Creamy oil cap?!

[JohnStan725]

Anyone no why the oil cap would have an orange creamy residue? All I've heard before is this is bad news!

 

[<tuffty/>]

Shorts journeys, cold weather... fairly normal

<tuffty/>

 

[JohnStan725]

Thanks tuffty put my mind at ease now!

 

[SubZero]

Could also be the head gasket from previous experience?

 

[JohnStan725]

I was also told this, how can the head gasket make this happen to the oil cap?

 

[SubZero]

Coolant contaminating the oil where the gasket has failed.

 

[JohnStan725]

Sounds about right my coolant is slowly leaking aswell but I'm not sure if it's leaking inside the engine or outside as I can see a few drops around the temp housing... Don't think it'll be worth fixing the gasket if that's the case

 

[<tuffty/>]

Head gaskets rarely go on 1.8t's... its more likely condensation from cold starts and not being allowed to warm up properly

If by temp housing you mean the housing on the end of the head then this is a common problem... the housings split and leak coolant... new OE one is the best bet and are around 12 quid... use the ASN parts service to get genuine parts cheaply

<tuffty/>

 

[JohnStan725]

Ahh okay well unfortunately it's only the 1.6 model! 1.8T is next on the list for me!

Well I'm no expert but took it to the garage before and they did some really bad job at trying to fix it if anything they messed it up even more! Heres an old picture of where it's leaking. I'm thinking it's the housing anyways but I find it difficult to source an AVU housing or are they all the same for the 8ls?

You see the pipe with the little rubber circle around it where the 2 pipes are going 2 I'm sure it's leaking from underneath that block. Not massively but enough for me to have to refill coolant on a monthly basis!

 

[moisty]

My old 1.6 A3 filler cap looked the exact same but never lost any coolant , as tuffty said it's probably down to short journeys . I only used to drink mine 7 miles each way to work . If I cleaned the cap and went on a long journey cap would remain clean.

 

[Clart]

I've got that funky white stuff on the underside of my oil filler cap also, it had me worried until reading this thread.
I also do very little mileage in the S3.

 

[ayfreetee]

Looks to me like head gasket leak, with that amount of mayo around the cap.

 

[JohnStan725]

Guys thanks for all the advice I had a bottle of that k seal laying round there's like 500 5 star reviews about how good it is spent 8 pounds on it ment to help with it if in doubt let me know I don't mind sending the link I'll keep you posted and over the next few days to see if it works but it's definitely already helped stopped the leak from the above picture! Magic bottle for 8 pounds!

 

[moisty]

Not advising this but when i sold my A3 the guy noticed the gunk on the filler cap and he "tasted" the oil and said it didn't taste sweet and agreed that it was caused by driving low miles and not coolant. My A3 was like that for over 3 years in my ownership and last i heard it was still going strong.

 

[JohnStan725]

Sweet! That's the sort of news I'm looking for haha thinking of selling it soon to upgrade but thought no one would buy it if they seen the coolant ******* out and creamy stuff on the cap! Hopefully I find a buyer like yours moisty! What sort of mileage was it at?

 

[moisty]

If i mind right it was around 145k and standard except the alloys , sold for £750 approx 20 months ago. Bonnet need painted due to sitting under a tree and had a rust patch on door. Moved up to a S3 8l and best move i made .

 

[badger5]

this just made me smile when glancing...
is it just me?
probably

 

[A3-Lee]

1.6 oil caps quite often look like that I wouldn't be worried

 

[ayfreetee]

Steel seal is better than k seal as it has no metal In it, three times the price though and you have to flush and replace the coolant.

 

[Matt268uk]

Is it just the cap that has the residue on ? If you pull your dip stick does your oil look good or can you see traces of similar residue ? like everyone else says it's probably just condensation that's caused the cap to get creamy, it's that time of year .....