Help. Sludge In Oil Filler Cap :(

[dogma1978]

Hi all. Im really hoping someone can help me here as Im panicking. I bought a mk6 fiesta with a 1.4 duaratec engine on a 2008 plate. The car has done just over 16,000. Ive had the car for just over 6 months and had problems at all with it. Starts fine. No power loss or anyting out of the ordinary. i have been using to get to work which is just a mile away and doesnt really even warm the car up. However when i went to check the oil tonight I noticed some white sludge at the very top of the oil filler cap and just inside where the cap screws into the engine. When i took the dipstick out most was covered in normal oil but there was a slight bit of white sludge on the very end of the dipstick. I also checked the coolant and its at perfect level and still a bright orange colour with no signs of oil. Now straight away im thinking head gasket but the car has only dont 16,000. Can anyone give me some advice. Im hoping its just where the car is not being run for longer.

many thanks in advance

Jim :(

[wase16ll]

sounds more like condensation, give it a flush with next oil change, get breather system thoroughly cleaned out too as condensation can end up clogging the system...pay to give it a regular decent run from then on if only doing short trips.

[welshviking]

sounds more like condensation, give it a flush with next oil change, get breather system thoroughly cleaned out too as condensation can end up clogging the system...pay to give it a regular decent run from then on if only doing short trips.

I think this is totally the correct answer, my Toyota Aygo used to suffer from the same thing, i only did 9k in 3 1/2 years and most of it short journeys so the oil filler cap always looked like that when i checked it......Regards Colin

[dogma1978]

Hi Wase and Collin. many thanks for your replies. Im going to give the cap and good clean now and top the oil up. Then take it for a good drive. Hopefully all will be ok. The cars only done 16,000 so would be surprised if it was the head gasket. Will report back to how it goes

many thanks for your replies again

Jim :)

[dogma1978]

Well some good news. I tok the filler cap off and gave it a good clean out so nothing was left. Topped up the oil slighly and took it for a run. Mostly at 70mph for a good 40 miles. Left it to cool and on checking, no white gunk. Hopefully you guys were right

[Nathan_M]

My mk6 1.4 does it as well, only when its very cold outside, if you give it a good run it will go away on its own, its because the oil filler neck doesn't fit that tight into the head and lets some cold in overnight, i had the same reaction as you, it almost prevoked swearing as mine is only at 24,000 miles. And the oil on the dipstick is the same, clean the whole dipstick up to the handle and make sure that the rubber 'o' ring is still on the top.

EDIT** If it was the gasket you would see the oil through the filler would be like milky coffee and full of bubbles.

[dogma1978]

Thanks nathan. i remember a few years ago an old ford I had blew the head gasket and before it died totally the you could see oil floating in the coolant. The coolant in mine is still a bright orange. It makes sense tho about the filler cap. And it has been cold recenntly to. i read somewhere that for every litre of petrol burnt the engine produces a litre of water. if your doiing very short durneys i guess it wont get hot enough to burn the water out

[Nathan_M]

Yeh I thought my head had gone because I was loosing coolant and couldn't fine a leak until it left a puddle on the floor. The water pump had on, but while looking for problem I looked under the oil cap and found the white funky stuff I thought it was curtains, haha.

[jeebowhite]

If you only ever do short runs, it is always advisable that once every couple of weeks to every month, its worth going for a good run and getting everything up to temperature. Its good for the engine and the exhaust and can save you a lot of problems!