[frankis843]

Any ideas what could be causing this?
My 14 has 36k on it and has used 24 gallons of gas. About 8 gallons each winter due to ERDTT.

This oil is about 18 months old with 24% oil life left.

Thanks!

Frank

 

[ahaelson2]

Coolant in oil for sure. Leaking head gasket I'm afraid... Have you looked at engine coolant reservoir also?

 

[FI Spyder]

There can be a certain amount of condensation in the oil if there is a lot of cold starts stops where there is heating and cooling of engine, wouldn't happen on extended hold or after battery depletion as the engine runs too often for it to get cold. This condensation is usually "boiled" off with some running. This does not look like that. That looks like a blown head gasket or a chocolate shake from McDonald's.

 

[JRRF]

Head gasket for sure. Not cheap.

 

[sosmerc]

If not a coolant leak (head gasket issue), it could be from condensation buildup due to engine running too cold. Could also be a result of a stuck or improperly operating fuel injector (flooding fuel into crankcase) or a problem with high cylinder leakdown...excess fuel and oil mixing with air and getting passed the rings into the crankcase.
Was the engine having any noticeable runability problems before the oil change?

 

[Barry]

I would not immediately assume you have an internal leak (expensive) if the engine has almost never run for any reason other than ERDTT. You need to let the engine run long enough to get to full operating temperature and stay there for a while to drive off the moisture in the oil. That may clarify your oil. Make a drive in hold mode, and repeat periodically at least through the winter when ERDTT is activating. Monitor the oil to see if the condition returns.

 

[oldstuff]

If not a coolant leak (head gasket issue), it could be from condensation buildup due to engine running too cold. Could also be a result of a stuck or improperly operating fuel injector (flooding fuel into crankcase) or a problem with high cylinder leakdown...excess fuel and oil mixing with air and getting passed the rings into the crankcase.
Was the engine having any noticeable runability problems before the oil change?

Mostly BS
Water and oil don't mix so you get a milky solution, fuel and oil do mix so you get thin oil. Compression leaking around the rings or blowby "leakdown" causes high crankcase pressure making oil leaks wherever it can get out or excessive exhaust smoke due to the PVC system venting into the intake. Condensation rarely makes the oil milky it will show as a milky substance on the bottom side of the filler cap. A blown head gasket or a cracked head is the usual suspect. I don't know if the Volt has an aluminum block but if it has GM has a way of torquing the heads that stretches the head bolts and it causes head bolts to pull threads and loosen the head squeeze enough to let water leak into the cylinder. Even if your reservoir is only down an inch or so you could get very milky oil and the engine would still be operating seemingly ok.

 

[Norton]

...My 14 has 36k on it and has used 24 gallons of gas. About 8 gallons each winter due to ERDTT.

This oil is about 18 months old with 24% oil life left.

It's from mostly ERDDT usage. The oil never gets hot to evaporate the moisture build up during all your many, many ERDDT events.

Keep an eye on it after the oil change. If you see 'milkshake' on the oil cap force yourself to run the car in HOLD mode and ....

Burn some gas (, I know, I know....) long enough to thoroughly warm up the oil and keep it warm for a while to evaporate the moisture. Highway speeds, maybe 30-60 minutes.

Then, check the oil cap the next day after a long drive. You'll probably see that the milkshake is gone.

 

[obermd]

It's from mostly ERDDT usage. The oil never gets hot to evaporate the moisture build up during all your many, many ERDDT events.

Keep an eye on it after the oil change. If you see 'milkshake' on the oil cap force yourself to run the car in HOLD mode and ....

Burn some gas (, I know, I know....) long enough to thoroughly warm up the oil and keep it warm for a while to evaporate the moisture. Highway speeds, maybe 30-60 minutes.

Then, check the oil cap the next day after a long drive. You'll probably see that the milkshake is gone.

And if it's not gone call your dealership. This would be a powertrain warranty repair.

