Is this signs of a head gasket failure?

[seatstu]

Topped the oil up today on my Cupra to find this inside the oil filler cap.
The car doesn't use water at all so I'm a bit confused as to why it is there. It does smell a bit of exhaust fumes though.

The car currently runs and drives OK so is this the sign of a blown head gasket.
Water temp is as it has always been at 90 no higher.
The car has only done 19K

Help please

Don't know where the picture has gone but it is the one in the post below......

 

[Poverty]

Topped the oil up today on my Cupra to find this inside the oil filler cap.
The car doesn't use water at all so I'm a bit confused as to why it is there. It does smell a bit of exhaust fumes though.

The car currently runs and drives OK so is this the sign of a blown head gasket.
Water temp is as it has always been at 90 no higher.
The car has only done 19K

Help please

Whats it like running? Smoking exhuast? Whats your coolant level like? Is it boosting ok?

 

[spenny2004]

hmmm that could simply be a bit of condensation which has built up and reacted with the oil, give it a really good clean and have a look in a couple of days. I cant imagine a head gasket would go this early on these cars remember its a vw engine plus if the head gasket was going you would know about it

 

[RobH]

No its because of the cold and short journeys thats assuming you have been doing short journeys mind.

 

[techie]

Just a bit of condensation thats all.

 

[Poverty]

hmmm that could simply be a bit of condensation which has built up and reacted with the oil, give it a really good clean and have a look in a couple of days. I cant imagine a head gasket would go this early on these cars remember its a vw engine plus if the head gasket was going you would know about it

Someone I know of might have had a headgasket go on his cupra, with around the same mileage. Not yet confirmed though.

 

[seatstu]

Car seems to be running OK. Coolant level is normal, haven't noticed any excessive smoke and seems to still pull very well. I'm a bit confused as I would have thought I'd notice the car not running very well.

 

[Poverty]

Car seems to be running OK. Coolant level is normal, haven't noticed any excessive smoke and seems to still pull very well. I'm a bit confused as I would have thought I'd notice the car not running very well.

Sounds like you have nothing to worry about then mate

 

[seatstu]

Short journey's may be the answer. The wife uses the car more than me and just uses it locally.
I will clean it out tomorrow and then keep an eye on it. That has made me feel a lot better, Thanks, I nearly had heart failure when I saw it!!

Would it be a good idea to do an oil and filter change?

 

[RobH]

Short journey's may be the answer. The wife uses the car more than me and just uses it locally.
I will clean it out tomorrow and then keep an eye on it. That has made me feel a lot better, Thanks, I nearly had heart failure when I saw it!!

Would it be a good idea to do an oil and filter change?

take it for a long blast and it all should go away.

 

[dazjb69]

Mine has looked similar just a couple of weeks ago, it's because I only do short trips (less than 20 miles to work)

 

[RobH]

seems a common thing across the board http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=10510.0.

 

[seatstu]

Thanks for all the replies. I feel a lot better now

 

[pwskingle]

Like they say need to give it a long run. Mines the same do about 16miles there and back aday. When i first sore it i felt ill. my past cars same sort of mileage never had that type of **** on oil cap

 

[dazjb69]

Like they say need to give it a long run. Mines the same do about 16miles there and back aday. When i first sore it i felt ill. my past cars same sort of mileage never had that type of **** on oil cap

None of my previous cars either!!

 

[vRSy]

fitted a new MAF sensor today, and checked the oil level at the same

the dipstick level was good, as was the colour of the oil on it.

checked the filler cap and was pretty horrified at what i saw.

Now this last month the car has only done 170 miles, the large majority of which have been very short journeys.
Iike dropping my wife to work ‘2 mile round trip’, then picking her up after another 4 hours. Both times the car starts off as cold, and will have just got up to temp by the time i get back home.

anyway i cleaned all the gunk off the filler cap and the inside of the filler pipe and went out for a 15 mile drive to keeping the revs above 3500rpm.

After the drive the gunk seems to be mostly gone from the lid, and seems a lot better in the filler pipe

I have noticed my MPG has been rubbish recently, I out it down to th e short journeys though.
Could this cause a problem. I dropped my filler cap a while back and the top cracked. As you can see in the top of the cap, there is a small hole there. Could that cause a problem maybe allowing moisture into the oil??

however the coolant level hasn’t dropped at all, and also my car is in for its second service (29K) on Wednesday. the oil has now done nearly 11-12k

 

[truCido]

I'd say thats a build up from condensation due to your mileage, just needs a good little drive every now and then! I'd keep an eye on it but think it should be fine

 

[-pseudonymous-]

Yeah i would say condensation too.

Just out of interest Si, what made you change your MAF sensor and how much did you pay for it? The reason i ask is because im seeing dodgy fuel trims in VCDS which may be MAF related.