roads, VA weather we've gone from mid 60's to low 20's in the last few days.

Go48

Do a search! Many, Many threads discussing this phenomena. The general consensus is that it is basically a bit of emulsified water-oil and nothing to worry about. If you do a lot of short trips, that can exacerbate the problem.

Rick

Sounds to me like you are talking about the condensation that collects near the upper end of the dipstick during colder weather/ short drives. If it is condensation, don't worry about it. Do a search and you will notice many people posted the same complaint last winter.

WarpFactor

I just went through this recently. Check out
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=47802

ironmedic

hey guys, i had a mazda shop do an oil change on my car about a month ago. i checked the oil today and when i pulled the stick out, it had this gooey yellow stuff all over the stick. does anyone know what this stuff is? perhaps mazda puts something in the oil or am i starting a new plague for car engines? LOL!

ironmedic

ah NM! i found it in the search engine. i was searching it all wrong and i found my answer.

Jers8

I appreciate the feedback.

WF - thanks for the link.

Nubo

Saw a website where this was a common thing for RX-7 too. Don't worry. Be happy.