milky
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 83
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From: Door County, WI
milky
Is it normal to have milky oil on the oil cap? I checked my oil yesterday and noticed the "sludge" on the cap. I've seen this a lot on newer F150 trucks, but that's usually from the pcv not heating or short trips. I ride about 5 miles in the morning and about 3 miles at lunch. Is this normal? Is there a breather somewhere that is not working? I know on cars this isn't good, but they are also liquid cooled. I never had this issue with my rice, but I love my harley and want to take care of it properly. I would like to take it in to a dealer, but I fix cars for a living and would like to do most of the work myself. I know there's some of it I can't do (special tools, etc.) but would like to get the experience.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,027
Likes: 163
From: Grapevine Texas
Is it normal, not necessarily but it depends on the oil and the riding you do or don't do. You pretty much answered your question,
I ride 5 miles to work and 3 miles at lunch. Not sure where you live but you most likely you are not giving your bike a long enough time to burn the condensation out, and you are gonna have this from cooling and heating effect especially if live in a humid area. Lot of times you see this also in the winter because the bike is not real good and hot.
Oils have some moisture absorbing additives with them to help but another factor is how old the oil is an it's ability to grab moisture. My gut says though, you a good 20plus miles each ride and you will not see this happening.
I ride 5 miles to work and 3 miles at lunch. Not sure where you live but you most likely you are not giving your bike a long enough time to burn the condensation out, and you are gonna have this from cooling and heating effect especially if live in a humid area. Lot of times you see this also in the winter because the bike is not real good and hot.
Oils have some moisture absorbing additives with them to help but another factor is how old the oil is an it's ability to grab moisture. My gut says though, you a good 20plus miles each ride and you will not see this happening.
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
Likes: 5,621
From: along the shore of Mishigami
+1 on the above about the engine not really getting hot enough to evaporate the moisture out of the oil. The wife and I are planning on a short trip to Door Co. in July, what's the weather usually like?
As long as your not pulling out a foam coated dipstick your OK... as stated, condensation.
Oil in the crankcase makes it look like a milkshake on the dipstick.
Oil in the crankcase makes it look like a milkshake on the dipstick.
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Like Vic posted, I have had the same issue.
Made a three day trip into Germany a few weeks ago. During the 4 hours (highway) ride to get there from where I live (central part of the Netherlands) I checked my oil cap several times...froth had gone!
This leads me to the conclusion this froth is caused by moisture from condensation combined with a (too) low engine temperature like some other members already posted....
Made a three day trip into Germany a few weeks ago. During the 4 hours (highway) ride to get there from where I live (central part of the Netherlands) I checked my oil cap several times...froth had gone!
This leads me to the conclusion this froth is caused by moisture from condensation combined with a (too) low engine temperature like some other members already posted....
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Try asking here http://www.f150forum.com/
I am sure you will get a lot information that way, BTW if it were mine I would clean the sludge off of it, hook a chain hoist to the oil cap, pull if off, push that ford out of the way and drive a Chevy 1500 under the cap.
I am sure you will get a lot information that way, BTW if it were mine I would clean the sludge off of it, hook a chain hoist to the oil cap, pull if off, push that ford out of the way and drive a Chevy 1500 under the cap.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,678
Likes: 1
From: Brooklyn, NY
i just changed my oil from the HD 20/50 to the Mobil !. my HD oil last all of 2700 mi's before it looked like the back end of tabacco spit. it was just utterly ruined..
Not making this an oil thread... but just saying, it could also be the quality of oil you're using.
Not making this an oil thread... but just saying, it could also be the quality of oil you're using.