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What does it mean if there’s water in my engine oil?
I checked my car’s oil today like I usually do and noticed that oil had turned a sort of milky-brown color and there were bubbles on the dipstick. I looked it up and that seems to point to there being water in my engine oil, but what does that actually mean?
Andrew Biro · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
This is a really good question, and it’s great that you’re regularly checking your engine oil. In general, there are really only two ways for water to get into your oil sump naturally—condensation or a coolant leak:
- Condensation: water in your engine oil can be caused by the condensation of combustion gasses or cold air, but this is an extremely rare phenomenon that only occurs at specific temperatures
- Coolant leak: the more likely of the two, a coolant leak due to a non-watertight seal (usually on the cylinder gasket head) can allow water to leach into the oil sump
Watered-down oil loses some of its protective qualities and will no longer cool properly, which can lead to internal engine damage. If there’s water in your engine oil, it likely means that you’ll have to take your vehicle to a mechanic so that the engine and all its components can be checked for leaks.
A healthy engine is integral to keeping you and your passengers safe on the road—make things even safer with the right insurance policy. Licensed
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