I checked my oil today in my 2003 Audi A6 Quattro and saw a yellowish cream on my dipstick along with the engine oil residue. I check it twice and this residue appeared both times. Any idea what this could be? I live in MN and we have had -20 degree weather for the past week. Im thinking this may be a cause of this. I use 5W 40 convetional castrol oil.

 

It is called Mayonaise and is what you get when water and oil mix. It could be due to a head gasket problem or just the affect of condensation. If there is just little and you do short trips that don't allow the motor to get warm and dry out the oil you need to change the oil more often.
If there is a lot -- it is most likely the head gasket and you need to kiss everything in you bank account goodby.

 

^^^ NH is right its prob ur headgasket or somehow you got moisture in the oil....
are you loosing oil/coolant??

 

There could be a malfunction of the PCV - positive crancase ventilation. The unit is called "spyder pipe".
Be shure you replace it with one for your climate specifics.

If a blow-by build up is not ventilated it could cause overpressure - the result is leaking gaskets.


There are a lot of discussions on the PCV - do search the forum.

 

If you need a new 3.0 engine, I have one from a 2002 a6 that is still in the car. email cvacc411@hotmail.com

 

I found a little bit of this on the under side of my oil cap today when i was adding oil. Thank fully there was non of it on the dipstick when i checked the level. I am due for a change in less than a 100 miles.

I really hope that I do not have a head gasket about to blow on me that is the last thing I need right now.

If there is non in the oil and just one single spot on the under side of the filler cap. It is just condensation and I should be good right? PS I am at 80,000 miles. That seams early for a head gasket right?

Thanks guys

 

A single spot on the filler cap would be just condensation. Nothing to worry about.

Bob

 

Only issue was that I checked it this morning after getting the engine warm (after driving 7 miles to work on interstate roads) I took the cap off the top of the engine there was more than before on the bottom of the cap only. There was non on the dipstick but I will check again when I leave for home tonight.

What is worth a note is that when I checked it before and found the spot the car was stone cold and had not been stated for a day or so. It has been sat in cold cold temps on a drive way in New York.

 

As stated, a little bit can be due to condensation from external temperature changes. A good, long high speed drive should evaporate it from your oil. I would also recommend an oil change using synthetic -- it seems more resistant to this problem. If it appears again soon after the oil change, then you might have a head gasket leak.

Short trips in cold weather are hard on a car. Note how water will drip out the tail pipe -- this is one byproduct of combustion and only driving enough to thoroughly heat the engine and oil will eliminate it.

 

Little moisture never hurts anyone, but you feel like dealing with it, seafoam will help.