Life After Milkshake
11-18-2004, 08:34 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Wall, NJ
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Life After Milkshake
I'm getting mixed information. I Know that antifreeze is not oil and that main bearings do not appreciate the dreaded milkshake. Assuming one catches the milkshake in it's early stages, can the rod bearings still lead a normal and happy life or should they be discarded. Anyone have any history of post milkshake engines. Mine seems to run better after 10k miles but am I being neglectful. Thanks
MW
MW
11-18-2004, 10:57 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Toledo and Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
On my 83, I caught it at the very beginning stages of milkshake. It didn't look milky yet; the oil was about half way between "golden clear" and "chocolate milk". After fixing head gasket, I drove the car another 10k miles before selling it. There was no loss of oil pressure or anything. Seemed fine as far as I could tell. Went back to my daily visits to the rev limiter. I would have kept driving the car without hesitation; I just liked the 85.5 better, and one had to go. 
I have been told by one of the most reputable shops out there that you can usually catch a rod bearing going bad before it is too late by when you lift off of the accelerator in neutral/clutch disengaged, you may hear a faint, light rod knock very briefly when you first lift off the throttle. I assume this would first show itself with the engine and oil hot.
How long did you run with chocolate milk? If it was only a few minutes and not long enough for the engine to get hot, I wouldn't worry about it. If it was 100 miles, I would.
I have been told by one of the most reputable shops out there that you can usually catch a rod bearing going bad before it is too late by when you lift off of the accelerator in neutral/clutch disengaged, you may hear a faint, light rod knock very briefly when you first lift off the throttle. I assume this would first show itself with the engine and oil hot.
How long did you run with chocolate milk? If it was only a few minutes and not long enough for the engine to get hot, I wouldn't worry about it. If it was 100 miles, I would.
11-19-2004, 12:10 AM
#5
Addict
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 7,262
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tony K.'s white car had the dreaded milkshake when I owned it. It was a bad oil cooler seal and the oil got into the antifreeze. The oil stayed clean. I caught it immediately though. I don't think the car went more than a few miles with the milkshake. Changing the oil cooler seals was fun but cleaning out the cooling system was a real blast.
11-19-2004, 10:12 AM
#6
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Toledo and Cleveland, Ohio
Posts: 1,152
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Originally Posted by pete944
The oil stayed clean. I caught it immediately though. I don't think the car went more than a few miles with the milkshake.
Regarding this thread, oops - I thought MW was talking about water getting into the oil, forming "chocolate milk" (i.e. head gasket), because he referenced the rod bearings. I didn't catch on that "milkshake" is referring to the froth you get when oil gets into the coolant (i.e. oil cooler seals)...
help me out here! 
11-19-2004, 10:35 AM
#7
Race Director
I had and engine with serious milkshake. Very nasty. I replaced all main and rod bearings and the engine has been racing with great sucess afterward. So in the worst case a good cleaning and new bearings will solve most anything. If it is not bad and you catch it early you should be fine. You should be able to see oil in the coolant first. If this happens you should fix it before water gets into the oil. It does however take time to damage the bearings with water. Time as in mileage AND sitting time. So let it sit fo 2 months is pretty bad too as this allows the water to begin to corrode the bearings.
PS on my badly mikshaked motor it sat for years before a I rebuilt it. (PO milked) I also had to get at the piston rings since they corroded in to the pistons. Once cleaned however the motor ran fine.
PS on my badly mikshaked motor it sat for years before a I rebuilt it. (PO milked) I also had to get at the piston rings since they corroded in to the pistons. Once cleaned however the motor ran fine.
Trending Topics
11-19-2004, 10:52 AM
#8
Race Director
I had a cracked head this summer that caused coolant to mix with my oil.
First thing my mechanic did when the car was brought in was to crack open the oil filter, and search for metal fragments. That search yeilded no metal pieces, so it looks like I dodged a bullet and didn't damage my rod bearings.
I think it helped that I had new rod bearings installed the prior year as preventative maintence.
Car's been running fine since the new head's been installed.
-Z.
First thing my mechanic did when the car was brought in was to crack open the oil filter, and search for metal fragments. That search yeilded no metal pieces, so it looks like I dodged a bullet and didn't damage my rod bearings.
I think it helped that I had new rod bearings installed the prior year as preventative maintence.
Car's been running fine since the new head's been installed.
-Z.
11-19-2004, 12:12 PM
#9
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I just finished curing my own milkshake, due to a blown head gasket. Luckily, the headgasket blew because all my coolant had leaked out and the engine overheated. I say luckily not because the engine overheated, but because when the head gasket blew, there was little or no water in the system to contaminate the oil. When I drained the oil there was no metal and very little milkyness. I'm going to change my bearings sometime soon just for peace of mind, but I'm not really worried about it.
