head gasket, intake, or valve cover...

[99COOP]

Just looking to get some other thoughts. When i got out the flashlight to look under the back side of the engine i think i can see the coolant collecting from the intake gasket. The truck seems to be running fine and i'm not blowing out lots of smoke from the exhaust, but i do have slightly milky oil build up in the oil cap. I also have what appears to be coolant on the valve covers as shown in the picture, especially around the circled area. So without having a compression test done or any other research what do the pro's think: intake, head, valve cover, coolant nipple ???

 

[osukellen]

Looks like oil to me...take a white rag/paper towel and wipe it down and see what it looks like on there. May need to replace your PCV valve. If it was coming from the head/gasket/intake it wouldn't pool right there.

 

[99COOP]

thats what i thought, when i felt it it has an oily residue but not necessarily the smell of coolant. I will wipe it up and take a look, thanks for the advice.

 

[inkadink]

This happens on my 97 too. I consider it to be engine oil which has worked it's way out through slight openings that are not sealed absolutely tight on the oil fill and pcv. When oil gets hot it becomes more fluid and can "wick" out onto other surfaces like our valve covers. If there is any oily residue around where the oil wicks out of you will get dust and dirt collecting there and the dust and dirt will allow the hot oil to wick more and more causing what you have in your pictures. Just my 02 cents Good luck with it.