Help & Advice Please - Oil Problem

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone

Hoping someone may be able to offer me some advice.

I own an 03 plate 2.5l Z4, and checked the oil today, as the snow has thawed and its safe to driver the motor again

Anyway, when i opened the oil cap (Last did the oil a couple months ago), have found quite a build up of yellowish gunk in the cap and around where you screw it - Which has immediately made me worry there could be a problem with the head gasket?? - Although i'm hoping perhaps it may be something less sinister, and perhaps weather related due to the severe cold lately - as the car has barely been used over the last couple weeks.

Saved up a long time for the motor, so abit worried what it may be. Car itself seems to drive ok - So hoping someone may be able to give me some advice on what or even if this is a problem?

Many thanks
Rich

 

[mmm-five]

Have you been doing much shorter runs recently - due to the cold weather? If so you've probably not had the engine up to temperature for long enough to get any condensation in the oil burn off, hence the yellow gunk (which is usually caused when water gets into the oil and creates an emulsion).

If the car is not using any coolant, then it cannot be coming from the cooling system via the head gasket/water galleries - otherwise you'd have gunk in the expansion tank and loss of water too.

A little bit won't do any harm, but I'd take it for a good, long drive (i.e. a good hour once up to temp) once the weather clears enough for you.

You could also do a quick oil change if you want to double-check and put your mind at ease.

 

[davegt]

Short runs in cold weather will do that, as said if there's no "mayo" in the coolant or on the dip stick I wouldn't panic too much, clean the lid and try to get the engine to full running temp when in use. Check the dip stick and coolant on a regular basis to be on the safe side

 

[AlanJ]

Have you been doing much shorter runs recently - due to the cold weather? If so you've probably not had the engine up to temperature for long enough to get any condensation in the oil burn off, hence the yellow gunk (which is usually caused when water gets into the oil and creates an emulsion).

If the car is not using any coolant, then it cannot be coming from the cooling system via the head gasket/water galleries - otherwise you'd have gunk in the expansion tank and loss of water too.

A little bit won't do any harm, but I'd take it for a good, long drive (i.e. a good hour once up to temp) once the weather clears enough for you.

You could also do a quick oil change if you want to double-check and put your mind at ease.

Agree - condensation build up causing the emulsion effect - good run and check the coolant.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for your responses, much appreciated having your knowledge to tap into via this forum - I'll go give the suggestions a try now

 

[Lance]

Mr R

My daughter has a Corsa and I did the usual checks just before Christmas and the oil filler cap had plenty of mayo under and around the oil filler cap, however the car uses no oil or water, therefore have put it down to severe cold weather and her only doing short journeys of less than 3 miles, for about the past month, at a rate of about 4 a day. The oil rarely gets up to a good operating temp and condensation takes place.

I took it for a 25 mile run yesterday at about 70-80 and all is well.

Continual short journeys are not best for engines.

Cheers
Lance