...and only 56,000 miles. Anyway, had a concern the other day because I opened the oil filler neck and there is a layer of milky white sludge coating it. The dipstick shows clean oil so I am thinking maybe it's a breathing problem because doesn't this usually denote moisture of some sort in the oil?
I'm in the same boat. Just turned 50K on my 2005. On my last oil change, I noticed a white sludge in the filler tube. I was somewhat aware of the problem before hand, but I had never seen it before. It suprised me.
It looked very similar to these, only much more white and much "cleaner" looking. I should have taken pictures of mine.
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If it's really cold when that is happening and consistently, it might have something to do with the pcv valve freezing up as described in the tsb
Seems to be some have it some don't
Me I have never had it on mine and have done a few oil changes where they were full
Nothing to worry about clean it out and forget it
just the cold air hitting the plastic oil filler neck
I would tend to think this is the cause. I've owned it since 15K miles and I am VERY meticulous with my vehicles. I'm a detailer, so everything is always clean and everything listed in the maintenance manual is replaced on a regular basis. I check my fluid levels weekly, etc... I use Mobil 1 0W-30 (or 5W-30) and a Mobil 1 EP filter since I got it, changed every 5K. I drive 10 miles to work one way, so it has plenty of time to run at operating temp. I also just replaced the PCV at 30K. I honstley don't know what else can be done to prevent it.
I have never had it before, but we have had an unusually cold winter this year and when I went to do the oil change last week, I seen a similar situation to the pictures above. I guess it is because of the bad PCV design. We would go several days without getting above freezing. Pulled the splash guard and it was everywhere. I cleaned it all out and pulled the PCV valve and hose from the bay and cleaned those out. The PCV hole in the tube was caked with sludge. There is no way the PCV system was working. The valve was clogged and the PCV tube had milky, sludgy oil in it.
After cleaning it, I have ran it for a week. I pulled the splash guard again and some more sludge had formed and was starting to go into the PCV hole. I cleaned it back out and was hoping it was just some of the remaining moisture or something. I'll check again in a week.
I guess the take home point is that even thought it is a normal flaw with some of the 3.7L, more care is needed. If it is let go for a fairly short amount of time, the PCV gets clogged and I know it isn't working. During the cold months, pulling the splash guard from the filler tube and inspecting/cleaning it will be a weekly addition for me along with checking the fluids and tire pressure.
Climate has nothing to do with it,mine has never done it once in 9 years and and has been in South Dakota,Washington,and Colorado,all which have drasticly different climates.
I would think temperature would have something to do with it. I've never had the problem until we went weeks this winter below freezing. I don't think temp is the only cause, but I think it is a contributing factor.
arty52:
