If the engine is the car’s heart, then engine oil can be considered its blood. For optimum lubrication and performance, clean and high-quality engine oil is essential. However, some engine oil issues can happen out of nowhere. If you open your car hood and notice that your oil is a creamy color, you may have “milky oil,” which is not a good sign. When you see this issue, you must act quickly to flush it out of your car’s system. If you are unaware or not adequately informed on how to do this, we got you covered!
In this article, we will be going over the best way to clean milky oil out of an engine to keep it running smoothly and prevent any further damage.
What exactly is milky oil?
When you notice that your oil is a creamy or white color, then your engine has milky oil. There are a number of potential triggers, but contaminated water is usually to blame. Condensation forms and contaminates the oil, making it look milky as it accumulates over time. Water evaporates when the engine heats up, condensing on the cooler components of the engine. Even if you avoid driving your vehicle in the rain, there is still a chance of this happening. Condensation is the most prevalent source of water in the engine, however, there are other ways it can seep into your vehicle: high oil consumption, worn or porous oil gaskets, and faulty design (such as unvented crankcases).
How to properly clean out milky oil in your engine
If you confirm that your oil is milky, you must address this problem as soon as possible. The longer you wait, you will risk further damage to your engine. Here, we have listed down the steps to help you flush out milky oil from your engine:
- Get your car ready
Start by parking your vehicle on a flat surface and apply the brakes to prevent it from moving throughout the flushing process. Make sure you choose a wide and open space that you can freely work in. Before continuing, ensure that the engine is turned off and cooled down. If your car is equipped with an oil dipstick, remove it and put it away.
- Utilize Diesel
Adding diesel to your engine is an effective method for removing milky oil. After removing the spent oil, fuel the engine with petroleum diesel. After that, give the diesel a few minutes to settle. This will help dissolve the silt and remove the polluted oil from the interior components.
Instead of utilizing diesel to start the engine, it should be utilized as a cleaning agent. Continue until clean diesel is expelled from the drain. Finally, add new oil to the engine and start the vehicle. Ensure that all diesel fuel has been entirely emptied from the unit. Otherwise, it will dilute and degrade the ordinary oil, causing damage to the joints and reducing the engine’s lifespan.
- Drain the contaminated oil and run the engine
Drain as much of the milky oil as possible. Then, pour new oil into the engine and run the vehicle for a short time. The heat should evaporate the majority of the oil’s moisture. We recommend running the engine at operating temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Replace the oil filter
It goes without saying that you need to change the oil filter if you notice milky oil in your engine. Using an oil filter wrench, locate your car’s oil filter and remove it. After taking out the filter, cover the opening with a clean rag to prevent small debris from getting into the engine. Replace the oil filter and tighten it to the manufacturer’s guidelines after changing the engine oil.
- Take your car out on a test drive
After that, you should take your vehicle for a test drive to determine whether the engine’s condition has improved. You need to make sure there is no more milky oil. Examine the stick and allow it to roll if it looks like it’s back to normal. If you still feel that there is something wrong, drain the oil, replace it with newer oil, and conduct a second test drive.
- Give Rislone a try
Rislone is a type of oil that is used in auto treatment. It is an alternative way to help in flushing out milky oil, provided that you do not have any problems removing diesel fuel. It can remove sediments, sludge, and milky engine oil efficiently and effectively. Just put this oil in your vehicle, and drive around for about 500 kilometers. After that, you can remove the cover to see that your engine has been cleaned. Rislone is also helpful in freeing up stuck rings on diesel engines that never let your engine warm up.
- Make sure that there is no leaks
If you notice that your vehicle’s oil is no longer milky, inspect the oil filter and drain plug for leaks. If you’re positive that there are no leaks, your car is ready for your next road trip!
How do I prevent milky oil?
Now you’re aware of how to fix the problem, it would be best if you also learned about preventing it from happening again in the future:
- Using high quality oil additives
To prevent further leakage, head gasket wear, and seal shrinkage, purchase good quality oil additives. You can also use sealants routinely to avoid any leaks.
- Check on your oil routinely
Regular inspection is one of the best methods for avoiding milky oil. If you observe a change in color or contamination in the water, you must act on it immediately.
- Keep your vehicle in a dry and cool place
To prevent the buildup of milky oil, your engine should be protected from moisture. Additionally, maintain a cool engine to minimize overheating. Just make sure your car is protected from the elements.
- Don’t take your car on a lot of short trips
Believe it or not, One of the most common causes of milky oil is short trips. If possible, minimize short journeys and always let your engine reach its operating temperature before driving.
- Be on the lookout for the warning signs
Be alert for any indications that your engine has been contaminated with water. These can include a milky tint in the oil, a decline in performance, your car starts blasting emissions, or you feel like your driving is off.
If you follow these precautions to prevent and flush out milky oil, you can extend the life of your engine as well as avoiding any unwanted costly repairs.
Conclusion
Maintaining regular oil checks is essential if you want your automobile and engine to survive as long as possible. If not, you will run into a number of issues and engine trouble. Every vehicle, be it a sedan or a semi, has particular needs that need to be met. Watery oil is a warning sign that something is wrong with your engine, which requires an immediate oil change. If you want to keep your engine from breaking down, you’ll need to work immediately. Milky oil is a sign of a more serious issue, so put fixing your car or truck immediately at the top of your to-do list.