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Model specific boards => Golf mk4 => Topic started by: Madmax on 18 December 2007, 15:31

Title: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 18 December 2007, 15:31
I've recently topped up my oil as it was bone dry (again) & i put in about 3 litres (which was a bit much i think) I put it in because the oil still
wasn't showing above the lowest marker, even in the morning it was below the marker.
Today, the car felt really sluggish & at one put a load of white smoke came from the back, eventually i drove home, still with faint smoke coming from the back still feeling like crap.

The coolant is normal & the air filter is normal, it revs fine & the smoke seems to of died down. (i havn't driven it tho)

What could this be please?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: GTi-Matt on 18 December 2007, 18:17
is there any white gunk on the oil filller cap if so means headgasket. :sick: :cry:
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Ridg on 18 December 2007, 18:17
mine takes about 5 litres and uses 1 litre every 10K if that, which is why i think yours has a problem.

can't really help with the smoke, issue.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 18 December 2007, 19:43
Don't think it has any white stuff on the cap, opened it today & didn't see any although i wasn't checking the cap but i'm pretty sure.
There's also no oil in the coolant.

What price am i looking at if it is the gasket or similar?
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: richw911 on 18 December 2007, 19:49
Don't think it has any white stuff on the cap, opened it today & didn't see any although i wasn't checking the cap but i'm pretty sure.
There's also no oil in the coolant?

Let the car stand for 5 min dip the oil again mate on a level surface. Sounds to me like you have overfilled her with oil. Evan if its a bit over it can still make it burn oil.  :smiley:
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: samy_1800_turbo on 18 December 2007, 19:50
you may be burning oil which will smoke out the exhaust but oil burns with a blueish tint to it. so it could be a head gasket which oil is gettin in to the cylinder and bein burnt. could be valve stem oil seals which would usally be a lot of smoke when you start the car up after the car has been standing for a while. i would top up your oil to the limit and keep an eye on it, if theres no external leaks but your oil is goin down fast then i think you must defo be burnin your oil. if you are burnin oil i would fink it would be exspensive to fix so hopfully its somthin more simply
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 18 December 2007, 20:05
I'm suck a twit!

I thought the markers were the yellow bits on the dipstick as it had no clear markings.
I'm reading now that the markers are were my oil has been all this time, it's been within the correct amount but i've just been
looking at the wrong markings!
So the oil has been over filled since last night. I must of driven it no more then a few miles from when i over filled it.

The ironic part is i was thinking the other day 'why do people read instruction manuals' :embarassed:

What's the best/cheapest/safest way to get under a car?

Thanks for all the help.


Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: richw911 on 18 December 2007, 22:16
I'm suck a twit!

I thought the markers were the yellow bits on the dipstick as it had no clear markings.
I'm reading now that the markers are were my oil has been all this time, it's been within the correct amount but i've just been
looking at the wrong markings!
So the oil has been over filled since last night. I must of driven it no more then a few miles from when i over filled it.

The ironic part is i was thinking the other day 'why do people read instruction manuals' :embarassed:

What's the best/cheapest/safest way to get under a car?

Thanks for all the help.




Well mate first off DONT drive it!!
 Second get her Jacked up enough to get a bit more room underneath. At the back of the sump is a nut 18mm IIRC, get some sort or tray under her and undo the nut drain off req amout of oil then repace the sump plug. Bit messy use gloves and old newspaper.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 18 December 2007, 23:20
Well mate first off DONT drive it!!
 Second get her Jacked up enough to get a bit more room underneath. At the back of the sump is a nut 18mm IIRC, get some sort or tray under her and undo the nut drain off req amout of oil then repace the sump plug. Bit messy use gloves and old newspaper.

I'll be giving it a go tomorrow, i only have one jack so i'll try with both wheels on the curb. Hopefully will all go smoothly. :)
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 19 December 2007, 14:45
Forgot to ask. :rolleyes:
Where exactly is the drain bolt?

Thanks!

[EDIT]
Got it.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: topher on 19 December 2007, 16:58
If you've driven it, you MAY have killed your cat, which would explain the sluggishness and smoke.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 20 December 2007, 14:23
I drained the oil today but typically lost the drain bolt, by the time i found it all the oil was out. :cry:
Any who, at least that's done. Had a look at my oil cap & it seems there's now some gunky stuff, which i hear isn't
good. Coolants still clear & level.

