# Milky Oil: Filler Cap and around the Housing/What is the proper burning ratio?



## TwoTimeTA (Dec 29, 2010)

To give a short run down, I own an 08' GTI and an 08' Jetta Wolfsburg Ed. I recently had the Jetta in the shop for a quick state inspection and I figured while in there, might as well get the oil changed as well. These guys are not VW techs, but are pretty reputable. Anyhow these are the problems (?) that were brought to my attention.

First and foremost I was told that there was an "excessive" amount of thick milky like oil around the filler cap and filter housing. By excessive, he explained to me about 1/4 inch possibly. Prior to this oil change I lived down in Florida where the weather is warm and I was using Castro 5w-40. I am now in Pennsylvania where the weather is far colder. I called the local VW dealer and was told that a milky oil substance around the filler cap (inside) and around the housing is completely normal, and that if I took the car down there he could show me 50 other cars that look the same way. I'm thinking that because of the cold the 5w-40 got gunked up and thickened a bit more than a "cold-weather" oil would, thus making the excess a bit thicker, making it look worse than the "issue" really is. 

What is your thoughts guys? 

(On a side note I'm now using 5w-30 and will see where this takes me)

Secondly, the gentleman told me I was also left with just over a quart of oil in the vehicle (shame on me for not checking it), however since the last oil change I put about 4,500 miles on the car (this includes a drive from FL to PA). This would mean I burned roughly about 1 quart/2000 miles. Reading over the other posts this would seem completely normal, but this guy made it sound like I was burning at an "excessive" rate. I spoke to VW about this and they said it was normal. 

I suppose the bottom of the dipstick is about 1.5 quarts too low, which would mean fill it up with a quart when it reaches there I should be fine. (Right?)

I just wanted to see what you guys thought about the situation, the oil/burn ratio seems right for a 2.0T, I am mostly concerned with the oil making a mess all over the place, but it seems this is "supposed" to be normal. Just may have been a bit thicker than normal due to the cold?


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

it's completely normal in cold weather.

Since you didn't mention anything about coolant... it's not a head gasket issue

1 quart/2000 miles is good. 1 quart/1000 miles is still normal for the 2.0T according to VW


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## TwoTimeTA (Dec 29, 2010)

I don't believe there is an issue with coolant. The Mech thought that it may have been coolant since it was gunked a bit, but I don't see an issue there. If it was a head gasket, I would imagine I would feel it in the drive.


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## AudiJunkie (Jun 19, 2009)

You should verify proper PCV function, of curse. A long trip should have cleaned up the engine internals, too bad you let it run low. 

Once the crankcase is run down to 50%, the oil is damaged and should be dumped, ideally instead of just topping it off. Even if this means leaving the filter in place or removing and dumping it out before reinstalling. Personally, I don't run an undertray. If this facilitates you changing the oil DIY, I suggest that.

5w-40 is fine in FL or in PA summers, but it is kind of thick for winter and esp if you take mostly short trips under 10mi/15min. That's where the milky condensation comes from. More later.


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## TechMeister (Jan 7, 2008)

AudiJunkie said:


> You should verify proper PCV function, of curse. A long trip should have cleaned up the engine internals, too bad you let it run low.
> 
> Once the crankcase is run down to 50%, the oil is damaged and should be dumped, ideally instead of just topping it off. Even if this means leaving the filter in place or removing and dumping it out before reinstalling. Personally, I don't run an undertray. If this facilitates you changing the oil DIY, I suggest that.
> 
> 5w-40 is fine in FL or in PA summers, but it is kind of thick for winter and esp if you take mostly short trips under 10mi/15min. That's where the milky condensation comes from. More later.



*What complete NONSENSE !* Geesh, posting this baseless CRAP is a complete disservice to people!

Consumption of 50% of the oil does NOT damage the oil. That's a technically ignorant statement to make. The only means to determine if the oil is no longer serviceable is with a UOA. Consumption does not automatically render an oil "damaged" ferchrissakes. 1 qt./1000 miles oil consumption is normal. 1 qt./2000 miles is even better.

Per VW, 5W-40 is a proper and preferred viscosity year round in all climates. It is not "thick for Winter". Where do you come up with this foolishness? A 5W-30 and 5W-40 oil both have the same cold viscosity which is what's important when you start the engine and until the engine warms up. A 30 or 40 weight HOT viscosity is perfectly fine in both Summer and Winter. That is why VW tell's you to use a 5W-40 oil.

