Water/coolant mixing with oil?

Tiny
JOE1953
  • MEMBER
  • 2014 CHEVROLET CRUZE
  • 1.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 127,000 MILES
Oil dipstick and oil cap look milky, and white smoke coming out tailpipe.
Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 AT 7:18 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
AMAILCHECKER01
  • MECHANIC
  • 9 POSTS
You got a head gasket leading or possibly cracked cylinder head. The engine oil and coolant are mixing together to make it milky looking. The white smoke out the exhaust is from the engine burning the coolant.
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Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 AT 10:15 PM
Tiny
JOE1953
  • MEMBER
  • 810 POSTS
What cause oil dipstick and oil cap to look milky, and white smoke coming out of tailpipe?
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Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 AT 11:01 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 54,371 POSTS
Yep, AMAILCHECKER01 is correct, this guide can help you see what is going on and confirm the failure.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/head-gasket-blown-test

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/recognizing-the-symptoms-understanding-a-blown-head-gasket-in-your-vehicle

Please go over these guides and get back to us.

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Thursday, November 13th, 2025 AT 11:24 AM

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