Mayo in the oil...

[Foofighter]

Hi all,

I went around a friend of mines today as she needed some advice with a ding she had on a door. While I was addressing the scratch she said she'd check her water and oil would I mind making sure everything was ok. She showed me the dipstick and I noticed there was some white gack on it, I removed the oil filler cap and saw what I hadn't seen before which was it entirely clogged up with water mayo and the top of the filler cap dripping with water.

I said to her, this isn't a good sign, but she's had the car for 4 years and put it through various VW services to which they've said its fine, they do that.

The car is a 2.0 litre VW Golf GTI. Is this normal? There isn't a lot I'm going to do about it, but I'm curious if there are engines that do have a tendency to mayo the oil and whether it has any bad effects.

[Sump]

Lots of short trips = Mayo

[Pig Skill]

Sounds like HGF to me.

You can get a bit of mayo in the oil by just short runs in the car.

Is she losing water? Is the car overheating?

Is she fit?

[P I Staker]

I guess she only does short journeys, a symptom of that is that water collects in the oil. A longish journey with the engine nice and warm will probably burn it off.

[BFG TERRANO]

My mothers corsa did this. No problem with the car just her constant tiny stop start journeys building up condensation in the engine block. A couple of engine flushes fixed it. Now once a fortnight I use it for work, 100 mile motorway trip and its stayed clean.

[Foofighter]

The short trips will explain it. Only ever does 4 miles a day back and forth to work. Thing is its pretty excessive in terms of it properly gumming up the oil filler cap area.

I asked her if she's had to top up water to which she said she hasn't, so didn't think it was a HGF.

No comment on the other stuff. Cheers though guys!

[Eighteeteewhy]

As said lots of short trips can cause it, but with the dipstick being covered as well sounds like it could be something more serious.
Is it using any water?

[jbi]

It is potentially a head gasket failure.

However, if subjected a lot of town driving where the engine does not get up to temperature, you do get a lot of water condensation in the engine building up.

Some engines are prone to it like volvo's modular series.

Check the fluid levels... are they all okay?

Alternatively, drain the oil and check it over. If it's a head gasket failure it should be fairly obvious by the condition of the oil.

[FreeLitres]

Mk 4 Golf?

The 1.6 Mk 4 had a big issue with Mayo under the filler cap - perhaps the 2.0 is the same?

Don't assume it's HGF.

[Foofighter]

FreeLitres said:

Mk 4 Golf?

The 1.6 Mk 4 had a big issue with Mayo under the filler cap - perhaps the 2.0 is the same?

Don't assume it's HGF.

Don't know the Mk's with Golfs, its a 53 reg?

[BFG TERRANO]

If the quantity of mayo is as bad as you say get the engine flushed before giving it a good long run. That muck won't do the motor any good. After that it needs a regular long blast to keep it clean.

[J4CKO]

Probably won't be hgf, my 944 had a bit in the oil filler pipe, short journeys in the coldest weather, the oil mist condenses with the moist air and emulsifies, it is a symptom of hgf but these engines aren't prone to it.

[R26Andy]

I had a MKIV 2.0 Golf Gti, lots of short trips, lots of Mayo.