• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Peanut Butter?

Share this page

S

SaxMan

Darth Vader
Country flag
Offline
I popped open my valve cover and saw this peanut butter looking substance inside. I'm thinking it may just be spoiled grease that I use to seal the valve cover to the head. Any ideas?
DSC_0077a.jpg

The only thing that's changed is that I started using Marvel Mystery Oil this past year. Maybe it's how it interacted with the grease?

BTW - I'm definitely a believer in Marvel. Cold compression test before: 160/150/150/165. Cold Compression test after: 160/170/160/180. Might also have something to do with me getting better at making my valve adjustments.
 
Probably more like condensation that's not getting a chance to evaporate. Has it been idling a lot? Have you taken it out for a "spirited" drive lately? How's your engine temperature?
 
Sounds like moisture to me as well. I am a big fan of 'Marvel' as well and have never seen it react as you describe. Hopefully it is condensation from a lack of engine temperature getting warm enough to evaporate the moisture because the only other idea would be a head gasket leak between water and oil galleys or a cracked head / block.
 
Look's a bit flaky to be condensation to me, soak a bit up on paper towel, if it spreads all over its condensation, if it stays solidified its grease or ?
Russ
 
It stayed solid and I could scoop with a screwdriver. Condensation is likely as the car hasn't seen much action since before Christmas other than firing it up and letting it idle for a bit.

2018 was kind of a disappointment as I only put about 600 miles on the car for the year, where in previous years, I would put close to 2,000 miles on the car. Mother Nature had a lot to do with that as rain was near constant last year in the D.C. area. Hoping 2019 will be better.
 
A few years ago I changed the oil in the Beetle and after a short drive found "peanut butter" around the filler cap and neck. After a near panic, I finally remembered there is no water around an air-cooled engine. Like yours, it was just excessive condensation.
 
Back
Top