Apparently Mazda has a fix for this - insulated dipstick insert. Look for a fairly recent thread in this very forum (last week or 2). My understanding is the foaming itself is not harmful to the engine and is just happening in the vicinity of the dipstick tube. But if it's bad enough to prevent you from reading the oil level then that's another problem. I think others have resorted to inserting and wiping off the gunk repeatedly until they can read the dispstick. But, take it in and ask for the fix.

There are approximately a million posts on synthetic oil in the RX-8. Use the search, and happy reading :)

It's NOT foaming the oil - what you're seeing is an emulsion of oil and water caused by condensation of water vapour in the cooler dipstick. It's normal, and absolutely no problem. Search the forum for 'dipstick' and you'll find dozens of threads about this - it happens in cold weather, and the emulsion disappears if the engine is hot for a loong drive.

Regards,
Gordon

white stuff in oil
 

I think I seen this thread before but I could not find it I checked my oil today and on the dipstick there was a bunch of white stuff it looked like cream or something do you guys know what that is ? :mad:

Yes, we know what it is. Do a search for "dipstick" and read the hundreds of posts regarding this non-problem. It AIN'T a problem. If you really want to know what it is and how it forms, do the search.

MODERATOR: Would you please make a sticky for this "problem". It's frustrating having to respond to this kind of post over and over again. If it's at the top, MAYBE the newbies will read it first.

The problem is people have so many ways to describe it that searches don't return results. So here are some keywords so someone in the future will get a hit:
oil
water
watery
milky
gunk
gunky
white
whiteish
yellow
yellowish
dipstick
foam
foamy
grease
greasy
filler
stuff
condensation
emulsion
emulsify
emulsification
normal

ther is a STICKY! currently the 4th one down here

can anyone link me to the insulated dipstick thread? i searched but this and another thread w/no info were the only two results.

That thread was merged into this one, here is one of the posts with a photo.
https://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php...8&postcount=85

Just as a suggestion to any MOD’s when threads are merged can the old thread id# redirect to the new merged one? Many times questions are answered with a direct link to the specific thread. Once it gets merged the old link takes you to a sorry message

Good idea....cappuccino, froth, frothy.

oil foaming?
 

Ever since I changed the oil the last time, whenever I check the oil, it appears "foamy". I haven 't put any additives in: put 5w20 in and have added a bit of 10w30 when it was low. (I know you shouldn't mix it, but it isn't synthetic.
Any ideas why it would foam?

Thanks :confused:

i take it you have not searched this topic on here....it is very common to have the foam on the dipstick, don't worry

there is an announcement in brigth red letters at the top of the tech forums here that says "please Read the Sticky threads" if you had done so BEFORE posting this thread you would have found this thread https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/strange-gunk-oil-dipstick-info-questions-49652/ which talks ad nauseum about the foam.

milky substance
 

i know this has been a known issue to a majority of us. but just to ease some of you that the problem is only condensation, i've taken a picture to show you that it's not just the RX8. this is a picture of the oil fill on a 330Ci from my work, and trust me, a lot of other BMWs have this too. btw, the picture isn't great quality since it was taken with my camera phone. so the answer is "yes" there is nothing wrong with your 8 :D

http://www.tmobilepictures.com/photo...atez82wecy7935

ooohhhh i was already reaching for the links and the "close this thread" button :D

good post thanks :)

i might merge this after awhile with the sticky tho..

yea...i didn't know where to put this. do whatever you'd like with it zoom44

You guys are the bomb! I knew to come here first before calling the dealer about the
chocolate milkshake on my dipstick and I totaly accept the condensation theory cause
I was not seeing it in the summer, I live in San Jose, CA and its just recently been
45-50 degrees when I leave for work and I haven't been a good girl lately and let it warm
for 3 minutes like they say . . . Thanks again !

In case you are not aware, there is a new TSB out on the milky stuff that explains the cause of the stuff. A "fix" is offered in the TSB, but in my opinion, the fix may be worse than the "problem". Mazda doesn't consider this phenomena a problem, but they are offering up a kind of rube goldberg solution for those owners who consider it a problem.

Water in oil is normal ?
 

Recently discovered a miky substance on my dipstick.. Called my Mazda service and was told Mazda considers this normal.. I was told I didn't need to do anything unless the engine started running rough.. I've got 14k miles, have changed the oil 4 times but have never seen this until recently.. Has anyone else encountered this problem? Immediately after turnng off the engine, before the liquids settle, there is a milky substance and clear droplets of water all the way up the dipstick... Does anyone view this as normal ? I'm not even certain Castrol would stand behind their product mixed with water..

As was mentioned in the other thread, check out this thread:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=49652

Sorry if I didn't paste it as a link...

