TheHaflinger.com

Is it normal to have water condensation in the oil filler pipe?

I don't drive the vehicle often or far, from the storage shed to the garage, and around the building, so not really enough to warm it up to evaporate it.

The oil on the dipstick looks normal, but I haven't tried draining it yet to be sure it isn't contaminated.

I guess the question is, should I be worried?

Just my take on the issue!

The simple answer is it shouldn't be there - this is achieved by getting the engine up to running temperature. This is not going to happen on short journeys - at the very least get the engine running and leave it just above idle so it charges the battery and in about 20 or 30 minutes or until the whole of the engine, block included should be too hot to touch for long.

The problem with water in the oil is two fold, - it does not lubricate well so pumping it around the engine is bad! It also picks up various atoms from the oil and becomes an acid which if left could eat through things you would rather were left intact.

John

My take is that it can be quite normal (as long as it stays up in the oil filler/breather) if you live in very cold climates. When the engine is driven in cold damp climates the hot engine heats all the air in the engine . However when the engine is switched off and it cools in a very cold climate the moisture in the air condenses out - most noticeable on the extremities of the engine and shows as a foam or milky appearance. In normal use when the engine is started later the heat of the engine will evaporate this moisture and the foam will clear. In all instances it is quite unusual for the actual oil in the sump to take on this moisture.

As long as the foam is just in the outer extremities I don't think it is a real issue to be concerned about. Of course if the oil also goes milky then it is a concern. On a water cooled engine I would be looking for coolant leaks but not an issue with our vehicles.

Here is a recent link to a similar post concerning a Pinzgauer on the Real 4x4 (Portal Hub) forum.

http://real4x4forums.com/PinzgauerBBS/v ... =12&t=9320

Garry

John and Garry,

Thanks for the replies!

My filler\breather pipe has never foamed like the pictures on the link show, but then again, I practically don't drive it, so maybe it might not get a chance to foam.
I'm in Canada, and I started noticing this toward the end of the summer. It may have been happening all summer (when I first started working on the vehicle). For this reason, I'm scared that the moisture of a cold climate might not explain my issue. Condensation from cooling would have been my first guess too, but if no one else has this, then maybe I have some kind of problem.

I'll keep my eye on the dipstick oil and hope the moisture stays in the breather pipe.

Drive the Haffie for a while so it is nice and warm for a while and see what happens with the condensation - ideally gone. Also check the sealing of the filler - if it is perished or missing it might let more air in than is normal as the engine cools down.

Garry

How long has the oil been in the engine? Are we talking about old engine oil or new just after an oil change? Old engine oil is most likely to have some water contamination which should be boiled off when the engine get nice and hot. If the surrounding air is very damp or cold you might get condensation as above, but in an air cooled engine it should never be very much.

If you are going to leave the Haflinger parked up over the winter then do an oil change and preferably, just turn the engine over on the Dynastart without the ignition on so it just circulates the oil round the engine with out running which will add combustion residue to the oil.

John

Condensation is common in air cooled engines on this continent(and cold climes) if you do not run long enough to cook it out.
Nothing wrong, normal condition