Rusted Dip Stick
 

I was checking the oil in the X and notice that the dip stick had rust on the upper part. I recall this happening to other X's and was wondering if there was a resolution to this problem. I am goinig to bring the X back to the dealer for some maintenance work and wanted to see if they needed to replace a module or do something to remedy this. Rust near oil in engine block just doesn't seem right to me. I can only see it on the dip stick, who knows where else and what is the real underlying problem for the rust!!! :mad:

Engine oils have additives called "emulsifiers" which absorbe the blow-by moisture of combustion and "rust inhibitors" which tie up the sulfuric acid produced from the small amout of sulfur present in gasoline. The "emulsifiers" become exhausted if the engine is only driven on short trips (especially in cold weather) which prevent the oil from coming up to operating temperature and boiling off the water thereby freeing the emulsifier to re-absorb more water (NOTE: This is considered SEVERE SERVICE). The free water combines with the sulfur to form sulfuric acid which both forms rust and eats away at the internals of the engine. This is not a good thing!

Solution is to either drive the vehicle on the highway for 30 minutes once a week (to boil off the water) or change the engine oil more often.