Mid December we took a drive from Melbourne to Daylesford (to see C.W. Stoneking incidentally, which was awesome). This was the weekend we had massive rain, and the drive up was interesting to say the least, aquaplaning off every other puddle.

We then went from Daylesford to Maryborough to pick up an eBay purchase, and I figured I aught to check the oil before hitting the highway home since my car tends to use a bit on the freeway. What I found was mayonnaise under the filler cap and a bit of froth in the radiator, the classic first symptoms of a blown head gasket.

The drive home was tentative, keeping the revs down and the speed to 80km/h all the way.

Now here's the odd bit. I've driven the car about 300km around Melbourne since, and there's absolutely no sign of a problem. The coolant is crystal clean, the filler cap is too. Compression is pretty even, ranging between 152 and 157 psi. I have a new gasket kit here ready to fit, but I'm loathe to pull it apart unless I really need to.

Since there's been no recurrance, I'm thinking that in the torrential rain water has found its way into the oil (perhaps via the dipstick) which has caused a little emulsion to form under the rocker cover. Has anyone else had this happen?

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

Yes, but in my case the water level was up to the dashboard

It doesn't take a lot of water to make a layer of emulsion in the rocker cover.
I think you are safe.

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Too many cars, and too little time.

Simon - I did have this (milky sludge) once before with my GT after some pretty hard driving. Then it never did it again for ages!

Then one day my engine shat itself. Most likely the two are not at all related but I dare say that my head gasket was at least "weeping" at the time of said "shat".

Interestingly my GT shat itself on the way home from Maryborough

Keep a close eye on the water and oil levels

Cheers,
Skender.

Yeah, I remember suggesting at the time that you'd done a head gasket



Well, we made it home.. although I did stop part-way because the oil pressure was too good and the temperature was too low, and I was being paranoid. Probably just because I was keeping the speed down and it was cold and wet...



Yeah, have been.. it's got coolant in it and it's crystal clear, it's been in there for about 9 months and looks like the day I put it in. It doesn't appear to be using more oil than normal, and like I said I've not seen any more emulsion since so I'm hoping it was just the rain.

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Simon

The adventures of an owner builder in the Tallarook Ranges

suppose it couldn't hurt to change the oil to see if theres any water in it

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78 Leyland Mini - Prince

If it only leaks under high pressure you may get away with re-torquing the head for a short term fix.

It is a warning though and will only get worse, a new head gasket is the best answer.

Pete

and it is really a simple fix, would probably easy your mind too if its done!

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-jamie-
1963morris 850
1965 solid side van
1994 rover racecar