 

[sosmerc]

Mostly BS
Water and oil don't mix so you get a milky solution, fuel and oil do mix so you get thin oil. Compression leaking around the rings or blowby "leakdown" causes high crankcase pressure making oil leaks wherever it can get out or excessive exhaust smoke due to the PVC system venting into the intake. Condensation rarely makes the oil milky it will show as a milky substance on the bottom side of the filler cap. A blown head gasket or a cracked head is the usual suspect. I don't know if the Volt has an aluminum block but if it has GM has a way of torquing the heads that stretches the head bolts and it causes head bolts to pull threads and loosen the head squeeze enough to let water leak into the cylinder. Even if your reservoir is only down an inch or so you could get very milky oil and the engine would still be operating seemingly ok.

A thermostat this is stuck open will cause this milky oil due to the engine running too cold. I have seen this often on 4 stroke outboards...the oil level will also be too high from this (referred to as "making oil"). Whenever I am running my Volt on the highway, I also monitor the engine temp to make sure it is running at an acceptable temp. I expect to see it around 190-215 depending upon load and outside temp. Maybe my 35+ years with outboards doesn't apply to cars.....so this could all be B.S. as previously stated ....

 

[Steverino]

It's from mostly ERDDT usage. The oil never gets hot to evaporate the moisture build up during all your many, many ERDDT events.

Not the main reason I install the ERDTT defeat in the winter, but something I did consider was the minimal oil heating time that ERDTT events produce.

For those who don't know, ERDTT can be turned off completely with a small, inexpensive mod to the ambient air temp sensor. See my FAQ on this ERDTT mod in the Newcomers forum https://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?127761-ERDTT-Modification-Options&p=1758281#post1758281

 

[frankis843]

Thanks all the advice. My dealer thinks it is probably due to condensation. I still have 18 months of p’train warranty and will monitor going forward. I’ve been recommended to shorten service intervals because of my usage.

 

[oldstuff]

Thanks all the advice. My dealer thinks it is probably due to condensation. I still have 18 months of p’train warranty and will monitor going forward. I’ve been recommended to shorten service intervals because of my usage.

That looks to me to be WAY to much milk to be condensation.
Keep us informed how this turns out after a little time with the new oil.
They might be trying to run out the warranty but that doesn't matter because you have the problem on record so you are covered.

 

[supchrgamx]

wonder if they are using full syn. oil

 

[Cheburashka]

Mostly BS

Nope. BS is willful misleading of someone when you know better.

You can disagree with someone else's diagnosis of a problem, but you don't have to <deleted> about it. We're "family" here. No reason to start a pissing contest.

 

[oldstuff]

Nope. BS is willful misleading of someone when you know better.

You can disagree with someone else's diagnosis of a problem, but you don't have <deleted> about it. We're "family" here. No reason to start a pissing contest.

Have you bought any Brooklin bridges lately? <deleted>

 

[Cheburashka]

Have you bought any Brooklin bridges lately? <deleted>

Have you looked up "Brooklyn" in a dictionary lately?<deleted>.

 

[Steverino]

Name calling

A brawl over milky oil, really?

My patience for name calling has grown thin over the years. I have tried giving people 2nd or 3rd chances and mostly, people who resort to name calling seem unable to muzzle themselves here.

Anyway, I banned oldstuff for 3 weeks and Cheburashka for 2 weeks for name calling. Hopefully they can mellow out a bit by the time the ban ends. You can disagree without being disagreeable. If your argument rests on name calling, you don't have much of an argument.

 

[Paulacton84]

I have seen milkshake oil due to ERDTT, and also in an ICE car that runs 3 mile trips only in the winter. but not in the quantity that you show in your picture, though I really can't tell scale from the picture, how much oil is that, just the drip off the dipstick?
you can try a few 15 mile high speed highway drives in hold mode, or just change your oil (which is what I would do first)and then remember that if you use ERDTT, but otherwise don't use your gas engine, you need to occasionally get it out on the highway and drive for 15 minutes in hold mode.

 

[Monzsta]

In my experiences as a tech (not Volt) coolant in oil will give you a milkshake like that, however, it will also phase seperate out, and if you loosen the drain plug slightly water or coolant will be the first to come out, as it settles to the bottom. If it's coolant it'll retain it's color and smell if allowed to settle and if you're careful and quick with a jug you can save a sample for further analysis.

I'm surprised no one's mentioned shipping off a sample to blackstone. They can tell you exactly what is in it, and how much.