While water is one of the essential things for us, it’s not the same for our engines. If such a thing gets into our engines, it will do quite a handful of damage. Thus it can be a nightmare for every driver to know that there’s water in their engine.
So, your question might be: water in engine oil – how to fix it? Water in motor oil can cause severe damage to your engine. Thus, it would be best to fix it by adding seafoam into the oil then taking it for an oil change service. If it’s only a tiny amount, you need to fix any leak that caused it.
In general, there are two common ways to remove the water in engine oil. These methods would be handy if you want to fix your engine or avoid damage due to water.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
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Water In Engine Oil Symptoms
If water gets mixed with the engine oil, it can lead to quite a load of problems. For instance, it will affect the oil’s base stock, encourage oxidation, increase viscosity, and allow foaming.
Any engine oil that gets mixed with water is prone to an array of damages and effects. Among these are:
Rust and Corrosion
Water creates a rust and corrosion effect that will eventually lead to a heightened wearing out. It is an inevitable consequence of aeration.
Shift in Viscosity
Water also creates a shift the viscosity, which can lead to the following problems:
- Hydrogen scalding and frailty
- Film strength failure
- Vaporous cavitation
Oil contamination
Water generates other contaminants in the oil. Among these are waxes, suspensions, carbon and oxide insoluble, and even micro-organisms.
These three are only a few of the many effects that water can bring to an engine. If not resolved, it can lead to worse issues, resulting in the eventual breakdown of your engine.
For this reason, you must remove the water from the oil, and you can do it through the following methods.
How to Remove Water From Oil?
As I said earlier, you can remove water from oil through two methods. These two methods are doable by using a coalescer or a centrifuge.
Using a coalescer
This method works by joining water droplets together to form a pool of water. Such a pool is removable from the oil, purifying it by the end of the process.
The filters of this method work best with low-viscosity fluids. Thus, the efficiency decreases as the viscosity increases.
A coalescer has no solids-handling capability. Thus, only small amounts of solids are essential to clog the filter. For this reason, be sure the lube oil contains zero matter that may clog the filter.
Using a centrifuge
Another standard removal method is centrifugal force. This method forces fluids of two different densities to separate.
Since oil and water have different densities, they can separate through this force. Once the oil gets purified, it goes back into operations. On the other hand, the water would then be in a tank for further processes.
This method is better than the first one since it works with solid contaminants. Thus, even with solid particles, it can work without issues.
Aside from these two methods, you can also mix an additive to remove water from the engine oil.
Additive to Remove Water From Engine Oil
If you want to absorb water from engine oil, you can do so using an alcohol-based dispersant.
An alcohol-based dispersant is an oil tank additive that can absorb water. Moreover, it offers a simple and easy process.
In general, you only need to pour this additive into your tank and let it work its way. It’s generally safe to use and proven effective in such circumstances.
Still, it would be best to have an automotive expert check your engine before using such.
This way, you can be confident that your engine wouldn’t suffer from any additional damage.
Can I Drive My Car With Water In the Oil?
If your engine oil gets mixed with water, it’s not a great idea to drive it.
Water can significantly damage and affect your engine oil. If you continue driving it without filtering, it may lead to more damage to your engine.
For instance, any amount of water in your oil can cause it to be milky. Such a texture will not lubricate your engine well, leading to destruction.
If your engine runs on milky oil, it will cause more friction, heat, and abrasion.
In short, it will wear your engine out more quickly and result in damages and engine failure.
Does Water In Oil Damage the Engine?
Even a tiny amount of water in oil can do some extreme damage to your engine.
Although a bit of water may get into the tanks naturally, more water can cause serious problems. The water will affect the oil’s base stock, encourage oxidation, increase viscosity, and allow foaming.
As I said earlier, water can cause a handful of problems on the engine’s health and performance. For this reason, it’s essential to have it fixed as soon as possible.
What Happens When Water Mixes With Oil in Engine?
If water mixes with oil in an engine, it can cause a handful of problems, even if it’s only a tiny amount.
In general, any amount of water in your oil can cause it to be milky. Such a texture will not lubricate your engine well, leading to destruction.
If your engine runs on milky oil, it will cause more friction, heat, and abrasion.
In short, it will wear your engine out more quickly and result in damages and engine failure.
Thus, if you see the engine oil looks milky, it means some water got mixed in your engine, going down to your oil pan.
If such a thing happens, then it means you have a cracked engine block. Water gets in the engine from a cracked cylinder wall, water pump, or leaking head gasket.
If you see the same thing in your car, take it to a repair shop to find out where the water comes from.
What Happens If Water Gets Into the Oil Tank?
If water gets into the oil tank, it can cause corrosion. Corrosion is an effect of water staying at the bottom of your tank.
As it combines with bacteria and sediments, it results in forming a sludge. If you leave it unattended, this sludge can corrode the bottom of the oil tank. As a result, it can cause a host of problems for your heater.
Another thing is that it can cause the oil to transform into a milky or foamy appearance. Such a texture creates more friction instead of lubrication.
Thus, if your engine runs on milky oil, it can cause a handful of issues and even lead to engine failure in the long run.
Summary
Water in engine oil can cause quite a lot of problems. Thus, it would be best if you did something with it immediately after finding out about it.
The water that gets mixed with oil transforms it into a milky or foamy oil. Such oil would cause more friction instead of promoting lubrication. Thus, any engine that runs on milky oil is subject to failure and breakdown.
You can fix such a thing by centrifugal force or coalescence. Also, you can fix it by adding an alcohol-based dispersant. As always, it would be best to prevent such things by constant checking.
Related:
- How to Fix Milky Oil in Engine
- Milky Oil Cap but Not Dipstick
- What Happens When You Use WD-40 as Engine Oil?
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Image credits – Canva