About the only thing you got correct was that the milky condensation is from short trips in cold weather. Everything else you posted is complete nonsense... :screwy: 

The milky condensation will continue for anyone who makes numerous short drives in cold weather. VW and most car makers suggest more frequent oil changes for people who make a lot of short drives in cold weather as this is the best way to remove any build-up of H2O in the oil.


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## gmikel (Nov 10, 2010)

TechMeister said:


> *What complete NONSENSE !* Geesh, posting this baseless CRAP is a complete disservice to people!
> 
> Consumption of 50% of the oil does NOT damage the oil. That's a technically ignorant statement to make. The only means to determine if the oil is no longer serviceable is with a UOA. Consumption does not automatically render an oil "damaged" ferchrissakes. 1 qt./1000 miles oil consumption is normal. 1 qt./2000 miles is even better.
> 
> ...


:thumbup:


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

TechMeister said:


> Per VW, 5W-40 is a proper and preferred viscosity year round in all climates.


That is outdated.

older versions of VW502.00 did mandate xW-40 oils. However, the latest versions of 502.00 allows multigrade 30-weight oils, so... 5w30 is allowed under the current specification.


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## TwoTimeTA (Dec 29, 2010)

AudiJunkie said:


> 5w-40 is fine in FL or in PA summers, but it is kind of thick for winter and esp if you take mostly short trips under 10mi/15min. That's where the milky condensation comes from. More later.


I typically don't drive more than 15-20 minutes now, which would make sense.

I switched over to a 5w-30 just to give it a shot, we'll see the outcome. I will be watching the oil level for the next few weeks vs. miles driven. I'm sure everything is completely normal; I mean realistically the Jetta is my wife's car and it isn't driven like how I drive the GTI. There should be nothing wrong with a car that isn't even three years old yet.


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## AudiJunkie (Jun 19, 2009)

Whether you know it or understand it or not, running the oil low increases oxydization and nitration, as well as concentrating the contaminates beyond the levels that the detergent and dispersant package can handle. This is a sure ticket to sludge and varnish formation. 

Dump that shiz out, you have to be a dip**** to think otherwise, that the oil is still good.:screwy:

adding 3 quarts of fresh oil to 1q of burned-out oil loaded with contaminates is...."smart"....lol.
That's like doing an oil change and adding a quart of old oil to the mix, except it's not just an old quart, it's a single quart with all the contaminates from an entire engine sump concentrated into it. :facepalm:

The lack of common sense here is mind-boggling. :wave:


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## TwoTimeTA (Dec 29, 2010)

Well, to be quite honest, I didn't do my research on this vehicle like I typically did on others I've owned. I didn't expect the oil to burn the way the FSI causes it to. Now I will be a bit more proactive on checking my oil levels. 

There is no way in hell that I would be adding nearly a whole tank 2-3 quarts to 1 quart of garbage. I will most likely just add one quart in-between changes.


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## AudiJunkie (Jun 19, 2009)

You can actually top-off adinfinitum, I don't have a problem with that. It's just that once it runs far down, it gets contaminated, as you correctly understand. Finding yourself 3q low, of course you need to add whatever amount to get thru the day...or in an emergency. 

I'm just explaining that it would be more ideal at that point if you could just drop the oil immediately, rather than wasting good oil refilling 75% of it, again as I believe you already understand. I'll go as far as to say if you are to add some oil for that reason, 3q of plain dino oil is actually a good idea, to flush the engine out...a day or two driving. Believe me, dino oil is WAY better than it was just a few years ago. 

Sorry to be short and have the tone of lecturing, but I can only expend so much energy on stuff here. Too much time with the :screwy: loonies :screwy: can make you crazy too. :banghead:


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## AudiJunkie (Jun 19, 2009)

btw- a good method to deal with topping off is a predictive method where you reset the trip odometer, and determine how many miles it takes to get 1/2q low, the ideal increment to add.

So, if it takes 700 miles to burn 1/2 q, you keep an eye on the trip o meter and you are good for 699 miles. 

This is a good long-term way to manage oil consumption. Look into using a new type of oil too. DIY changes can be easy and you can resuse the filter once if you are changing oil at 5k miles.

Also, adding some 2-cycle oil to the gas works wonders at 500:1 (3oz/10 gallons) add some extra the first time and use it continually. $10 to $12 a gallon for good TCW-3 is a bargain, esp considering it replaces a $3 gallon of gas. Costs about $.25c to treat 10 gallons.


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## slowbluVW (Oct 15, 2002)

Every later model VW I have owned has had a gunked up oil cap in the winter. Goes away when spring rolls around.


