{"id":79698,"date":"2023-01-12T14:58:14","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T22:58:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=79698"},"modified":"2024-12-19T05:24:16","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T13:24:16","slug":"what-does-having-water-in-engine-oil-mean-for-your-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-having-water-in-engine-oil-mean-for-your-car\/","title":{"rendered":"Water In Your Engine Oil: What Does It Do to Your Car, Causes, and Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column79698_138f17-3a > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column79698_138f17-3a inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-554322  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-28c45e\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading79698_97969e-5b\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Engine oil lubricates and protects the many moving parts in your car&rsquo;s engine. If water is present, it reduces the oil&rsquo;s effectiveness. If enough oil enters the cooling system, it will destroy your engine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Condensation, coolant leaks, and human error are common causes of water contamination of engine oil.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Water in engine oil causes problems like reduced engine power and oil sludges. The contaminated oil can turn milky brown in color, and bubbles can form on the dipstick when you pull it out.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-is-the-normal-temperature-of-engine-oil\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Engine oil\">Engine oil<\/a> lubricates and protects the many moving parts in your car&rsquo;s internal combustion engine. It minimizes friction between metal surfaces and absorbs the heat produced by these components during operation. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/engine-oil-basics-sae-ratings-viscosity-additives-and-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Lubricating oil\">Lubricating oil<\/a> works with the cooling system to keep your car cool and running smoothly in all conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, engine oil can get contaminated by substances that seep into the engine, oil sump, or oil reservoir. Water is one of the most common contaminants that can mix with lubricant. When it combines with engine oil, water can cause problems for your car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/engine-oil-refill-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"pouring engine oil into a car engine\" class=\"wp-image-79719\" style=\"width:1024px;height:683px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/engine-oil-refill-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/engine-oil-refill-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/engine-oil-refill-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/engine-oil-refill-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/engine-oil-refill-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/engine-oil-refill-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/engine-oil-refill.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">When water mixes with engine oil, it reduces the effectiveness of the additives in the oil. It can also cause corrosion and rust.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Does Water in Engine Oil Do to Your Car?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Engine oil contains a lot of additives. Dispersants and detergents clean engine parts, friction modifiers keep friction down and cool the components, and antioxidants and inhibitors prevent corrosion and rust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When water mixes with engine oil, it reduces the effectiveness of these additives, and if enough water enters the cooling system it can make an engine-destroying mess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In particular, water is a leading cause of corrosion and rust, which increase friction and heat. So, not only does water disrupt the inhibitors that prevent corrosion and rust, but it also creates these problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/oil-in-a-blown-intake-gasket-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"image of a crankcase with oil sludge\" class=\"wp-image-81013\" style=\"width:1024px;height:768px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/oil-in-a-blown-intake-gasket-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/oil-in-a-blown-intake-gasket-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/oil-in-a-blown-intake-gasket-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/oil-in-a-blown-intake-gasket-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/oil-in-a-blown-intake-gasket.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The water \/ oil sludge in this photo was the result of a blown intake gasket allowing water from the cooling system to enter the crankcase. This kind of failure can happen on some V6 and V8 engines but not all of them and almost never happens on a four cylinder due to cooling system configuration and flow. | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does Water End Up Mixing With Engine Oil?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Condensation, coolant leaks, and human error are common causes for water contamination of engine oil. Let&rsquo;s take a look at each of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Condensation \/ Cold Engine Blowby<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Liquid water can enter the engine through the natural process of condensation. Air contains water vapor that will condense into liquid form at particular temperatures. When cool air or combustion gases pass through the engine, they can lower the temperature until condensation forms on the metal surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there are more serious causes of water in the crankcase than this and these are very preventable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Internal combustion engines produce a gallon of water for every gallon of fuel burned. That&rsquo;s why you see steam at the tailpipe on cold mornings and it&rsquo;s also why mufflers typically have a very small drain hole (about &#8539; inch) near the bottom to prevent water from collecting in the muffler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of that water in the form of steam bypasses the piston rings as blowby when the engine is cold, but as the engine warms up, a properly flowing PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) system removes the water along with the rest of the crankcase vapors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Engines that run too cold or only make very short trips or have a clogged PCV system can develop dark sludge that can eventually destroy the engine by settling in the oil pan and clogging the oil pump pickup screen. For that reason, it&rsquo;s important to make sure you never (or almost never) start your engine unless you intend to completely warm it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Engines that run too cold or only make very short trips or have a clogged PCV system can develop dark sludge that can eventually destroy the engine by settling in the oil pan and clogging the oil pump pickup screen.