The Nissan Path

Hey all,

I have a slow drip coming from the front of the engine compartment. I haven't gotten underneath it yet (SNOW!!!). Hopefully this weekend I can jack it up and slide under.

Thing is, I thought it was an oil leak. I first noticed the drips in the snow. Dripped my finger in it, smelled like oil, looks brown like oil. However, the snow has melted and the fluid has left behind some strange creamy 'cheese', and the typical rainbow streaking.

I replaced the radiator last year - first I thought about the cross contamination. Does something happen to oil when it mixes with snow?

I have a picture....how do you imbed a .jpg in a post?

Thanks in advance,
CJ

Motor oils have additives that entrap water...it can look like a white film floating on the oil. Does that sound like it?

When the oil heats up the additives release the water, which evaporates easily at operating temperature and exits via the crank case breather...

Got the Pathy jacked up today.....yep, it's an oil leak from the oil filter case. The typical 100k+ repair. I'll buy the gasket and O-ring soon.

I think you're right, the creamy cheese on my driveway was the additives in the oil absorbing water, but never evaporating.....something like that.

Thanks!