mayhem100

Went to check the oil level today and when I pulled the dipstick out it had a plug of this weird white crap on it. It almost looked like warm candle wax. Cleaned it off and redipped the stick and a bit more came out, but alot less. Third dip and it was gone.

Worrying over nothing here or something I need to be concerned about? Thinking of dumping a half bottle of seafoam into the crankcase, running it for a bit and doing the oil and filter. Major flaws with this idea? Cure worse than the problem?

Thanks.

mayhem100

bump to the top. Anyone got an opinion?

Allroady DungBeetle

First thing would be to dump the oil out completely and see what is in there. Get it out.... THEN do a seafoam/oil cleaning routine.

user 7208203

I though you get white goo when coolant gets into the oil. Failed gasket in block?

naimesl

Not to worry, this is a common problem in colder temperatures or temperature fluctuations. Condensation and moisture can build up in the oil especially with short trips when the engine doesn't warm up completely. Drive the car on the highway for a while and get the engine nice and hot, then check the oil again. The white goo should disappear. I have had this happen more than a few times this wonderful Cleveland winter in both my A4 and Volvo 850 turbo.

Keep us posted.

mayhem100

YAY! Its my wife's car and she makes nothing but short trips to take the kid to the bus stop and pick her up. Way too short a trip. Under a mile. I try to get her to go for a ride after she goes to the bus stop but she won't always do it.

Good to knw its not a problem. Any benefit to my doing a seafoam treatment in the crankcase? I'm at 68k miles.

naimesl

I would go with Auto RX, www.auto-rx.com over Seafoam. Many members have used Auto-RX with great success. Seafoam is solvent based and while it can clean the engine, the lubrication properties of solvents are poor. Auto Rx is organic ester based and will take longer to clean but will be less harmful to your engine. For what it's worth, The procedure does work better with conventional oil. Best of luck!

PanzerWagon

I get the same crud. as naimesl said, it's condensation from short-trips.

docurley

You should not be getting a whiteish oil from the dip stick if it was from the oil cap then yes one could say condensation could be the cause but not from the dipstick.

I would guess at either the head gasket or I think there is some sort of Oil cooler that can crack and allows water to mix with the oil so have that looked at first.

SnowZach

I get this on my dipstick sometimes.. I make short trips as well.. It's condensation building up in the block from cold temps and short drives. I've had it forever and freaked out when it first showed up when I got a new job close to my house. (Hence the short trips) I see it mostly under the oil fill cap though. I describe it as more of a yellowish tint with a foamy consistency. I had it in my last a4 as well. It never was a problem but I recommend changing the oil perhaps a little more than what would be considered standard. I usually do it at about 3-4k miles as it technically still is water in the crank case and water isn't much of a lubricant for a motor.

As for the take it for a long drive advice, it up was never enough to get rid of it for me. It might work if there isn't much.

Generally when I changed the oil, I wouldn't ever even see it in the drain pan. If you change the oil and there's a lot of foam, then you might have a more costly water leak. (Head gasget, oil cooler, etc)