With 33,000 miles on my 07 AWD,I noticed after an oil change a white paste at the tip of the dipstick. To my thinking this tells me that moisture is mixing with the oil. Am I correct in assuming this? Have not gone back to the dealer but probably will,because I can't let this persist.
Also another question. I have changed tires and not to OEM size. I now have Kumho P265-18. Does changing tire size change the speedometer and odometer readings? And if so can this be fixed by adjusting the onboard computer?

 

Are you the original owner? Some oils (Pennzoil for one) have paraffin (wax) added as a lubricant/stabilizer. This can build up over time.

If the oil itself was getting milky, I would point to coolant mixing with the oil.

 

Or condensation, but I don't know where it might be coming from. The PCV system perhaps?
Some engines seem more susceptible than others to this phenomenon. My wife's Saturn seems to develop that problems especially in summer weather, but I have not experienced this w/my 2.3L.

 

Yes I am the original owner and have the oil changed at 3000 miles. Most of the oil changes are done at the selling dealer. I have not noticed milkyness on the stick but will watch closely for that. Maybe sending a sample out to get it annilized would work?

 

What kind of oil are they using?

 

I don't know why this didn't occur to me before, but do you do a lot of short trips in the car? Trips that are say... less than 5 miles?
If the oil isn't allowed to warm up to full operating temperature completely and allowed to manitian it for a time, it has no chance to "burn off" the moisture in the air (condensation) and from engine operation itself.
This too could cause the foam you are seeing.

 

Since I've retired I haven't been driving as long of trips as I did. Your thought could be right. But I do know that the car does get up to temp on the shorter trips that I have been making.
And to the last post of what kind of oil has been used,I don't know. Just what the dealer has been putting in. I hope the GOOD stuff and nothing else.

 

Don't confuse water temp with oil temp, which is not indicated on the gauge in the instrument cluster.
Oil temp often takes twice as long, or longer to come up to the average 220-240*F, considered normal operating temperature. Then it has to be sustained in order to disperse the moisture that may be in, or that has built up in the engine block.

 

I suggest that you have it checked out by an urologist.

 

You suggesting, yeast infection?