MK4 golf running problems..

[spicymouse]

Hey,

I've been driving my golf for 6 or so months fine (was serviced just after i bought it) and not i seam to have a little problem. I found some brown gunk (oil and water I'm guessing?) on my oil cap, so i topped up my oil as it was a little low, and now after a short drive its all gone. How ever i now have a slight white film on the oil cap. i only use the car to drive to work and back and that takes less then 3minutes, but from work if i get a called out i drive maximum of 10k's to there and back and even then its not very often, i dont drive the car on the weekends either. I've read short distances can cause the gunk? but the car is starting to shake when i drive (until 40-50k/mh) and it has no where near as much power as it once had. blown head gasket maybe? it doesn't use any water.. and its not murky or anything just pure green. help please

[dylan8]

yeah they need to go for a good run, mine built up a little gunky while doing short trips (car wouldnt even get up to temp half the time)
see if you can wipe some off and go for a longer drive.
what engine do you have? the 2lts are known for chewing oil

[grtuned]

If its green Then the wrong coolant has been used. This would not cause running issues but may effect parts of your cooling system.

[JustCruisn]

Wrong coolant may kill the water pump due to lack of lubrication that G12++ provides.

[Stan]

any gunk or milkiness is water in with the oil.
If there is no major leak, or dodgy head gasket issues, then in your case it is likely to be simply condensation under the rocker cover.
This is likely given the infrequent use of your car.
If it is condensation then it is normal for your situation, and no harm is being done.
Watch your oil levels.

[spicymouse]

Just curious what colour Gould the coolent be? Also it's a 1.6l completely standard. Also it only just lost power, I was thinking it was bad fuel as I was at the lights and went to take off in the wet and it gave me a bit of wheel spin so I changed in to second then it just seamed to die.. Being really burbly in the exhaust and sloooow. Like taking off in 3rd sorta slow.

[Stan]

might be a head gasket then - one or more cylinders is leaking and hence the crappy power and takeoff and the water in the oil...

getting any water vapour or drops out of the exhaust when running and revving? If so then almost certainly a head gasket

[spicymouse]

just had a look and yeah its spraying a mist of water from the exhaust only slightly though.. So next question.. where in mackay can i get a head gasket replaced? or should i just sell the car as i only picked it up for 3k with rego.. so I'm not really keen to pay more then the cars worth in fixing it.. must be time to buy a push bike

[spicymouse]

also.. after a small run 5-10mins there's not water coming from the exhaust.. there's more power then normal, but it feels like the engine is vibrating/pivoting back and forth.

[Stan]

still think you at least have a head gasket issue.
Any decent mechanic can do it, it all depends if you need the head skimmed as well.
get ready to part with at least a grand.
alternatively, replace it your self and get the head checked and skimmed

[spicymouse]

if i was at home in tassie i could have but I'm lacking tools up here haha, i'll get it looked at my someone and see what they think.

[Eman]

I would also check the spark plugs. Check if any plugs have oil at the tips and the color of the oil. Is your engine normally clean or is there any oil dripping from the head down? Does the car idle normal or is there a miss in the idle?

[spicymouse]

its normally clean, not that i check it regularly. car used to idle fine at 850 but now it bounces 800-900.

[Jmac]

Ok, slight condensation cold from the exhaust, normal, it a by product odf combustion, slight white film on oil cap short trips, normal. Before you go taking a head off have it checked properly, TK combustion test for combustive gasesin the coolant, cylinder leak down test and also the coolant hoses would be going hard if the head gasket had gone, it would misfire, i would worry about plumes of steam from the exhaust and plenty of Milky gunge in the oil or oil in the coolant, like i say have it checked and dont just go by net diagnosis or you could be forking out for nothing, take the advise as advise, there is several tests that need to be done before calling head mate. From what i read here its not head gasket.
Good luck

[grtuned]

Agree with Jmac!!!
At least have it scanned first. Before assuming anything.