Water in engine oil

Tiny
AVROHOM DWORETSKY
  • MEMBER
  • 2012 FORD E-SERIES VAN
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 55,000 MILES
I'm now on my third engine (all repaired under warranty). After 450 miles on my third engine (the first 200 was straight highway driving) my oil light went on. I checked the oil and it was milky. I brought it to the dealership and they sent the oil for analysis. It came back that there was a significant amount of water and some gas in the oil. They have no clue where the water would come from. My first engine also had the problem of milky oil and they never got to the bottom of what the problem was. The service adviser suggested that maybe it's just condensation and that since I was only driving it to and from work (1 mile each direction) there wasn't enough time to burn off the condensation. Does that make sense? Should I drive it more? Any other clue where so much water would come from?
Tuesday, January 15th, 2019 AT 2:32 PM

9 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
To confirm it is water in the oil not coolant? There would not be enough condensation to cause milky oil. It sounds like vandalism to me. Please let me know.
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Wednesday, January 16th, 2019 AT 4:20 PM
Tiny
AVROHOM DWORETSKY
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
They sent it off to be tested and it was just water not coolant. No one else has a key to pop the hood and it's parked in my driveway in a nice neighborhood. They said there was a lot of water which is why they can't understand it. Any way for rain to get in there? The only other thing they can think of is that when they replaced the engine someone put water in the oil instead of the coolant. Any other way?
Thanks!
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Thursday, January 17th, 2019 AT 2:09 PM
Tiny
DANNY L
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,648 POSTS
Hello, I'm Danny.

I'm with Ken on this. It sounds suspicious. I worked on these vans for numerous years without any problems. I don't think repair shop was proper. Just my two cents to add to Ken. I've seen have long durations for use up to and including 800,000 miles. Hope this helps and thanks again for using 2CarPros.
Danny-
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Friday, January 18th, 2019 AT 4:08 AM
Tiny
AVROHOM DWORETSKY
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I have it mainly for long trips. In between the long trips is there a problem to just drive it one mile twice a day? Or should I try to drive it more?
Thanks for your help!
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Friday, January 18th, 2019 AT 8:06 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Just one mile is a little short for cold weather applications. I would do an oil change and then mark the oil fill cap to see if it gets removed by someone else. Here is a guide to help walk you through the steps with diagrams below to show you on your van:
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-change-engine-oil-and-filter

Here is how to reset the oil life monitor:

Message Center Configuration

Oil Life Reset

NOTE: All message center functions are carried out using the single stem SELECT/RESET button in the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC).

NOTE: The oil life calculation is set at a maximum of approximately 12,070 km (7,500 miles) or 180 days.

NOTE: The XX's in the message center displays below represent a numeric value. For example, the message center may display OIL LIFE = 80%.

1. Press and release the SELECT/RESET button to scroll through the information displays until the message center displays HOLD RESET FOR SETUP MENU.

2. Press and release the SELECT/RESET button until the message center displays OIL LIFE XX% HOLD RESET = NEW.

3. Press and hold the SELECT/RESET button for 2 seconds and release when the message center displays OIL LIFE SET TO 100%.

4. Press and release the SELECT/RESET button to exit the procedure.

Oil Life Start Value

NOTE: All message center functions are carried out using the single stem reset button in the Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC).

NOTE: The oil life start value is used to increase or decrease the starting point of the oil life. The value can be changed back to the maximum of approximately 12,070 km (7,500 miles) if the value was previously changed or lowered by 10% increments down to 10%.

1. Press and release the SELECT/RESET button to scroll through the information displays until the message center displays HOLD RESET FOR SETUP MENU.

2. Press and release the SELECT/RESET button until the message center displays OIL LIFE XX% HOLD RESET = NEW.

3. Press and hold the SELECT/RESET button for 2 seconds until the message center displays OIL LIFE SET TO 100%.

4. NOTE: The oil life start value can be lowered from 100% to 10% in 10% increments then the value starts again at 100%.

Continue to hold the SELECT/RESET button to lower the oil life in 10% increments from the default 100% until the message center displays OIL LIFE SET TO XX%.

Oil Filter Element - F1AZ6731BD

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.
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Friday, January 18th, 2019 AT 11:24 AM
Tiny
AVROHOM DWORETSKY
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Thanks!
How would you mark the oil cap? And are you saying that I should take it out for longer trips in the cold weather? How long? Until the engine gets to the proper temperature? And how often would you do that?
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Sunday, January 20th, 2019 AT 2:20 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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I would mark the cap with a piece of tape so you can tell if someone takes the cap off. I would drive the car once a week for thirty minutes to see if that helps with the problem.
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Monday, January 21st, 2019 AT 10:56 AM
Tiny
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  • 5 POSTS
Thanks so much! I'll try both.
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Monday, January 21st, 2019 AT 2:27 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Please let us know.
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Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 AT 10:25 AM

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