Cylinder Head Gasket?

[MikeFGTI]

Hi all

I have an 06' GTi with 80k on the clock. It gets 'well used' but i'm always careful to let it warm up/cool down and servicing is always kept up to date.

Last night i noticed mayo on the inside of the oil filler cap, so i immediately panicked about the head gasket. The thing is there is nothing else to suggest any problem - starts/drives fine, no white smoke out the back, coolant level fine, oil on dipstick seems fine....

Are there any other problems i should be considering other than the gasket? Any advice on what i should check/test would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mike

[AlanD]

Have you got a picture of it? Is there a lot?

Often condensation forms which causes there to be a bit of mayo around the lid (especially if you do short journeys).

[MikeFGTI]

hi Alan,

Cheers for the reply.

I dont have a photo but will try and take one later.

There is a fairly light covering on both the underside of the filler cap and the 'neck'. To be fiar, i have been doing mainly short journeys recently, and presumably the build up of condensation is more likely in cold weather- its just i've had the car for 3 years and i've never noticed this happen before...

[barrym381]

wipe it off an take it for a good run then take cap off an check it

[DJGTi]

This is perfectly normal in cold weather and/or after repeated short runs.

[MikeFGTI]

I wiped the oil off first thing this morning, did 5 miles to work and checked the filler cap when I got to work. There was mayo on the underside of the cap again -admittedly not as much, but surely if this was condensation, it would take some time to form once the engine is starting to cool down?

[Gene Hunt.]

Most of us get this mate if you only do short journeys over the winter. If the coolant in the tank is still nice & clear don't worry about it.This weekend give the oil filler cap a good clean with a cloth & then give it the beans on a decent run.

[MikeFGTI]

ok cheers mate. I'll do that.

I did look at the coolant in the dark last night and (by torch light) it possibly looked a bit murky. I'll have another look in daylight.

[Snooze]

Mine does the same as i do a lot of short journeys.  Only a small amout of mayo though.  When I do a couple of longer journeys it soon goes.

[Wayne]

I wiped the oil off first thing this morning, did 5 miles to work and checked the filler cap when I got to work. There was mayo on the underside of the cap again -admittedly not as much, but surely if this was condensation, it would take some time to form once the engine is starting to cool down?

5 miles is nothing, clean it off and do around 15 and then see if it comes back.