white gunk around oil cap

Hi..
Just topped up my 03 astra 1.6 and noticed a creamy deposit around the oil
cap . Read this could be condensation and as my car has spent 3 days covered
in snow I am hoping it is that simple . No problems running it that i have
noticed . What do you think?

 

As long as you aren't losing coolant it should be condensation. Probably
nothing to do with the 3 days under snow, but more likely to be the
result of short journeys in cold weather. Really you need 10 miles at
motorway speeds to get the engine fully hot, even more if it's diesel.

 

More likely, a leaky head gasket or a porous block casting.

Brian W

 

If it's one of those yellow plastic Vauxhall oil caps then almost
certainly it's condensatiuon caused by short runs in cool
temperatures. The old fashioned metal oil caps seemed to get nice and
hot and evaporate off the mayo but not the plastic ones.

 

It is a yellow plastic cap. It is still happening but my coolant doesnt
drop at all. If something is leaking into the oil is it going to be the
coolant or could something else leak in ?

 

Could try masking off the air inlet in front, to keep the engine warmer.

Brian W

 

My wife's 2002 Corsa (which we've had from new) and is only used for
short journeys. It's had mayo on the plastic filler cap since the day
I first topped up the oil level. Coolant never drops or discolours and
oil level does not go up. If oil was leaking into coolant you would
get dirty coloured coolant in expansion tank. Is yours nice and clean?
If coolant was leaking into combustion chambers the level would drop
and white odourless steam would be coming out of exhaust pipe - more
than you would expect on these cold winter mornings when some steam is
to be expected.