another oil question

[ad356]

while my oil looks good i noticed that the inside of the dipstick tube gets a strange white residue on the inside of the tube, i guess i would have to say its looks like mayo or butter. its that oil mixing with water type of goop. is that from the water condensing on the inside of the tube, after all the crankcase breather is in the end of the dipstick. is this fairly normal? the oil looks ok, its not a white color; maybe slightly grey from moisture. is this something that happens more with cold weather because i didnt really notice this happening before the temperature change? is it from very cold air being sucked into a warm engine through the breather. i just wondered if this was fairly normal or do i have something to be concerned about? i am also not noticing a significant drop in antifreeze level.

[bob in CT]

Just condensation. With the dipstick serving as your breather, you just see it more often than you would on a car. If it gets too milky it is telling you it is time for some serious seat time!

[Matt Kirsch]

Betcha it doesn't taste like mayo or butter

Yep, normal condensation. You need to take your Cub out and work it to get it warmed up.

[Bus Driver]

The burning of any hydrocarbon fuel yields, among other things, lots of water vapor as the hydrogen combines with oxygen. So long as the byproducts of combustion do not touch surfaces that are below 212 degrees, the byproducts will be vapors. They condense on colder surfaces. So starting an engine from cold produces liquid water until the engine is warm. Ever notice the drips out an automobile exhaust on cold mornings? That is not unburned fuel.

[ad356]

i got some serous seat time, lol. i noticed allot less of it. we had about 1-1/2 feet of snow, the tractor worked hard but it got the job done. i tried plowing in 2nd but when it gets that deep you just have to put it in 3rd and keep the momentum going. plowing snow that deep with a farmall cub is work, but its fun. glad to have hydraulic lift!!!