Hell0 All.

I've read some post concerning taking short trips to the market or local stops is not good for an XK8. Is it bad for your car to take short trips? What's up with that? Thanks.

Bassmania

 

Your post makes me realize that I need glasses. I wish everyone would use a giant font.

I don't think an XK8 is different than any other car when it comes to short trips. Just drive your car and enjoy it.

 

I couldn't agree more with the Rev. I was expecting to be squinting, but I didn't need to. Thank you for that.

Personally, I like short trips in my XK8. It's not much of a car if it can't handle them. Mind you, I don't take one block to the corner store... more like trips a little further to the grocery store, daycare etc, each about 5-10 minutes from home, depending on traffic.

 

Here you go. If you only go for very short trips and don't get the engine up to full operating temperature, condensation can develop in the oil and in the engine. It's not really a problem if you also take drives that bring the engine up to full temperature so that it will cause the condensation to evaporate out of the system. If all you ever took were short drives, never bringing the engine up to temperature, then there is a chance that enough water would accumulate inside the engine to be harmful. Exactly what the parameters are would be hard to estimate, but surely, if you take a lot of short trips, then you do need to take long enough drives to bring the engine up to full operating temperature from time to time to get the condensation out of the system.

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/milky...er-oil-cap.htm

Condensation in the Oil System This is more common than you might think. A weather change from warm, moist weather to cold weather or repeated frost (condensation) on the vehicle and frequent high dew points can create moisture to form in the crankcase. This can appear as condensation in the oil system and under the valve covers. Most of the time vehicles are driven long and far enough so that this condensation is burned off thanks to the heat of the engine. However a vehicle that is not driven very far and does not reach full running temperature for very long may not purge out the moisture. Vehicles that are not driven frequently and sit outside can also acquire moisture in the oil system. When these vehicles are driven, the engine generates some heat during the short drive, then cools. The trapped moisture condensates on the coolest part of the engine, the valve cover and oil cap. Repeated short trips will leave behind more and more moisture on these cooler parts. You then open the cap and discover this milky white buildup of creamy mocha colored slim.

 

Thanks for clarifying.

 

Also a bigger problem for the nikasil engines.

charlie pace