I have a dodge ram 1500 hemi 2004, today while changing my oil i found water in the oil cap and the inside of the capturn rust or red in color. There was no water found in the oil or on the dipstick. About a month ago i had to add some coolant, didn't see any external leakage so I'm guessing it could be internal but i have not notice coolant leaking down anymore since adding it a moth ago, there's no white smoke coming from the tail pipe. Can someone help me out with some suggestions.

ken

 

Moved to 3rd gen section, bump to the top.

 

From what I have read on this forum and others it's normal. I found the same thing after my last oil change 2 weeks ago it might have been the case on every change I just never noticed. I don't know why it happens.

 

This is common in most vehicles. As long as you are not getting milky colored oil, it is condensation in the crank case causing it. First time I noticed it on a vehicle was my motorcycle. Pulled the dipstick to check the oil right after I purchased it. White milking/wet deposits right around the seal. Panic, then how did water get in the oil of an aircooled motor. Further investigation showed there was no water in the oil. Just condensation caused by the hot and cold cycles of an engine. I wipe out my oil cap when I change the oil.

 

Do you drive short trips? This will cause moisture in the cap.

 

Like everyone else noted, it's normal under certain circumstances to have condensation build up on the cap, but not to have water in the oil (milky color). Water vapor is a normal by-product of combution (burning of carbon products). During a normal trip, the engine gets hot enough to evaporate all the vapor and it burns off. On short trips, the condensation never totaly "burns off" and the residual vapor condenses on the cap (normal). It can lead to a bit of rust, if the vechile is used for short trips. Just make sure to change the oil on your regular schedule, and keep any eye on it in case it's anything other than a normal condition.

 

I flipped out when i first saw this too. My first 20k were literally all higway miles. then after i switched jobs and started driving only 5miles to work i noticed this, and flipped out too. it;s normal though.

 

I seem to remember from an old article I read, that for every gallon of fuel burned.................8 gallons of vapour/water is produced.
Yep, my 03 Hemi also makes this gunky yellowy white deposit in the top of the fill cap.
As said earlier, condensation from short trips is the culprit.

Al

 

+1

 

Its normal, don't worry about it.