Oil Help!

[lite1979]

Ok, I know I've posted this before, and I'm comfortable with my mkIV burning a little oil, but here's what's going on:

For a while now, I've gotten a yellowish-brown opaque film around the fill cap on my AEG 2.0L 4-banger. I also noticed the same film on the dipstick last time I checked the oil level, and it was a whole quart low! I know it's been much longer than 3000 miles between changes, and I've been using generic (Wal-Mart Super Tech) oil for the last few changes. Is this why I've got the weird goop? I've been using 10W-30 or 10W-40 for changes, and this time I got Castrol GTX 10W-40 to use when I change it tonight.

Please advise!

BTW, 132K on the engine, runs quiet except it seems to "tick"

I have always used Mahle brand filters for every change.

[BUNNYLOVE]

Do you take alot of short trips? I've had this happen on some VWs with high miles, you get a condensation build up and it never gets quite hot enough to burn off taking frequent short drives.

I never really had one that burned much oil.

[meatwad!!]

wait . trace how long have you had a mk4?
i use 5w30 .. is that not good? mobil one tho

[VWTUNING]

wait . trace how long have you had a mk4?

his name is lite, not tres. :P they brothers yo!


I confirm that this white / milky crap around the oil cap and some times dipstick is from moisture build up. take the car out and wind it out, beat on it a little, get it nice and hot and it should get rid of that stuff. the cheapo oil might have something to do with it as well, might want to look into something a little better, especially if you are going much over the 3K intervals.


as for the oil loss, i blame seals! always damn seals leaking on damn volkswackins. but if there is no sign of oil leaks then I would do a compresion test.


Hope that helps.

[RichB]

wait . trace how long have you had a mk4?
i use 5w30 .. is that not good? mobil one tho

Lites 2.0 is probably more forgiving when it comes to oil selection than the 1.8T in your GLI. :smile: M1 5W30 is fine for your car though its not a VW 502 approved oil which is what they want you to use in the 1.8T. If I recall correctly our owners manual says that a 5W30 synth is OK if you cannot get 5W40 ... I used it for the first few years in my GTI without any problems.

[lite1979]

Tres is my little brother(F%20B%20L), and drives a mkIII (barf), but it burns no oil, and he doesn't drive it in the winter...

Step on it, huh? I drive 26 miles to work every morning and 26 miles back. I imagine that should give me more than enough time to warm up and burn off this sludge situation, so I was worrying that it might be a PCV issue (and this would also explain me burning so much oil, especially if my flametrap is clogged). I'm hoping it's not the rear main if it's one of the seals, as I really don't want to drop the tranny right away (my clutch is still good!).

I'll be sure to complain here more if this happens again with the Castrol I put in tonight!

Thanks, guys!

[meatwad!!]

oh sorry i had you guys mixed up.

[gl2slow]

lite man i get the same thing useing M1 every winter and we drive just about the same about. its really nothing to worrie about. lil condensation is all it is. as for your oil burning i cant give you an answer there.

[lite1979]

I'll figure the oil burning out eventually. I know one place where I see dirt from oil everytime I look is near the fill cap and around it. Since the PCV sits right there on top of the valve cover under the fill cap on my engine, I'm thinking about getting a new PCV and replacing the two seals that go in there. I'll post my findings!