Sticky substance on my oil cap

HeySteve · 01-28-2007, 12:17 PM

I was just cleaning my car and id thought id check the oil as havent for ages. I checked the dipstick and it looked ok, about half way. Then for some reason i decided to take the oil cap off and on it was a sticky yellow substance.

Does anyone know if that means ive got a problem somewhere? A mate said that the head gasket might need checking but he wasnt sure.

**T-sport** · 01-28-2007, 12:28 PM

You can sometimes get that if you do a lot of short journeys not allowing the car to warm up totally which causes a condensation to build up on the oil cap but it can also be signs of headgasket trouble as your friend says...

Is the car overheating at all/ using water from the coolant bottle/ running a bit rough ?? If so these are sure signs of headgasket trouble ???

HeySteve · 01-28-2007, 12:33 PM

well the last time i drove it was on friday evening so it could be the fact its been sitting there for ages.

The car doesnt over heat at all and it doesnt look like the water is being used up.

**T-sport** · 01-28-2007, 12:36 PM

I would just clean it off and monitor it every week to see if it reappears but hopefully it will just be the winter temps causing extra condensation on the cap ...

dannyboy29 · 01-30-2007, 10:04 AM

If you take it to a garage they can test the coolant for the presence of carbon dioxide, which would confirm a small leak in the head gasket somewhere. It only takes 5 minutes to check

Alternatively you can buy the kits like this one yourself, but it's probably cheaper to just take it down the local garage.

Combustion Leak Detector

P887PLX · 02-02-2007, 07:14 AM

Got the same problem, I believe it to be condensation due to the recent weather. But to be on the safe side I would defo keep an eye on it!

01-28-2007, 12:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
HeySteve Newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gloucester - U.K Posts: 12 Gallery: (0)	Sticky substance on my oil cap I was just cleaning my car and id thought id check the oil as havent for ages. I checked the dipstick and it looked ok, about half way. Then for some reason i decided to take the oil cap off and on it was a sticky yellow substance. Does anyone know if that means ive got a problem somewhere? A mate said that the head gasket might need checking but he wasnt sure.

01-28-2007, 12:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
T-sport Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Devon,uk Posts: 1,568 Gallery: (0)	You can sometimes get that if you do a lot of short journeys not allowing the car to warm up totally which causes a condensation to build up on the oil cap but it can also be signs of headgasket trouble as your friend says... Is the car overheating at all/ using water from the coolant bottle/ running a bit rough ?? If so these are sure signs of headgasket trouble ??? __________________ 2002 1.8 T Avant 18" TT Quattro Replicas Forge Motorsport DV

01-28-2007, 12:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
T-sport Super Moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Devon,uk Posts: 1,568 Gallery: (0)	I would just clean it off and monitor it every week to see if it reappears but hopefully it will just be the winter temps causing extra condensation on the cap ... __________________ 2002 1.8 T Avant 18" TT Quattro Replicas Forge Motorsport DV

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01-28-2007, 12:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
HeySteve Newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gloucester - U.K Posts: 12 Gallery: (0)	well the last time i drove it was on friday evening so it could be the fact its been sitting there for ages. The car doesnt over heat at all and it doesnt look like the water is being used up.

01-30-2007, 10:04 AM	#5 (permalink)
dannyboy29 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 45 Gallery: (0)	If you take it to a garage they can test the coolant for the presence of carbon dioxide, which would confirm a small leak in the head gasket somewhere. It only takes 5 minutes to check Alternatively you can buy the kits like this one yourself, but it's probably cheaper to just take it down the local garage. Combustion Leak Detector

02-02-2007, 07:14 AM	#6 (permalink)
P887PLX Newbie Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 15 Gallery: (0)	Got the same problem, I believe it to be condensation due to the recent weather. But to be on the safe side I would defo keep an eye on it!

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