Mayo under the oil cap!!!

[TDi_B5]

I found a dollop of the dreaded tan coloured gunk under my oil filler cap today! So naturally I'm thinking is there a head gasket issue? This obviously indicates moisture is getting in somewhere. After looking into it a bit more it seems that this can be quite normal when a car is used for mainly short journeys where the engine doesn't reach operating temperature or if it does, not for long; just condensation.

No coolant is being used or lost and there is no white smoke at all.

I've got a feeling that most of the car's previous mileage has been short urban runs and thats also going to be what I'll be doing with occasional motorway trips and longer runs. I do make sure that the car is at operating temperature whenever I drive to work.

Are headgasket issues common on the APQ engine? Does anyone know what the head is made from on these?

I'll be doing an oil and filter change ASAP and then again every 6 months or 5000 miles, whichever is sooner. Just wondering how I can get any gunk out from inside? I would imagine that it is confined to the rocker cover, so whipping that off would be the best option. I'm a bit wary of engine flushes, unless anyone has any experience of them? Perhaps just a good old fashion oil change is the best option.

Thoughts boys and girls?!

 

[Boo]

I would assume its because it only does short journeys but, it could be a number of things. Try changing the oil and the oil filter. Also check that the oil cap seal isnt worn and the cap fits tightly on as sometimes people replace the cap with a cheap part that doesn't fit tightly. Take it on a few longer journeys if it doesn't improve and then if all else fails get the compression checked. I have an APQ engine and had the same problem but, I got a new job that involved a longer drive to work and it hasnt been a problem since.

 

[sssstew]

if your not loosing coolant then i would assume short journeys. Do a nice long blast (4 hrs) cross country that will clear it out.

 

[0000zoon0000]

Hi,
I had the same experience with my car (engine ALL). When I bought it I changed the oil (Castrol) and an few days I noticed a lot of mayo under oil cap. I ask the guy at the service centre about this and he said that's normal. I've cleaned it 3-4 times and now there is some, but it's much less.

 

[Slimy]

My other half's car suffers the same problem when she's doing the school run. Take it for a good hour blast up a motorway somewhere, that'll get rid of it.

 

[lunalupi]

I used to get it too, when I was doing lots of short journeys. Not noticed any now I'm doing at least 10 miles for each trip though

Best thing to do is change the oil, clean up the cap and drive the car for a while (making sure not to do short trips) and check it again after a while. If you've got a problem it'll keep coming back, but if it clears up you'll know it was probably lots of short trips.

 

[Slimy]

How about coming to the Rolling Road day at p-torque in wolverhampton? That's enough of a run to clean it up!

 

[AlexGSi2000]

You naturally get slight moisture in the crankcase which can build up on the cold parts of the engine (Eg oil filler cap) and turns the residual oil on it a tan colour.

If its not loosing coolant / mixing the coolant with oil then I wouldnt worry about it.

As you and others have said its just the short journeys, dosent give enough time for the moisture to get sucked back through the crankcase breather system.

Iv always used engine flush and its never presented me with any problems.

 

[TDi_B5]

Did an oil and filter change today, was a bit of a mission getting the old filter off! Talk about tight access, just not enough room to get a good grip of the filter with both hands.

All in at £20.46 for a bosch oil filter and some Fucsh 10-40w semi synthetic oil.

Filter £4 Euro car parts
5L Oil £16.49 GSF - excellent oil, all vag cars leave the factory with this oil inside.

Still quite a bit a mayo crap under the cap. Going to get a new cap as the old one looked very slightly perished around the rim of the seal. If I were to remove the rocker cover gasket and clean it out to remove the gunk, what would be best to clean it with? Obviously I don't want to contaminate my new oil!