Help with chocolate milk/leak... pics
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From: Beaufort SC
Help with chocolate milk/leak... pics
Hey guys. I've got a 96 4.3L 4dr 4wd Blazer. It's got oil all over the bottom of the motor (front to back) and on top of the valve covers. I pulled a sample of radiator fluid and it doesn't look good. It has been idling a little rough too. The weird thing is, even though the bottom of the motor and around the vavle covers have oil on them, it has not leaked one drip on the ground.
The first thing I thought was head gaskets and have read about the crappy intake gaskets, but how would oil get on top/around the valve covers?
I'm obviously going to have to take this thing apart, but I'm not too sure where to go with it. Intake gasket? Head gaskets? Any input as to what this looks like is greatly appreciated.
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The first thing I thought was head gaskets and have read about the crappy intake gaskets, but how would oil get on top/around the valve covers?
I'm obviously going to have to take this thing apart, but I'm not too sure where to go with it. Intake gasket? Head gaskets? Any input as to what this looks like is greatly appreciated.
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Getting way ahead of yourself here. You have a 96. If no one has changed and flushed the radiatore fluid that's what it's going to look like. How does your oil look and do you have to add? Motor just look's dirty from being a 96. People getting in there over the years doing stuff and not really cleaning up.
Idle "a little rough" is relative. Has it gotten worse since you've owned it.
These motors come out of the box a little shaky
Idle "a little rough" is relative. Has it gotten worse since you've owned it.
These motors come out of the box a little shaky
Last edited by spittybays; Apr 4, 2012 at 08:44 AM.
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From: SW Central OH
Getting way ahead of yourself here. You have a 96. If no one has changed and flushed the radiatore fluid that's what it's going to look like. How does your oil look and do you have to add? Motor just look's dirty from being a 96. People getting in there over the years doing stuff and not really cleaning up.
Idle "a little rough" is relative. Has it gotten worse since you've owned it.
These motors come out of the box a little shaky
Idle "a little rough" is relative. Has it gotten worse since you've owned it.
These motors come out of the box a little shaky
The sludge on engine is oil seep. Oil follows dirt. Notice it's not on parts right next to it. Loose valve covers allow oil seep. Oil will climb.
Just keep track of fluids. Oil level going up is really bad. Coolant goign down fast, really bad.
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Thanks for the replies guys. I appreciate it. You may be right. The thing is, I flushed the radiator about 2 years (20k miles) ago when I changed the water pump. I added green antifreeze to it.
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I just removed the radiator and flushed everything, there were no rainbows in the fluid, so I guess that's a good sign. This seems like a lot of corrosion for such a short amount of time. I'll put some cleaner in it and flush it again I guess.
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The oil build up is on both valve covers like pictured, but is pretty thick around the power steering pump, oil filter housing, front of the motor and all the way to the back of the oil pan. I guess I'll just clean it up as best as I can and watch it for awhile.
The oil looks fine as I just changed it about 2 months ago.
The idle was pretty normal when I bought it 5 years ago, it's started to get rough in the past few months. Not as bad as a missing cylinder, more like a small shake. Motor mounts look fine, vaccum lines were gone over/replaced last month.
PCV looks good, oil looks good. I hear what you guys are saying about normal dirty motors, this just seems quite excessive to me. I do all of the maintenance on this thing and keep it pretty clean.
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I just removed the radiator and flushed everything, there were no rainbows in the fluid, so I guess that's a good sign. This seems like a lot of corrosion for such a short amount of time. I'll put some cleaner in it and flush it again I guess.
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The oil build up is on both valve covers like pictured, but is pretty thick around the power steering pump, oil filter housing, front of the motor and all the way to the back of the oil pan. I guess I'll just clean it up as best as I can and watch it for awhile.
Getting way ahead of yourself here. You have a 96. If no one has changed and flushed the radiatore fluid that's what it's going to look like. How does your oil look and do you have to add? Motor just look's dirty from being a 96. People getting in there over the years doing stuff and not really cleaning up.
Idle "a little rough" is relative. Has it gotten worse since you've owned it.
These motors come out of the box a little shaky
Idle "a little rough" is relative. Has it gotten worse since you've owned it.
These motors come out of the box a little shaky
The idle was pretty normal when I bought it 5 years ago, it's started to get rough in the past few months. Not as bad as a missing cylinder, more like a small shake. Motor mounts look fine, vaccum lines were gone over/replaced last month.
I agree. Check at top of dipstick and tube and inside oil filler; bottom of pcv valve. Any foamy, brown sludge is sign of water in oil. If not, just watch it.
The sludge on engine is oil seep. Oil follows dirt. Notice it's not on parts right next to it. Loose valve covers allow oil seep. Oil will climb.
Just keep track of fluids. Oil level going up is really bad. Coolant goign down fast, really bad.
The sludge on engine is oil seep. Oil follows dirt. Notice it's not on parts right next to it. Loose valve covers allow oil seep. Oil will climb.
Just keep track of fluids. Oil level going up is really bad. Coolant goign down fast, really bad.
PCV looks good, oil looks good. I hear what you guys are saying about normal dirty motors, this just seems quite excessive to me. I do all of the maintenance on this thing and keep it pretty clean.
Last edited by swartlkk; Apr 4, 2012 at 02:19 PM. Reason: *Combining 10 Consecutive Posts* - Please use the multi-quote feature to respond to quote multiple people in one post.
Nah, doesn't look like a leak, just dirt. You mention the oil is still good but I don't think I saw you specify whether it's full or if you have to add any to it ever, etc?
The coolant buildup is pretty nasty... but how many miles were on it before you did the initial flush 20K ago? If the coolant hadn't been flushed and it had higher miles on it, then perhaps the flush helped break down some of the sludge and let it move?
The coolant buildup is pretty nasty... but how many miles were on it before you did the initial flush 20K ago? If the coolant hadn't been flushed and it had higher miles on it, then perhaps the flush helped break down some of the sludge and let it move?
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Coco
What you have is Dexcool and regular old green antifreeze mixed! It has to be all one or the other. You can flush it, which you said you did witch helps but it has to be done several times and you still wont get all that crap out but vastly improve it.
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From: Beaufort SC
Nah, doesn't look like a leak, just dirt. You mention the oil is still good but I don't think I saw you specify whether it's full or if you have to add any to it ever, etc?
The coolant buildup is pretty nasty... but how many miles were on it before you did the initial flush 20K ago? If the coolant hadn't been flushed and it had higher miles on it, then perhaps the flush helped break down some of the sludge and let it move?
The coolant buildup is pretty nasty... but how many miles were on it before you did the initial flush 20K ago? If the coolant hadn't been flushed and it had higher miles on it, then perhaps the flush helped break down some of the sludge and let it move?
Good point about it moving around.
When I flushed it 2 years ago, I took the radiator out, disconected all of the hoses and flushed the heater core, block, hoses and radiator. I then filled it with water, added the cleaner and drove for about a week before flushing it again. This time I'll do the whole procedure 2-3 times.