I took my car in to the shop to get some work done and they did an oil change as well. I'm looking at the invoice and they put Castrol 20w50 oil in for some reason. And when I checked my oil out, it was milky white? Is that what 20w50 looks like??

milky whiteness? thats bad. i think it usually means that water or coolant is getting in there. i could be way off though. but it's what happened with my '89 cutlass.

X2 white is not goos in the oil!!!!!!

We call that an emulsion.

(Engine Oil is NEVER milky white...amber, clear, black or brown, etc...never white)

It means you (Or they...) mixed oil and water together.

DO NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK OR RUN THE ENGINE.



A few other points...the X specs 5W-30, and runs best on it.

If you go synthetic, you could run anything that brackets that range, like 0W-50, or whatever...but, not in a dino juice.

I'd be REAL concerned about the milky badness...it either means

1. They pumped the bottom of the drum into your engine (The water is heavier than the oil...and sinks to the bottom...)...which means the engine is gunked up with crud and water...and the water keeps the oil from sticking to the metal...so you can destroy the engine.

(That's a bad thing)

2. You just happened to blow a head gasket right after thy changed your oil, so radiator fluid and oil were able to mix together.

Also a bad thing, but atypical for an X...if an X's head gasket blows, it typically leaks to the outside by the exhaust manifold, not into the engine oil.

(So bad, but a less likely scenario)

So - Tough situation...if you take it back, and they made an honest mistake, they would do an engine flush and put in 5W-30, etc....and promise to make good if the engine is damaged.

If less honest/unable to absorb that kind of responsibility...they might TELL you you blew a head gasket, and then offer to fix it for you, for, say $1,500 or so....adding that you might as well do the water pump and timing belt while they're at it...etc.

If you went to Jiffy Screwed, etc...they'll find a way to fuck you.

period.

If its a local shop...and they look at it, it would have to be towed in (Can't drive it like that...), at their expense, etc...but you might never be sure they were telling you the truth/covering up a mistake, etc.

If you have it towed somewhere else...you are once again at THEIR mercy...and the Stealerships are no better.

:(

Moral of the story...change your own oil.

:D

OK - so - live and learn...oil ain't white, and emulsions wreck the engine instead of lubing it....and 50% of mechanics will rob you blind...the other half are the one's you need to find.

Ask around your area of freinds who go places they trust, based on opportunities to get screwed that they didnt get screwed on, etc.

Then -

Call your lawyer, and ask his advice...or -

1. Call the shop who emulsified your truck, ask for the owner...ask why they put white milky crap in your engine....and wait for an answer...it will help if you knew the NAME of the guy who DID the change, so you could personalize the question.

Listen carefully to the answer...its tone and content will both tell you what you might do....and thank him for the answer, and you'll get back to him, make no acusations or bargins, etc.

2. Call the potential new shop, tell him you had an oil change at another shop, and the oil was milky white, and what would he recommend.

Listen the same way.

3. Evaluate and compare the two answers....you are plotting a course across a mine field dotted with pungi sticks and banana peels...so you need to take your time, and try to guess right where to step.

:D

The bottom line is you need to establish, eventually, if the oil change damaged the engine, and who's paying for it.

There's a 85% chance it would go to court if the shop denies responsibility, and just claims they didn't do anything wrong....

Obviously...an honest repair job by the shop, saves them labor to ANOTHER shop in a settlement, and gets the truck back in action...a "Lose Less/Win situation".

A dishonest repair job, like one that ignores damage and tells you its fine, but goes through the motions of checking it out, flushing it, refilling it, etc...can significantly shorten the engine life.

You are, Sir, in a pickle.

In a barrel.

Being shot at.

Like a Fish.

I hope the above explains what you need to know to procede.

Good Luck!