oil is like choclate milk 98 chevy

JonBoy

Active Member
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Mar 20, 2005
Location
Hampstead NC
changed oil the last week and was low and old but ok, today I checked it and it was white. I drained the oil and it all looked that way. Yes I have been loosing coolant(water) for years but it was not getting in the oil. I am guessing intake leak. Could I have a intake leak bad enough to get in the oil? started to pull a valve cover (didn't get it off but had water not mixed with oil yet dripping out of cover) runs fine at this point 98 chevy 305 225k miles
 
First guess would be the intake gasket has gone, very common issue on the 96-2000 5.0 and 5.7 Vortecs. Although a head gasket is not out of the question...
 
this happened on my old 96 305, the intake gasket and both head gaskets were gone... i was in highschool still and it had seen its fair share of rasin hell. but also it could just be condensation in the dipstick tube. on my girlfriends car (04 rx8) i was changing her oil and noticed the dipstick was milky like that, yet the oil that came out was fine. evidently it happens when it doesn't get drove enough or when it gets drove and just not to full operating temperature, so if its not a DD that could be your issue.
 
Oil plug has been out all night. I just put some water in at thermostat and it didn't take long until it was dripping out of oil pan. I no mechanic but believe the intake gasket is doable by me. The head gasket would seem out of my ability. If it is the intake gasket how is the water getting into the oil? I didn't think that oil went through the intake to be able to mix.
 
Oil plug has been out all night. I just put some water in at thermostat and it didn't take long until it was dripping out of oil pan. I no mechanic but believe the intake gasket is doable by me. The head gasket would seem out of my ability. If it is the intake gasket how is the water getting into the oil? I didn't think that oil went through the intake to be able to mix.
No, oil doesn't go "through" the intake, but the intake gasket does seal the intake from the lifter valley, but it is possible (and very common on this engine) for the gasket to leak to the inside, to the lifter valley, rather than to the outside, or to one of the intake ports.

If you poured water in, and it leaked out the oil drain that fast, I doubt it's the head gasket, the intake gasket is more likely as it would have a fast route through the intake, down the lifter valley drain holes and out the pan.

Go ahead and drain the coolant since you know you have a leak somewhere anyway, carefully pull the intake, trying not to spill too much additional coolant. If the lifter valley has puddles of coolant or water, there's your issue. Replace the gasket and reassemble, hoping you didn't have a blown head gasket as well.

Make sure when you get the gasket to get only either Felpro or ACdelco/GM. The gasket should be hard black plastic with either a red/orange or black "o-ring" around each port. Be absolutely sure not to use an all rubber, fiber, or cork gasket. Be careful because both Felpro and ACDelco/GM still sell the old style, (rubber/fiber) that you are probably going to pull off. You do not want that style again.
 
The entire top end is pretty easy to tackle as long as you have a torque wrench and know the tightening specs. Heads just means pulling a few more bolts, the rockers and push rods. Nothing special putting it back together besides correct torque. Only thing is gambling the heads ain't warped or cracked without a magnaflux.
Pulling the heads opens up the cylinders and you can check to see if bore is good, or if motor has been rebuilt before. Also can check valves and port the heads while they're out.
 
You got 225k out of original gasket, you've been blessed! My 98 5.7,started skipping & sucking antifreeze at 65K. Not unusual, but most make 100k.
I believe it has a lot to do with aluminum intakes, on cast iron heads! [heat cycles]
 
Just had to have intake gasket replaced on my 99 5.7
Very prone to this in these engines. mine made it to 186K
don't buy the elcheapo gasket set, get the good steel core set, double the price, but well worth it.
 
I have been losing coolant for awhile but it was not running any worse or getting in the oil so I never messed with it. I think I have run the coolant/oil mix for 100 miles or so the top of the valve covers are covered in a nasty white mush. Thinking I may need to drop the oil pan and clean it out. Today my plan is to just get parts and get everything cleaned up.
 
My old 98 Tahoe with the 5.7 starting mysteriously 'losing' coolant at maybe 80-100k miles. I can't remember. Intake gaskets were the culprit.
 
You got 225k out of original gasket, you've been blessed! My 98 5.7,started skipping & sucking antifreeze at 65K. Not unusual, but most make 100k.
I believe it has a lot to do with aluminum intakes, on cast iron heads! [heat cycles]


the reason the newer model intakes leak(95-up) is DEXCOOL. it is the worst coolant ever designed and really kills gaskets (esp. plastic)
 
You got 225k out of original gasket, you've been blessed! My 98 5.7,started skipping & sucking antifreeze at 65K. Not unusual, but most make 100k.
I believe it has a lot to do with aluminum intakes, on cast iron heads! [heat cycles]

There are class-action lawsuits. It was dumbass GM using dexcool coolant on untested gaskets. This has happened in millions of vehicles, and just like all of their electrical problems they refuse to fix it too.

:edit: ^what he said
 
There are class-action lawsuits. It was dumbass GM using dexcool coolant on untested gaskets. This has happened in millions of vehicles, and just like all of their electrical problems they refuse to fix it too.

:edit: ^what he said


i have driveability issues before that were kicking my butt, only to come up dexcool as being the issue. found as the coolant deteriorates and electrolysis occurs, dexcool has the ability to carry large amounts of voltage. actually have seen 7 volts in the coolant.
 
Take a look at the water pump. Could be leaking outta there.
 
Well that didn't fix it, other than a head gasket or a crack could it be anything else?
Head gasket or cracked head/block are pretty much your only alternatives. The good news? If you got the correct gasket, you can reuse the intake gasket when you fix the head gasket if that is your issue.
Take a look at the water pump. Could be leaking outta there.
Not into the oil.
 
Not into the oil.

I was focusing more on the fact of him losing coolant for a while. It prob is a head gasket like you said but I usually do process of elimination when I get stumped.
 
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