Antifree in Oil :(

I checked my oil and it looks like there is antifreeze inside my oil…

On the oil cap it looks snotty brown,with some yellow tint…

Can someone help me out as to what is going on…

You may have a breached head gasket or two.
Or, since it is a GM product, it is more likely that you have a breached intake manifold gasket.

Antifreeze is not a lubricant, and this situation will result in severe damage to bearings, cylinder walls, piston rings, etc.

This needs to be fixed immediately if you want to have any hope of saving the engine.
Do not start the engine. Have the car towed to a competent mechanic, which means avoiding places like Midas, Meineke, Monro, Sears, Pep Boys, AAMCO, and other chains.

Good luck!

Thanks so much…
I had a feeling it was bad… i cant afford losing my car i have 5 children i raise and i work as a nurse aide so i NEED my car :frowning:
I’m not sure how long its been like this but i have been driving it for awhile…

When i clean the oil off my dipstick it looks very clean its just on the oil cap its self.

What kind of oil are you using

So the only place the oil looks bad is on the oil cap?

You may only have a clogged PCV valve or hose, inexpensive to fix.

If there’s no antifreeze on the dipstick, you may be fine. Driving a lot of short trips in cold weather doesn’t get the engine hot enough to cook off condensation in the crankcase. Some of the water vapor condenses on the oil cap and in the top of the engine.

Check the PCV system as circuitsmith said, and in cold weather, at least a couple times a week, make sure you drive the car long enough to get up to full operating temperature for a while. A nice highway run at operating temperature should take care of it. If you can’t do this too often, it’s important to change the oil more frequently than usual to get rid of the contamination.

Circuitsmith and oblivion make very good points.
A sticky PCV valve could indeed produce a gunky build-up on the oil filler cap–and in other areas of the engine.

I had this problem with a 95 Dodge Dakota and a 98 Windstar. It was condensation due to short trips in cold weather. The fix was to replace the PCV valve and a change in driving habits. At least one drive of 30 minutes per week to fully warm up the vehicle and remove condensation. Do you do a lot of short trips where the engine does not warm up fully?

On the other hand, when the intake manifold gasket started leaking on my 2000 Blazer there was a slow drop in the coolant overflow tank level (~1 pint/month). I used a sharpie to mark the cold level on the tank and checked the level over the course of time. A dealer or an independent mechanic should be able to verify this leak.

Ed B.

The oil cap and the top of the dipstick will accumulate condensate from the atmosphere if the vents are not operating correctly and the weather is damp and cool. Before you condemn the engine look at the oil on the dipstick. In fact, wipe the dipstick repeatedly and re-stick it and look for ‘brite’ oil. If the oil is pasty like a day old chocolate milk shake it could be trouble but if the oil is bright check the thermostat and the vents.