Engine Mayo?

[margriff]

Took the rocker cap off and I see what looks like dirty mayonnaise! Does this mean I need a new Cylinder Head Gasket or could it be something else (that will be cheaper to get put right) Advice needed and quick.

[aupickup]

could be the result of just short journeys

[margriff]

That could be one explanation as I do only do short journeys. What do I do if anything at all. Will this stuff be detrimental to the engine?

[Chipper]

Remove the rocker cover and clean it out with gunk, paraffin, or even petrol. Check the valve clearances and the colour of the spark plug tips, which should be a light tan colour.

If you have a compression gauge, do a compression test to ensure it's not the head gasket leaking.

[aupickup]

take it for a long run occasionaly say 50 miles
its where the engine does not get hot enough to burn the vapour off
what thermostat do you have in

[drivewasher]

as long as the oil on yer dipstick IE in the sump is not emulsified (Mayonase) then its due to short journeys. The condensation that forms on the inside of cold steel mixes with the oil and emulsifies, this gives the mayonase effect. The fact that the engine never gets hot enough long enough to boil the condensation droplets into steam to get pulled through the breather and pass either through the combustion chambers or vented out to the atmosphere

[bmcecosse]

As others have said - clean it out! But also check the breather pipes are clear and hoses not kinked shut...

[brucek]

Agree with Drivewasher - short journeys - esp in cooler weather - are a great recipe for A-series mayonnaise Choose a day a week and take the long way home so the engine gets properly hot. If you do, mayonnaise will only be something you see in the supermarket Just check that there are no obstructions in the breather system too ;-)

[margriff]

Thanks for all your help guys

[Chris Edgar]

I had these symptoms a couple of years ago...mayo in the oil filler cap, some visible among the rockers & in the breather tube.

At first put it down to short journeys.

then noticed having to top up water in rad a lot & finally, creamy looking oil on dipstick. Took rocker cover off & the stuff was all over the place!
So in this case it was the cyl head gasket.
It was one of the composition ones.
I run with copper now.

So..if you ar'n't having to top up the water more than usual & your sump oil looks OK then, as has been said...all should be well...but do keep a close eye on the situation.