Frozen Motor Oil and Leak

[cfreak]

Hello,

Yesterday, I noticed a burning smell from my car so I popped up the trunk. I found oil leak everywhere around the motor. When I opened Motor Oil (refill) cap this morning, I found that the motor oil is frozen -- well I am not sure if it's motor oil, it has similar color as oil and solid (hard, not even thick oil). The lowest temperature for the past few days was 45F (7C)

I checked oil level, it seems to be liquid. I recently had my oil changed as well as valve cover gasket replaced 5-6 month agos.

Can you please advice?

[Zembonez]

Your motor oil is not frozen. I have no idea from your post what the issue is but it has to be something else.

[MAToyotaSales]

You opened the oil fill cap and determined that your oil was frozen? You shouldn't even be able to see your oil from the oil cap, it's not full to the top unless someone really screwed up. You probably put your finger in and felt the baffle that is in the fill hole over the cam.

I think you should get the oil leak checked by a professional right away before it's too late (hopefully it's not already too late)

[cfreak]

It's definitely something. Please have a look at the image:

http://imageupload.org/?d=37ABE0451

[blumonster]

Originally Posted by cfreak

It's definitely something. Please have a look at the image:

http://imageupload.org/?d=37ABE0451

Yeah, that is the baffle.Picture is too small to see what is in there but the baffle is hard, must be metal.

[cfreak]

Originally Posted by blumonster

Yeah, that is the baffle.Picture is too small to see what is in there but the baffle is hard, must be metal.

you are right! It's a dirty baffle. Before I posted, I tried to scratch it and it came off so I thought it was ice. I did it again, and it seems to be a very thin layer before metal.

My bad, thanks a lot.

And I think the leak comes from valve cover, I called the mechanic who replaced gasket and he seems to know what the problem is.

[wiswind]

The thin black-ish layer on the baffel has been there since new.
It is some sort of coating that was put on when the valve cover was made.
I read that it is for sound deadening, to make things more quiet.
With age, it is not unusual for it to start chipping or peeling off.
Do not worry about that.
If worried about the condition of the oil, get a FREE oil sample and mailer kit from the Blackstone Labs website and follow the instructions to take an oil sample and send it in for testing.
The testing costs roughly $40.

[in the noise]

Originally Posted by wiswind

The thin black-ish layer on the baffel has been there since new.
It is some sort of coating that was put on when the valve cover was made.
I read that it is for sound deadening, to make things more quiet.
With age, it is not unusual for it to start chipping or peeling off.
Do not worry about that.
If worried about the condition of the oil, get a FREE oil sample and mailer kit from the Blackstone Labs website and follow the instructions to take an oil sample and send it in for testing.
The testing costs roughly $40.

Thats a weight of my mind, thanks.

ITN