Grey Goop in Valve cover

So I went to put oil in my jeep today (it has a leaky rear main seal so I go through 5 quarts every 120 miles) and there was a thick grey goop covering the oil filler cap. I took a flash light and scanned the inside of the valve cover and there are deposites of this grey goop inside. Also a very very small ammount made its way into the air filter housing.mehh

Is this an indicator that I have a coolant leak? So the coolant is mixing with the oil? Is my head gasket bad or can it be a cracked coolant passage leaking into the engine?

There is fresh oil that can be seen as well as this grey goop. How bad is this? Do I need to fix it now or can I continue driving until I can pull it apart after Finals are over for my classes in may? Or am I totaly screwed

 

Im very new to all this so I dont know what a PCV is.

The oil on the dipstick is black, buts its always been black. I did the water test on the dipstick using an open flame to see if there was water that boiled off and there was none.

I constantly check my radiator to ensure the coolant level is where is should be, and I have never seen oil residue in the radiator.

I will post some pics tonight.

 

PCV = positive crankcase ventilation. There's a hose that pulls crankcase vapors out of the crankcase by engine vacuum. There's a PCV valve, which can plug up and disable the PCV system.

If you run the engine for short periods and don't allow it to get up to temperature, humidity can accumulate in the crankcase. This humidity could condense in the valve cover, and combine with engine oil to make a muddy compound.

There's a '74 manual at www.oljeep.com - I suggest you read the emissions section about the PCV system.

 

5 quarts every 120 miles??? It's running out faster than you're pouring it in. That's not a leak, that's a gusher. You should have huge puddles under it every time you stop if it's running that much out the rear main. Is the exhaust smoky at all?

 

No smokey exhaust and virtually no puddles on the floor, some small drips after running maybe 2-3 inches in diameter, but they stop dripping shortly after I park the vehicle. It seems to go though oil only when driving for an extended period of time at higher speeds like 55-60mph.

90% of my daily driving is around campus and town, at speeds of 30-45mph at most and at 10-20 mile long trips max. Driving around campus I can go without having to put oil in it for up to 3 weeks.

However when I drive home to my parents place at 55mph on a 35 mile one way trip maybe once a month I loose nearly 2 quarts of oil during the drive there, and then another two quarts on the drive back.

Lots of oil covering the back of the transmision and back of oil pan as well so I figure the leak is an external one and its not burning oil. My plan was to over Spring break replace the rear main seal and see what happens to oil consumption.

I am however open to opinions on what the deal is.

 

If his pcv valve is not operating for whatever reason, could that not be part of oil leakage maybe. I've always been under the impression that the pcv system also pulled a slight vacuum on the crankcase thus helping the seals keep the oil contained. ??

 

Well I have a new PCV or order and it will be here in a few days. I also am going to get a new rear main seal and when I replace the PCV will also replace the rear main seal and see what happens to oil consumption. This will happen next weekend.

Either way with this gunk build up I wont be driving it until I have cleaned it all out and put on the new PCV and rear main seal in.

If the new PCV does not work Im going to put in a new head gasket and see what that does.

 

sounds like a plan

 

if your oil drains still looking like oil i doubt its a coolant leak. Usually it turns to a rice pudding before too long. Its probrobly condensation since you dont get it hot for long periods of time. My porsche 911 oil tank fill tube usually has the gunk in it and its air cooled lol my 2a has it all the time aswell because i just use it around the house. So i wouldnt go tearing into that just yet. It should clear up if you drive it alot. Or if it gets worse if you drive it alot then theres a problem

 

Well I first noticed it after a return trip from my parents house back to school.

I filled it up with oil before I left for my parents, and I filled it again before I drove back to school and the cap was clean. I got back to school and today I went to fill it back up with oil before I went out and saw the goop. So it happened on the 35 mile, hour long drive back from my parents to school. The engine was hot and had all the time in the world to burn off excess moisture.

 

Your description of your oil loss sounds like it may be blowing oil out of the dipstick tube.
Also a symptom of a clogged PCV. Tie a small rag around the dipstick tube and take her for a spin. Then check the rag to see if is oily.

 

this is what happend to mine thought the same rear seal turned out to be pvc no oil leaks now also breather on front of valve cover was cloged to so i had alot of built up pressure

 

You'd think with THAT much oil going??? it's be ALL over the place.
I'd have someone do a comprssion test or yank the valve cover(s) off and lookie at the valve seals.
After the cold tamps break, try a changing the oil and go with a heavier oil.
Joe

 

It is all over the place, all over the underside of my jeep, heck its caked on there good. My plan is to power wash the entire underside of the jeep and put some engine degreaser down there to so everything is really cleaned up good. However I have to wait till its not so dang cold out.

 

Get that seal fixed soon if you plan to drive that vehicle much. It can catch fire under the right conditions and that oil will get on rubber parts (like spring bushings) and ruin them.
Back to your original question about the grey goop.....all the answers are good advice....also make sure you have a thermostat and that the engine is at proper operating temp. A cold running engine does not keep the condensation burned off.
Constantly running an engine low on oil is a recipe for a new engine. Cam bearings, rod bearings and mains wear enough in a normal enviorment. If you pull the engine to replace that rear seal, I would replace the front seal while in there and remove the pan and take a look at the rod and main bearings. jmho.
ron