Foamy oil in valve cover

[David88]

I have a 1988 Festiva L 5 speed. A/C. 192k mi. Engine swap in 1999 at 120K, Donor car/wreck, a 1988 LX had 88k mi. So engine now has about 160k. Runs flawless. Regular oil changes at 2.5-3k mi. I add a bottle of Dry Gas every fall and spring. I never had a problem till this oil change today. Only the last time did I have to add oil between changes. I replaced the valve cover gasket when I did the swap and its never been a leaker. Checked the oil 3 weeks ago. Not too low- I thought I would wait till the change rather than add any. It was maybe 1/4 of the way to the low line on the stick. Today it was AT the low line.
Inside the fill cap was this thick light brownish/tan colored foamy like stuff. It was down inside the engine too. I poured some oil in and it ran right over the pasty foam stuff. I know there is still some in there.
What causes this? Anyone else had this?
Thanks

[mechanicaldj]

if it is alot of foam, most likely you have either a blown head gasket or a crack in the block. coolant is getting into the oil.


if it is a little bit of foam in the oil cap, check your PCV valve for a problem, water is condensing on the top of your engine and not being removed by the PCV.

that is 2 possible causes of you problem

[David88]

Thanks for the reply MDJ. I will check the PCV valve. It wasn't alot of foam so I'll try that first.

[PaulLehr]

Sounds to me like there was alot of foam in there. I would put money on a small leak in the head gasket

[miami man]

foam

i had a Chrysler years ago and in the winter months it would foam in the dipstick tube but in the summer it would not and it was from the condensation. you do not know how many times a got an oil change and the person said i had a blown head gasket...i just chuckled






Angelo

[ericsmith32]

What type of driving do you do? Is your car warming up fully, normal festiva's run 1/4 on the thermo gauge. Our 91 had white residue in the cap and was quart low at 2k. It wasn't warming up fully (had to replace the radiator cap), and the pcv valve was shot after 10k. Replaced both and replaced the quart and now it's 1/2 quart low at 1500 which is normal and the white residue is gone.