Just viewed a GTI......Is this ok though?

[Godzilla]

In need of some help here!!

We have just viewed a 1997 8v GTI.  She has 114,872 miles with full service history.

The lady who owns it seems very genuine and does a total of 6 miles a day.....town driving.  She has been doing this since August so about 5 months.  She has bought a smaller car now thus the reason for sale of the Golf.  I checked all handbooks, bodywork etc and all was good. Engine ran well with no hunting and on idle around 900rpm. I then checked under the oil filler cap and found this.......Now my 205 GTI used to build up with this sludge as I thought it was HG gone.

Does this look ok and would this be due to 6 miles a day for 5 months or could it be the HG?  She has never had to top it up with water or oil though??

Any help would be great......

[Noof]

might be cos she actually doesnt drive the car as much as u should, not getting warm etc, ask the better known people here but they might agree, or it is actually HG

[christomk3gti]

I only drive 1 mile to work and back every day in my 8v gti..... mine gets a little amount of sludge due to this but nothing like that. and after a good run it clears. i dont use oil or water either....

doesnt look to healthy that one tho..

[Godzilla]

Thank you mate.

Forgot to say that she has not had the oil changed while she has owned it. Last service was carried out nearly 10,000 miles ago.

[robz]

Sounds to me like the short journeys mate, tell her to give it a blat down the motorway for 20 mins, let it cool then go check it again, reckon it'll go!! Hth
Sounds a good find though!
Get it serviced it'll be reet!

[christomk3gti]

not looked after very well either then??

[bubbaboo]

This is more common than you might think.  A weather change from warm, moist weather to cold weather or repeated frost (condensation) on the vehicle and frequent high dew points can create moisture to form in the crankcase.  This can appear as condensation in the oil system and under the valve covers.  Most of the time vehicles are driven long and far enough so that this condensation is burned off thanks to the heat of the engine.  However a vehicle that is not driven very far and does not reach full running temperature for very long may not purge out the moisture.  Vehicles that are not driven frequently and sit outside can also acquire moisture in the oil system.  When these vehicles are driven, the engine generates some heat during the short drive, then cools.  The trapped moisture condensates on the coolest part of the engine, the valve cover and oil cap.  Repeated short trips will leave behind more and more moisture on these cooler parts

[snifferdog]

This is more common than you might think.  A weather change from warm, moist weather to cold weather or repeated frost (condensation) on the vehicle and frequent high dew points can create moisture to form in the crankcase.  This can appear as condensation in the oil system and under the valve covers.  Most of the time vehicles are driven long and far enough so that this condensation is burned off thanks to the heat of the engine.  However a vehicle that is not driven very far and does not reach full running temperature for very long may not purge out the moisture.  Vehicles that are not driven frequently and sit outside can also acquire moisture in the oil system.  When these vehicles are driven, the engine generates some heat during the short drive, then cools.  The trapped moisture condensates on the coolest part of the engine, the valve cover and oil cap.  Repeated short trips will leave behind more and more moisture on these cooler parts

Exactly, looks to me like that would clear up after a good run! If youre worried about HG failure then check for the other symptoms before jumping to conclusions.

[bubbaboo]

The key is to check the dip stick and exhaust.  If you see beads of moisture on the dipstick and white smoke coming out of the exhaust of a warm engine, this can indicate a head gasket leaking coolant into the oil system, which is not good

[jiminbmth]

great advice on here....

get the motor fully serviced ...  inc breathers, filters and plugs
use cheap oil, run for 1000 miles thn change oil and filter again with better grade oil....this WILL help!!!
if it looks like that in the oil,check and double check everythin else!!!
ps do a coolant change as well!!!