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## TechMeister (Jan 7, 2008)

AudiJunkie said:


> Whether you know it or understand it or not, running the oil low increases oxydization and nitration, as well as concentrating the contaminates beyond the levels that the detergent and dispersant package can handle. This is a sure ticket to sludge and varnish formation.
> 
> Dump that shiz out, you have to be a dip**** to think otherwise, that the oil is still good.:screwy:
> 
> ...




As usual, you have no clue what you are talking about. Why do you spout such nonsense? :thumbdown:


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## AudiJunkie (Jun 19, 2009)

Nice post, troll.:thumbdown: 

I can see you put a lot of effort into it, making such a compelling and convincing argument for your case.


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## TechMeister (Jan 7, 2008)

I won't waste my time with you as you are not interested in factual information but I will point out the obvious: Oil does not oxidise faster unless it is subjected to greater heat/oxygen, which is not the case just because an engine consumes some oil. 

Your constant posting of technically inaccurate information is a huge disservice to people on the forum. :thumbdown:


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## gmikel (Nov 10, 2010)

*audijerk*

if you don't believe audijunk is right just ask him. according to him everyone else is wrong. oh well


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## TwoTimeTA (Dec 29, 2010)

Regardless of who believes who is correct, the point of my post was to find out if 1qt/1k was a decent ratio for oil to burn and to correctly identify if gunked oil in a VW during winter is typically normal. 

It seems despite the :banghead: you guys have given me the information original being sought. :thumbup: 

The little additives and extra information is kept as food-for-thought.


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## TechMeister (Jan 7, 2008)

Glad to help you sort thru the technically inaccurate rubbish posted by some disengenuous folks who don't know what they don't know. Your oil consumption seems normal.


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## gmikel (Nov 10, 2010)

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


TechMeister said:


> Glad to help you sort thru the technically inaccurate rubbish posted by some disengenuous folks who don't know what they don't know. Your oil consumption seems normal.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

TwoTimeTA said:


> Regardless of who believes who is correct, the point of my post was to find out if 1qt/1k was a decent ratio for oil to burn and to correctly identify if gunked oil in a VW during winter is typically normal.
> 
> It seems despite the :banghead: you guys have given me the information original being sought. :thumbup:
> 
> The little additives and extra information is kept as food-for-thought.


 Also, since 2008 is a split year for the 2.0T.... 

If you have the 2.0T-FSI (BPY) engine, the oil filler extension aggravates the milkiness issue because that couple inches extension allows for more condenstation in under the valve cover. 

My commute is 25 miles each way... my engine does get to operating temperatures and stays there for a good 1/2 hour.... and I still get the milkiness in the winter


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## TwoTimeTA (Dec 29, 2010)

Yes, I do have the FSI. :banghead:


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## gmikel (Nov 10, 2010)

*bpy*



TwoTimeTA said:


> Regardless of who believes who is correct, the point of my post was to find out if 1qt/1k was a decent ratio for oil to burn and to correctly identify if gunked oil in a VW during winter is typically normal.
> 
> It seems despite the :banghead: you guys have given me the information original being sought. :thumbup:
> 
> The little additives and extra information is kept as food-for-thought.


 i have a bpy and use virtually no oil no matter what the weight or brand (all 502). i'm not a kid anymore but do enjoy getting on it once in awhile. as for the gunk, any engine will generate some in winter, the long filler neck on a bpy just gives it a place to collect.


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## VWVIDA (Apr 18, 2009)

*Shame on you*

*Hey buddy, shame on you for not checking your oil level more frequently. Anyway, knowing mechanics, he probably exaggerated a bit about how low the level was that he found. 

Possibly of some minor interest is that I often find that oil consumption increases in a non-linear fashion. In other words, I may not burn any noticeable amount of oil in the first 2K miles on a 2.0 but the next 1K might see the loss of 3/4 quart and the following 1K might see an entire additional 1 qt. (I make this 4K mile drive on occasion when I go from Fairbanks to the Lower 48 but at all other times I change my oil out more frequently so I don't know what the typical rate is for local driving. It seems that the rate would increase.) It doesn't just happen with one motor, it has been fairly consistent with any number of my straight fours. 

Lastly, it seems that you started a pissing contest amongst a few of the members. Its been great entertainment...although not checking your oil level is no laughing matter !  *


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## slowbluVW (Oct 15, 2002)

I haven't seen a late model VW that HASN'T done this in the winter. Come spring, it goes away....until next winter. Normal operation.


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## RealTimeMotorsports (Feb 2, 2011)

phew! i had no clue that the milky oil was normal in the winter. I had to top off my coolant about a month and a half ago and in the past 2 weeks noticed the milky oil cap and almost flipped a ****.... i blew a head gasket in my camaro and i know that's no fun


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