Link to the new TSB on this. It's a PDF. http://www.finishlineperformance.com.../01-009-05.pdf

ahh that's fo r the links...i have fo rthe first tiem in 30k miles discovered thi sas well on my dipstick:(

I've had the same problem.
So i took it to a mazda garage and they put a new smaller dipstick tube and and dipstick in free of charge and its ok now :cool:

I think it is normal - but it looks even worst when it is cold outside and the little droplets freeze. Looks like coffee ice cream :) I shall ask the dealer for the fix too....

I just posted the same mortification response when I saw my dipstick for the first time last night when I fueled up my new 8 for the first time. Master Tech gave me the same answer as you all.
Would running synthetic possibly change this?

Don't know, but I wouldn't use this non-issue as a reason to use synthetic oil in the engine. There certainly may be valid reasons for using a synthetic, but this ain't one of them in my opinion.

I also had this turn up in my oil. One interesting thing that kind of makes sense (I guess) is that it has only shown up during the really cold months. I carried mine to the dealer for a look and he expressed no reason for concern. I love this car, but it does make me a bit nervous when I see this stuff on the stick. Everyone seems to think this is OK, all the way from the Mazda techs on down..... So I'm just gonna keep on enjoying the ride.

Well, the Mystery is solved and thankfully before I panicked too much. I’ve had the car for two weeks now and on the weekend my brother-in-law and I were poking around under the hood when we noticed the foamy brown oil on the dip-stick. He is a mechanic and we both quickly feared the worst, like coolant mixing with the oil.

Well a few minutes on this site eased my mind. Turns out it is condensation being whipped up by blow back gases in the engine. I even found the Mazda Service advisory, which i brought with me this week when presenting the issue to the Mazda dealer. Was a good thing I had it with me, as the dealer was not aware of the problem. After a few minutes educating the service advisor, he ordered the insulating sleeve an new dipstick as prescribed in the advisory.

I had some other concerns as well. Moisture in the tail-lamp assembly. After some discussion Mazda agreed to replace them both, second problem solved.

My third concern was with regard to the rusting brake rotor hubs. All four rotors are showing rust on the hub, where the wheels bolt to the brakes. I don’t think this is very impressive, when you consider how open to view the brakes are. This issue required more perseverence on my part as the service advisor dismissed my concerns as being normal. My request to discuss the issue with the service manager proved to be more fruitful. We did the pre-requisite dancing and ritual debating, with his position being it’s normal and mine being on a car where Mazda spent this much effort to detail, does this unsightly rust strike you as the look they were going for. He initially agreed to have them cleaned and repainted, but eventually I was able to move him to agree to replace all four rotors. I just hope this is not a re-occurring problem.

I guess I’m still getting used to the quirky new vehicle.

Milky Dipstick Mystery Solved
 

Well, the Mystery is solved and thankfully before I panicked too much. I’ve had the car for two weeks now and on the weekend my brother-in-law and I were poking around under the hood when we noticed the foamy brown oil on the dip-stick. He is a mechanic and we both quickly feared the worst, like coolant mixing with the oil.

Well a few minutes on this site eased my mind. Turns out it is condensation being whipped up by blow back gases in the engine. I even found the Mazda Service advisory, which i brought with me this week when presenting the issue to the Mazda dealer. Was a good thing I had it with me, as the dealer was not aware of the problem. After a few minutes educating the service advisor, he ordered the insulating sleeve an new dipstick as prescribed in the advisory.

I had some other concerns as well. Moisture in the tail-lamp assembly. After some discussion Mazda agreed to replace them both, second problem solved.

My third concern was with regard to the rusting brake rotor hubs. All four rotors are showing rust on the hub, where the wheels bolt to the brakes. I don’t think this is very impressive, when you consider how open to view the brakes are. This issue required more perseverence on my part as the service advisor dismissed my concerns as being normal. My request to discuss the issue with the service manager proved to be more fruitful. We did the pre-requisite dancing and ritual debating, with his position being it’s normal and mine being on a car where Mazda spent this much effort to detail, does this unsightly rust strike you as the look they were going for. He initially agreed to have them cleaned and repainted, but eventually I was able to move him to agree to replace all four rotors. I just hope this is not a re-occurring problem.

I guess I’m still getting used to the quirky new vehicle.

Sounds like you are one persistent dude. :) Good on ya!

Unfortunately, the new rotors will likely rust just like the originals since they will come from the same source I suspect. You may have been better served by letting them paint the originals with a decent high-temp paint. That's what I plan to do with mine come summer.