<\/p>\n<cite><em>&ndash;&nbsp;<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\">Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Coolant Leak<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/coolant-antifreeze\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Cooling fluid\">Cooling fluid<\/a> is mostly water, which is always bad news for metal parts. If coolant escapes the cooling system through a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/coolant-leak-symptoms-plus-faq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"leak\">leak<\/a>, chances are high that it will find its way into the engine and mix with oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A non-watertight seal can let engine coolant leach into the oil sump. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/cylinder-head-gasket\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"cylinder gasket head\">cylinder gasket head<\/a> is prone to doing this, although other seals can also have this issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"654\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ford-flex-engine-1024x654.jpg\" alt=\"image of a ford flex engine\" class=\"wp-image-81016\" style=\"width:1024px;height:654px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ford-flex-engine-1024x654.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ford-flex-engine-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ford-flex-engine-768x490.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ford-flex-engine-150x96.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ford-flex-engine.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Some engines are designed with the water pump inside the engine so that it is driven by the timing chain. If the water pump fails on a Ford Flex with this design it literally floods the crankcase with coolant. | Image Source: Richard McCuistian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>More seriously, a watertight part can develop a critical problem that compromises its integrity. If a gasket fails or a fracture forms on an engine part, coolant can make its way through the ensuing leak and contaminate the engine oil supply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Human Error<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, while filling up the oil reservoir, you might accidentally put water instead of engine oil. On the upside, you&rsquo;ll immediately know how the water got there in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/coolant-cover-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"coolant cover of a car\" class=\"wp-image-79720\" style=\"width:1024px;height:683px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/coolant-cover-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/coolant-cover-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/coolant-cover-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/coolant-cover-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/coolant-cover-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/coolant-cover-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/coolant-cover.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A non-watertight seal can let engine coolant leach into the oil sump.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Water in Engine Oil Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When water mixes with engine oil, it will cause problems like reduced engine power and oil sludges. The contaminated oil can turn milky brown in color, and bubbles can form on the dipstick when you pull the measuring tool out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you come across solid proof that water has mixed with your car&rsquo;s engine oil, it&rsquo;s crucial to take your ride to a trusted mechanic as soon as possible. They&rsquo;ll need to inspect every engine part to find the cause of the contamination.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Engine oil lubricates and protects the many moving parts in your car&rsquo;s internal combustion engine. It minimizes friction between metal&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-having-water-in-engine-oil-mean-for-your-car\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":79718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[52,3743],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":{"0":"post-79698","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-diy","8":"category-maintenance","9":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Water In Your Engine Oil: What Does It Do to Your Car, Causes, and Symptoms - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"They say oil and water don\u2019t mix. But what happens when there\u2019s water in your car\u2019s engine oil? Find out the answer in this article.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-having-water-in-engine-oil-mean-for-your-car\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Water In Your Engine Oil: What Does It Do to Your Car, Causes, and Symptoms - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"They say oil and water don\u2019t mix. But what happens when there\u2019s water in your car\u2019s engine oil? Find out the answer in this article.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-does-having-water-in-engine-oil-mean-for-your-car\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-01-12T22:58:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-19T13:24:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/car-engine-oil.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"999\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-having-water-in-engine-oil-mean-for-your-car\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-does-having-water-in-engine-oil-mean-for-your-car\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/thecpteam\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom, https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/CarPartscom, https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/, https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"Richard McCuistian\",\"jobTitle\":\"ASE Master Automobile Technician\",\"description\":\"Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. 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