Mayo in oil filler cap - definitelty HGF?

[parapaul]

Brother in law has found white, creamy gunk inside the oil filler cap of his 2004 Ibiza 1.4TDi. My first answer was head gasket failure, but he's balking at the possible costs of repair.

Could it be anything other than HGF?
If it is, how big a job is it to replace?
I know the head sometimes needs skimming - is this an occasional or often job?

TIA for replies

Edit: Just noticed the typo in the title - if a passing mod would be so kind...

Edited by parapaul on Sunday 6th March 09:57

[parapaul]

Thanks everyone will pass this on and see how he fares.

[parapaul]

Right, it turns out his journey to work is only 8 miles each way, and coolant looks fine. He's going to try taking the car out and letting it actually get up to temperature

[parapaul]

HellDiver said:

parapaul said:

Right, it turns out his journey to work is only 8 miles each way, and coolant looks fine. He's going to try taking the car out and letting it actually get up to temperature

He bought the wrong car, 8 miles won't get the heater going in winter, never mind getting the engine up to temp.

I did ask him that... But 'diesels are more economical', he says

[parapaul]

sparks_E39 said:

parapaul said:

HellDiver said:

parapaul said:

Right, it turns out his journey to work is only 8 miles each way, and coolant looks fine. He's going to try taking the car out and letting it actually get up to temperature

He bought the wrong car, 8 miles won't get the heater going in winter, never mind getting the engine up to temp.

I did ask him that... But 'diesels are more economical', he says

Isn't it something like 18-20k a year for it to pay off?

That's a subjective figure. It depends entirely on the purchase price of the car and the relative price of the equivalent petrol engined model. Buying new, that's probably the case. Buying used, not so much so. I only do about 16 or 17k a year, but because it's a 6 year old Mundaneo I didn't pay a lot more for the diesel variant and I'm saving hundreds of pounds every month in fuel bills.

[parapaul]

That's interesting - thanks. I know the oil was expensive, I nearly fell over when he showed me the receipt from the motor factor when I did his oil change a few months back.