1963 289 100K.....nice driving winter beater.....with mostly short drives around town, occasionally on the highway...Several weeks ago I pulled the dipstick up to check the level and found small water bubbles up the entire length of the stick. There is maybe 1/8th of an inch of chocolate milk on the end of the dip stick. I haven't noticed oil or coolant loss. So I changed the oil and watched carefull as it dumped into the pan without any signs of water or coolant. Nice hot drain. New oil and filter and decided to mix in some good hot driving. I get the same signs on the dip stick and I get a small amount of milky drippage on both oil caps. When hot and idling there is whiteish smoke out both caps and the dip stick when removed......Am I looking at the inevitable. Compression check ? Pull the heads and break a few screws along the way leading to the Studebaker "mission creep" winter beater....
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Last edited by jackb; 04-08-2011, 05:04 AM. -
'Might not be all that severe, Jack. In fact, I don't think it is, from what you said.
First check your crankcase ventilation system. If your PCV valve or other components of the system (perhaps a collapsed vacuum hose feeding the PCV valve) have gone south, you'll have poor crankcase ventilation and no way for the engine to properly dispose of the water vapor it naturally generates in the course of running.
Make sure the thermostat is good, too...and you are "running" a thermostat of proper temperature for your climate. If you had a 160 thermostat in there for summer and you are still running it into winter temperatures (I don't know where you live), the engine will run too cool for winter and create more condensation it cannot burn off, because it isn't running hot enough.
Bottom line: This sounds more like an excess condensation problem than a physical leak. BP
We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge. 
G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it. -
I agree with Bob. It dosen't sound like a real leak. If you want to take a little time on a test,
Borrow a cooling system test pump ( if you don't have one), Get the engine to operating
temperature, and drain the oil. Pump the cooling system to 14 to 16, or what ever your cap
pressure is, and wait. See if it holds pressure. If it goes down, pump it back up, and watch
for any sign of water running out the oil pan drain hole. Keep the pressure on for several
hours. Sometimes a head gasket will leak to the outside and inside at the same time. Be
sure to keep the pressure on till engine cools. If you have very much of a leak, your pressure
will go down quick. If your pressure holds, you most likely don't have one. I know (old school )
but it works.Comment
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...these were my sentiments prior to draining oil..I half-thought about the PCV , but did focus on my temp gage not going above 160..so I removed the thermostat after breaking off both housing screws (mission creep).....Found a 180 stat in there. Tested that and another 180 stat and found no difference in opening (177-180 degrees). Tested @ the radiator when hot (warm) and it tested @ 160 degrees.....So, I now have the radiator blocked off nearly 50% and still cannot get temp above 170 at the gage on a fairly long highway run.....I'll check the valve next.....Comment
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In keeping with the forum's attempt to comment on a successful solution to a tech problem......I would like to thank those fellows who suggested my PCV was the problem in the moisture in the crankcase. In fact it was blocked at the carb base intake. Maybe a duabers nest or mud/oil plugged. Its clear now and I'm a happy camper...Comment
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