Some cream sludge on oil filler cap after freezing temps - Should I be worried!!????

[AWDMk1]

Went to get in my car the other day and the coolant warning light came on, I checked the oil filler cap and there was some mayo type sludge, not a lot but some.

Should I be worried!? I have topped the coolant up and done about 20 miles since and it hasn't moved, the weather here has been absolutely freezing, so could the mayo just be due to condensation aka I am being paranoid???

I am hoping so anyway, some of the sludge is still there, the dipstick is fine with nice fresh oil and there is no oil in the water. Thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks

 

[S3BAM]

Nothing to worry about m8 if u checked most of your breather pipes u'd prob find abit in them also...

If it starts drinking coolant then it maybe head gasket issue

 

[aragorn]

Its condensation, but it should go away if the cars getting decent runs and is properly getting up to temperature.

Was the 20miles you've done one long trip or lots of short ones?

 

[AWDMk1]

Thanks for the replies, it has been short journeys i.e. one or two miles with the exception of a 9 mile trip into work today which is the first time since the weather turned arctic.

I am hoping it is just condensation, it is just with it coinciding with the coolant wanring coming on that worried me. I checked the collant today when I got to work and it doesnt appear to have dropped.

 

[aragorn]

Ye it will be condensation if theres been lots of short trips

Does the car come up to 90c on the gauge and stay there?

 

[AWDMk1]

It always has done yes, I did notice today that it was slightly below that on the way to work but it was -1.5 outside so I just put it down to that.... ???

 

[A3tell]

mine was the same on short journeys, nothing to panic about, if you do a couple of longish runs, it should clear up.

 

[AWDMk1]

Thanks a lot for the info gents, put my mind at rest...!!!

I had the car out at lunch time and it got up to 90 degrees and sat there as it should.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Westy]

I had the exact same thing last year and imediately crapped myself. Cleared up though. Just keep an eye on your oil levels and coolant levels to make sure.

 

[AWDMk1]

Haha!... same reaction as me then.....

As I say, appreciate the info

Cheers

 

[Sandip]

Headgaskets rarely go but cylinder heads do on S3's. Coolant warning light and a little bit of mayo reminds me of mine in it's early stages of head failure.

Just keep an eye on the coolant level, if it tends to drop frequently then get the expansion tank tested for exhaust gases. My coolant was only just mixing with my oil, every garage i took it told me it was condensation.

Don't worry though!! If it's firing up perfect and the coolant light doesn't come back then your ok lol Is it an AMK?

 

[Welly]

Don't worry though!! If it's firing up perfect and the coolant light doesn't come back then your ok lol Is it an AMK?

Sandip has a theory about AMKs..... lol

 

[AWDMk1]

It is an AMK..... and guess what.... it had suffered from a cracked head a while back, a replacement head was fitted a while back though and it has been fine ever since... the new head isn't AMK so hopefully it isn't the same thing happening again!!!

 

[Sandip]

Sandip has a theory about AMKs..... lol

My theory is if you have an AMK, get rid and get a large port lol

 

[barters3]

Headgaskets rarely go but cylinder heads do on S3's. Coolant warning light and a little bit of mayo reminds me of mine in it's early stages of head failure.

Just keep an eye on the coolant level, if it tends to drop frequently then get the expansion tank tested for exhaust gases. My coolant was only just mixing with my oil, every garage i took it told me it was condensation.

second this. mine was an amk, same symptoms and it turned out that the head was cracked.
hope it is just condensation.

 

[Agric04]

I thought I'd had my experience to this old thread as I've recently been having worries about excessive condensation on my oil cap and a build up of sludge on my 2001 S3 AMK. I do a lot of short journeys but was finding that even after long journeys I was getting the same build up.

Just discovered I have a split hose. The hose that is split is the one that creates the vacuum that sucks the vapour from the top of the engine through some plastic valve thing and out into the induction hose. My valve was also full of gunk and I was getting no vacuum, I've also been getting the smell of fuel/oil coming through the vents when I come to a standstill I guess caused by the leaking vapour into the engine bay.
I'm hoping a new induction hose and vacuum hose will solve all my problems.

Here's some pictures of the offending pipe: Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket

All the threads I've read previously have said the sludge build up is nothing to worry about, or some people say it's a possible cylinder head problem. Hopefully this option gives another simple possible explanation that I haven't found posted elsewhere yet.