it turns out there was oil on the dipstick but i kept wiping it off with the whitish crud. I checked the flametrap housing today ( it had been removed from housing like newer models) and the area wasnt built up too badly, but i cleaned it anyways. When i sit the oil fill cap on engine without tightening and started it"both warm and cold" the cap wont flutter or move at all, so it seems like there may not be any emissions or crancase vent system blockage. Is the dipstick tube able to be removed to clean the crud from the bottom area of the tube? Is it possible that i have the normal winter condensation buildup that is making me think of all sorts of bad issues? thanks bobd324