Going to get some oil. Then hopefully let a mechanic take a look.

[edit]Can't get no oil as i have no money..

If it comes to the worst, is it a hard job to change the head gaskets? I'm up for anything!

(http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/3862/29810769ks5.jpg)
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: leegt5 on 20 December 2007, 14:35
Clear the gunk off, refill the oil to correct level and see how it goes for a few days and see if the gunk reappears... Do you do alot of short journeys as the gunk might be down to condensation !!
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 20 December 2007, 15:04
Clear the gunk off, refill the oil to correct level and see how it goes for a few days and see if the gunk reappears... Do you do alot of short journeys as the gunk might be down to condensation !!

Cheers, will it be safe to drive even if i haven't found the problem of the white smoke then? Don't think it was there yesterday tho.
A mechanic said he can come round tomorrow to check, but if he's their longer then 10 mins it's £25 an hour. How long would it take a mechanic to
check if my car has done any damage from the overfill?

Chris.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: ub7rm on 20 December 2007, 15:56
There will still be some excess oil kicking about in your exhaust which will take a while to burn out.  I agree with leegt5, if it were me I would just refill and see what happens.  With the oil at the right level you can't really do any more damage.  Cats will put up with a bit of abuse and by the sounds of things you havent been driving around for long with her overfilled so you might be lucky...
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 20 December 2007, 16:16
ub7rmm, i'll fill her up tomorrow & see what happens.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: leegt5 on 20 December 2007, 17:33
Where abouts are you as if your local I can check your compression to rule out Head Gasket as im off work now for xmas !!

What was the oil that come out the sump like ??
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 20 December 2007, 18:03
Where abouts are you as if your local I can check your compression to rule out Head Gasket as im off work now for xmas !!

What was the oil that come out the sump like ??

Hey, i'm in Beckenham South London, thanks for the offer, i think someone my mum knows if gonna take a look.
The oil was quick thick & a dark brownish colour.

Thanks once again.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: AlanD on 21 December 2007, 09:53
awww gutted Lee, I live just down the road from him, could have meet up for a beer, didnt seen you at Brands last month :(
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: leegt5 on 21 December 2007, 11:04
awww gutted Lee, I live just down the road from him, could have meet up for a beer, didnt seen you at Brands last month :(

Yeah chickened out due to the cold.... Will brave the next one though !!
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 21 December 2007, 14:29
Right got the oil but need to know how much to put in, i'll do it a bit at a time but
how long does oil take to settle down to get a proper reading on the dipstick?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: AlanD on 21 December 2007, 14:37
I actually dont have a clue how much oil the Mk4 takes from empty and will be quite interested to know.

At a guess im thinking 4.   
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 21 December 2007, 14:48
I'll try this gallon anyway, hopefully will be about right.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: AlanD on 21 December 2007, 14:55
no no no ! Please dont take my 4 litters as an answear. Im just guessing it should be about that. Wait for someone to confirm something.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: richw911 on 21 December 2007, 18:14
It will take more than 4l but only a little bit more. Best to put most of the 4l in then keep checking as you can always add more!!
 Dont forget to run it for a min after you have topped it up, then recheck it as the oil filter will use up some.  :wink:
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 21 December 2007, 18:29
It used about just over 3 litres, checked it & it's about halfway on the dipstick so took it for a quick spin & it seems back to normal,
maybe even smoother then before. The slugishness has gone & there's no smoke.

Could there still be something wrong with the car like the gasket, or would i have known?

Good news, thanks for the help guys. :)
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: AlanD on 22 December 2007, 11:17
If there was a problem with head gasket you would have known about it.

Glad it looks sorted now :)
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: ub7rm on 22 December 2007, 16:34
The 1.8T takes 4.5l of oil for future reference.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: AlanD on 24 December 2007, 08:52
I was so close ! :D
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: Madmax on 24 December 2007, 14:32
Mine took just under 4l (2.0) although that's without the filter change & i didn't leave it long enough to drain everything out.
Title: Re: Golf, oil, smoke, sluggish.
Post by: GTi-Matt on 29 December 2007, 09:27
i no that under the bonnet theres pretty much a sensor 4 everything but if a head gasket is gone will something light up on the dash???? :undecided: