Water in the oil? | FerrariChat

Water in the oil?

Discussion in '308/328' started by AndrewE, Mar 10, 2024.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
  2. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2006
    15,809
    Cerritos, CA.
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Hope I’m wrong but Seems like blown head gasket.
     
  3. classicalfas

    classicalfas Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 5, 2012
    318
    Gardiner, NY
    Full Name:
    Peter D
    Could just be condensation on the sides. What does the coolant in the tank look like? Suck out some with a turkey baster.
     
    Ferraripilot likes this.
  4. Anthony Rapuano

    Anthony Rapuano Karting

    Aug 16, 2022
    211
    CT
    Full Name:
    Anthony V Rapuano, Jr.
    Does it smell of coolant?
     
  5. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
    Thats what I was thinking (not hoping)
     
  6. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
    I will check to see if I can work out what it is but it looks like the usual water in oil symptom
     
  7. ragtop1

    ragtop1 F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 11, 2006
    5,241
    Ontario
    Full Name:
    Larry Warren
    If it's really bad, the dipstick will have some mayo on it. Have you looked?
     
  8. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
    No may on dipstick, just on cap and around the tank neck
     
  9. morcal

    morcal Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 7, 2003
    389
    Turin,Italy
    Full Name:
    Cal
    #9 morcal, Mar 10, 2024
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2024
    Stop driving, have the oil out ( check mayonaise amount ) and if too relevant have the cylinder head out. Likely ( unfortunately ) one of the plugs which are needed to close the draining holes in the head casting process are corroded and leaking coolant in the oil circuit. If you have driven for too long/hard the car prior of noticing the problem, it will be a full maintenance job on the engine involving main bearings and reman of the cylinder head. An opportunity for a major ( cam seals, blearings a.s.o)
     
  10. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    26,794
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    You need to update your Profile ;).
     
  11. flash32

    flash32 F1 Veteran

    Aug 22, 2008
    6,919
    Central NJ
    Full Name:
    Dominick
    Do you normally drive short distances and shut car off

    Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk
     
    2dinos, PAP 348 and Basal Skull like this.
  12. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2006
    15,809
    Cerritos, CA.
    Full Name:
    Mike
    You could have water going into the oil system and no oil going into the water system or vise versa.
     
  13. Ferraridoc

    Ferraridoc F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 20, 2012
    17,218
    Gold Coast, Aust.
    Full Name:
    Patrick
    How about we all calm down. Check the dipstick - if it's just got oil on it, take the car for a long drive and get it good and hot. Then have another look.
     
  14. Basal Skull

    Basal Skull Formula Junior

    Oct 26, 2010
    427
    Vancouver BC
    Agree likely just condensation


    Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
     
    2dinos and PAP 348 like this.
  15. fatbillybob

    fatbillybob Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 10, 2002
    28,991
    socal
    Normal. Prevented by heating car up to running oil temp to burn off condensate. ;Then the oil used to prep bread
     
    2dinos and PAP 348 like this.
  16. Michael DB

    Michael DB Karting

    Dec 22, 2023
    231
    UK
    Full Name:
    Michael D Beswick
    Or if you’re worried change the oil and filter , clean off the mayo and go for a long drive. Or just clean the mayo off and go for the same drive!
    If much of your testing for the previous issue needed short (cold) drives in the weather we’ve had lately….
     
  17. Portofino

    Portofino Formula Junior

    Sep 17, 2011
    846
    Yorkshire UK / Switzerland/ Antibes France
    Full Name:
    Portofino
    Bit late to this party
    It’s just condensation .I had a Testarossa before current GT 4 , it had a dry sump .
    As said by others short ish runs in U.K. damp / cold , never really warmed it .

    That’s a tiny amount and totally normal .As others have said take it out and give it some beans , plenty of 4000 upwards up hill runs once all the T + P s are correct .

    This happens in modern cars it’s not been dialled out with tech ……just with modern cars you don’t notice it because they aren’t dry sump .I did notice it a bit on a 360 I had the dip stick was on the oil air separator high up on the engine …..so condensation would rise and sit under the cap just your pic as well as the Testarossa.

    That’s why informed opinion says change the oil annually regardless of the mileage, often low in F cars and AVOID short trips in the damp U.K. winters .

    Also if carb d as well as water condensation you get fuel dilution of the oil at cold starts .

    Ideally when you return from a looooong run you want to hear the fans running while parking up .Then you know it hot .
     
    Dominik B. likes this.
  18. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
    huh?
     
  19. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
    Completely the opposite - mostly do hour long hard drives.
     
  20. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
    Dipstick only has oil, the mayo is just on cap and around the tank neck
     
    Ferraridoc likes this.
  21. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
    Yep as said before I don't do short runs and always get to temp and the fans come on, so no issue with it getting warm enough
     
  22. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    26,794
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    Just that a "1981 308GTB" is a rather unusual combination (but not inaccurate if first sold in 1981 and that's what your gov't paperwork is based on). Have had some "1980 308 GTB/S carb" euro versions show up here before, but can't recall a 1981. Would be better if you clarified the Profile description to be:

    "1981 308GTB carb dry sump GB/RHD version" or "1981 308GTB carb dry sump UK Car" IMO.

    Couple/few questions:

    Does it have a 17-digit VIN or just the 5-digit SN and some sort of made-up VIN on the gov't paperwork?

    What was the date of manufacture? Was there a long delay between manufacture and first sale?
     
  23. AndrewE

    AndrewE Karting

    Aug 29, 2008
    123
    Sevenoaks, England
    Ah OK - it was registered in the UK on 8th Jan 81 and is a full GB RHD carbed dry sump GTB with 14" wheels, deep spoiler and single exit exhaust. It was actually built in Oct 1979. Five digit SN - 29875
     
  24. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,220
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    I agree with most here, clean it up/wipe it off and drive the car and enjoy.

    That's just condensation man, nothing to worry about.
     
    2dinos likes this.
  25. eric lipper

    eric lipper Karting

    Nov 2, 2003
    172
    I own SN 19333 which is a dry sump 1976 vetroresina but my engine is very similar. The dry sump cars seem to show that when they are not run for long enough to boil all the water out of the oil. My 1976 308 GTB will show that if I do a few drives and they are less than 30 minutes or so. I think it is just condensation due to the volume of the oil and the relative humidity in your area. I live in Houston and this situation seems to show more often when it is super humid/foggy. I would not worry about it if there is no oil in the coolant.
     
    Ferraripilot likes this.

Share This Page