EMERGENCY - White froth in oil on dipstick
 

21700 miles engine light came on. drove the last 2 miles to home and pulled into garage. noticed and odd aroma, wasn't sure if it was car or something else in garage.....the smell soon went away. let car sit for about 15 minutes and checked the oil.

off-white froth along the dipstick and what appears to be random small droplets along the upper part of stick. wiped it and checked again, same thing.

is it water? what little knowledge i have of things tells me its water, this is the first time i've sen this on the 8.

nearest dealer is 45 miles away.

oosik

sorry no digicam for pics

Does it look greasy, like Crisco? If so, that's normal - there's even a TSB out on it - do a search. It's caused by blowby gasses with moisture in them condensing on the dipstick. Go for an hour drive and look again - it will be gone.

Not to panic ...

same thing here
 

I have a 2004 - same thing happened to me - there is a TSB on it.

Mazda told me it is nothing - some moisture gets into the dipstick holder (not inside the engine) - and they have a special sleeve that sits around the dipstick to prevent any moisture getting in there (which is what causes the milky substance)

I go in next week to get mine fixed.

<sigh>

It's not an emergency.

It's not a problem.

It's just benign condensation.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=49652

How can you have over 300 posts here and not have seen this discussed to death already?:confused:

If it's nothing to worry about, then why are you getting it fixed?

that 300 posts since 2003 which compared to some ppl aint' much, besides i havne't been on the boards in eons, you can check my last few posts, haven't even lurked.

kind of greasy but not think like crisco, but has a similar color. but seeing as tho ppl have seen it before i won't panic as much.

sorry to me it was an emergency.....BUT, why the check engine light????

Because there is something else wrong.....

yup - unrelated issues ... also CEL's don't necessarily mean anything. It tells you that something anomalous was noticed by the engine computer. If it goes out and stays out, chances are it was a transient issue and doesn't mean anything. It could be anything from a loose gas cap, to some bad gas, to water in the gas being pulled through the engine and burned (which changes the O2 content of the exhaust, which triggers the CEL), etc. If it comes on and stays on, that's when to visit the dealer. If it comes on and then goes out and stays out after cycling the key, chances are it was a transient.

In my business (IT), our tech support guys have a sign on the wall that says "if it only happened once, it never happened at all ..."

Also, don't feel bad ... I posted a similar thread a couple of months ago ... called "Crisco on my dipstick" ... at least the topic name was funny.

Stew

Make sure your service guy is smarter than the average bear. Otherwise they will read the TSB and swear that the dipstick will fit because the TSB says vehicles built after Aug 04 need the new dipstick and not previous builds. DUH, the thing barely fits in there now and you want it to fit after you shove a sleeve in the tube? My service manager used to be a salesman...I think I need a new service dept. :rolleyes:

have you heard of a Creampie? ;)

Here is the link to the TSB in case someone needs it.

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...09-05-1450.pdf

Yay. Another thread to merge. READ THE STICKIES!!!!

Thank God we are all out here together. I had the same problem on my beloved 8 appear about 1 month ago. When I brought it in for an oil change yesterday, the dealrer stated that it was just condensation and to take it out for a long drive - anyone have a spare room in California :-)

Happy Rotarying!

Hmm mine had light brown foamy stuff on the dipstick.

Guys and girl,

Not to be rude, but there are several existing threads where this has been discussed almost to death. As for a cure, there is a TSB out to replace the dipstick with a new, graduated dipstick, and to replace the tube with a new insulated one to prevent the condensation. If this issue bothers you, run it down to your dealer and ask them to perform the TSB with the new 'stick and tube.

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...09-05-1450.pdf

HTH,
Bill

Edit: I haven't had the tube or stick replaced in mine (yet), but it is covered under warranty.

Well Rotario don't be rude then because these folks have revived this thread from 12-12-03 and last I checked it is more than a couple months old and the last post before today was last month... none of today's posters was asking for your or anyone else's assistance they were just putting in their $0.02

Well, then please forgive me for trying to help. I'll abstain in the future.

:(:mad:

Bill

hey rx 8 drivers ,I got the white stuff on the dip stick,called the dealer and they said its a common thing with the rotary,however thier is a new dip stick assembly that corrects the condensation problem . They are ordering it for me and said its a covered item under the warrenty. When I get it I will let you know if the white stuff disapears.

Been discussed before. Just a foam insert into the dipstick tube. IMO, the cure could be worse than the problem. Like pieces of the foam getting chipped off and falling into the oil pan. The white gunk is an emulsion of condensation and oil and it has been noted on the RX cars for years. It is only a cosmetic problem and it disappears when the car if fully warmed up. So get the "fix" if you like, but don't worry about it in the meantime.

You know it’s getting colder when the Milky Dipstick posts begin to show up.:)

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...09-05-1450.pdf Contrary to what you dealer told you there is no ‘ correction’ for this issue. If you would look at the TSB Mazda issued for this ‘problem’

All this ‘fix’ does is hide the gunk from your view, it’s still in the motor. I for one like to ovoid having my 8 at the dealership for things that are not critical. In this case all they are going to do is install a tube that scraped the gunk off the dipstick and back into the motor.