3.0 engine question

[Directconnection]

I am looking into picking up a 1990 3.0 Lebaron 4 door with auto. Car has only 33,000 miles on it and is in real good shape, obviously.

Only thing I noticed was that a bit of a red flag was when I pulled the dipstick, there was a little bit of milkyness which seemed to be above the oil line. Oil is clean as it's fairly new, no coolant smell at all on this car and the coolant resevoir is full.

We are having fluke weather right now where it's 40's outside and real foggy. Is this just condensation in the dipstick like what I used to see on the Grand Ams which were normal? Might be just from not being driven much at all... 33k in 17 years.

Like I said, the oil seemed nice and clean, but there was evidence of some minor milkyness which seemed above the oil line. Car has no smoke or rattles.

edit: this car has not been run much at all laetely but sounds great.

[93sundance]

How much is the seller asking for it?

That probably is some kind of condensation. I seriously doubt a 33K mile 3.0L engine is going to have a bad head gasket.

[Polygon]

If it's thick like grease then you have a coolant leak. If it's kind of foamy then it's just condensation.

[Directconnection]

No, not thick at all. I think it's the dipstick tube as it wasn't all over the dipstick at all, but looked almost like it was wiped onto the dipstick. Wiping the dipstick clean looked new. I would think if it were an issue it would have stained the dipstick of sorts. Looks like a new dipstick. I'm looking at it at night with my flashlight so it may appear worse than it is (which doesn't seem bad, just raised a flag to me)

$1,500 for the car.

[93sundance]

Sounds like a good deal for the car. I doubt it has any serious engine problems.

[RoadWarrior222]

Mine gets a bit of condensation when it's run on a few short trips without the engine getting very warm, particularly in the winter, makes for a touch of "mayo" on the cap. As long as it gets to go on the highway a couple of times a week, or I run around enough for the temp gauge to get around 1/3 to 1/2 scale I never see it. Saw it earlier this week due to quite a few trips crawling around the city at 20mph in the snow.

[Directconnection]

Yeah...I think I'm going to take my chance on it that it's simply condensation especially since it's real humid out with 2 feet of snow melting real fast with 45 degree temps and not being driven much.

[Directconnection]

Not getting the car. Checke dit out today in the daylight and noticed a VERY stealthy rocker/underside patch job that was very recent, yet the kid knew nothing about. Car probably is a 33k car, but looks too rusty really to be such low mileage. so I have to pass as something seems fishy.