Orange waxy gel stuff

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Oldguy

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Yeh that! Orange waxy gel stuff...... like droplets of the stuff hanging off the oil filter adapter/cooler lines.)Driver side of engine) I found this stuff today after being under my truck replacing a reverse light switch. There are orange streaks coming down from under the heads in a couple of places.. I am thinking it could be a combination of oil and antifreeze from a slightly leaking head gasket. Although the truck runs great with no CE light it does use small amounts of antifreeze from time to time. Wondering how much damage could possibly being done. Any thoughts? Anyone?

BTW... 5.7L engine. The block was decked to .010" above the piston top, bored .030 over (=355 cu in) and I am using Felpro 1094 .015" compressed gaskets for what is probably a .025" squish with flat top pistons. SCR is ~10.7:1. Using a 2002 'Vette 0411 ECM that has been professionally tuned on a dyno. At 6000 ft altitude I am able to use 88 octane ethanol blends or regular 88 non-ethanol fuel with no issues (detonation) so far (3 yrs).
 

michael hurd

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Yeh that! Orange waxy gel stuff...... like droplets of the stuff hanging off the oil filter adapter/cooler lines.)Driver side of engine) I found this stuff today after being under my truck replacing a reverse light switch. There are orange streaks coming down from under the heads in a couple of places.. I am thinking it could be a combination of oil and antifreeze from a slightly leaking head gasket. Although the truck runs great with no CE light it does use small amounts of antifreeze from time to time. Wondering how much damage could possibly being done. Any thoughts? Anyone?

BTW... 5.7L engine. The block was decked to .010" above the piston top, bored .030 over (=355 cu in) and I am using Felpro 1094 .015" compressed gaskets for what is probably a .025" squish with flat top pistons. SCR is ~10.7:1. Using a 2002 'Vette 0411 ECM that has been professionally tuned on a dyno. At 6000 ft altitude I am able to use 88 octane ethanol blends or regular 88 non-ethanol fuel with no issues (detonation) so far (3 yrs).

If it's leaking externally, the surface finish on the block deck or cylinder heads may be too coarse. I would try re-torquing the heads to see if it will quit, but I have my doubts.

Hard to tell if it is leaking into the engine, but a used oil analysis will show you if you are leaking internally. Any amount of coolant in the engine oil is not good for the bearing life.
 

Oldguy

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The machine shop was supposed to provide the proper finish for the deck surface to allow use of the .015 shim steel gasket from Felpro. Perhaps they missed a spot. The oil in the crankcase does not show any kind of contamination or discoloration like it would if water was getting into it. The heads were torqued in three steps and ARP bolts and lube were used. I agree that retorquing would probably be futile. Is it plausible that there is just a very small amount of coolant leaking from the head along with a small amount of oil blowby and that is making this stuff? There is not a great amount of it, maybe three or four globs small peanut sized.
Dexcool mud sounds quite appropriate, I'll google it and see what comes up. Thanks for commenting.
 

redfishsc

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This does indeed sound like Dexcool. If this truck is a Vortec L31, you may have a leaking lower intake gasket, which isn't exactly "good" news but sure is better than having a leaking head gasket. Mine leaked out of the front of the intake near the thermostat, but I've read a lot of comments about them weeping out of the rear of the engine near the distributor.

Keep a close eye on your oil, it's possible for it to weep into your valley, and thus, your oil too.
 

Oldguy

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This does indeed sound like Dexcool. If this truck is a Vortec L31, you may have a leaking lower intake gasket, which isn't exactly "good" news but sure is better than having a leaking head gasket. Mine leaked out of the front of the intake near the thermostat, but I've read a lot of comments about them weeping out of the rear of the engine near the distributor.

Keep a close eye on your oil, it's possible for it to weep into your valley, and thus, your oil too.
I have no choice but to watch the oil.. I have had three different cam cover/oil seals on the darn thing and everyone has leaked. Also, put on a new harmonic balancer the last time to insure a good sealing surface for the oil seal. The leak seems to have a life of it's own. I have heard the L31 V8 has a history of leaking but this was not expected.
 
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