Although I've sworn off them before, in a moment of weakness I stopped at WalMart yesterday to get the oil changed whilst shopping for the Chrsitmas tree I can't seem to talk my wife out of getting every year.
The techies (three of them) called me out and told me there was water in the oil. Showed me the greasy, light colored crap on the underside of the filler cap and on the vent thingy doodad at the top of the filler spout and pointed to an area that was orangish and said, "Look...rust". Hmmm. I suggested we pull the dipstick, which I'd think would show a sign. No sign. I suggested we look at the coolant resovior...which indicated the factory coolant level was right at halfway between ADD and FULL...precisely where it's been long as I can remember. Never been any added. Running temp is right where it's been for the entire time I've had it (new).
Now, I don't know beans about engines...but I'd think that the simplest way to know for sure would be to drain the oil...so naturally, I suggested this. Bottom line is they wouldn't 'service' it, which I kinda can almost understand. Kinda...but not so much to keep me from going somewhere else buy the oil so I could change it myself.
I saw nothing come out besides something close to 5-1/2 quarts of old oil. Hmmm again. So a couple questions for those wiser than I...how would one get water in the oil if not from the cooling system? Is the oil pressure/quantity great enough to actually force the oil all the way up the filler neck thingy such that it would get to the filler cap? That seems like a loooong way to me. Specifics: 2004 RAM quad cab, 4.7 non-HEMI. 49,000 miles, 46,000 of that with Mobil 1 full synthetic, changed every 7500 miles or so.
I suppose I could ask the dealer...but I trust you guys more.