I have just been checking my oil and noticed thick oil on the dipstick so unscrewed the oil top and the top and round the rim was covered in gudge. I only do short trips so the 1.9 TDI engine hardly gets warned up. Is the engine in trouble?.

If it looks like mayonnaise then it is normal to get it under the filler cap if you only do short journeys. The engine isn't getting up to temp on short trips in order to get rid of condensation in the engine. Take it for a good run and get it operating at full temp for a while and see if it goes away. If it's not excessive then it should be ok.

Going to Preston today so it will be getting a run out.

Bradfordfabia - Echo what Anddenton said. For the life of the engine, try to take it for longer runs regularly. Long enough to get the oil up to operating temperature (takes at least twice as long as the water temp shown on the dashboard gauge), then stay there for 20-30 minutes. Motorway runs are ideal as those have the advantage of fairly constant speed and oil temperature.  So a trip over the M62 and up the M61/M6 to Preston ideal! Even if it means a slightly longer distance than "over the tops"?  Might take more than one such run to get rid of the mayonnaise sludge?

 

Plus - if only doing short runs normally, then highly advisable to do intermediate oil & filter changes at half the recommended interval. The latter are generally aimed at or assumed to be for normal mileage and longer journey patterns. This would also help avoid "black sludge" developing. This might sound expensive if not done DIY (easy enough with just a few basic tools), but a shed load less expensive than a new engine!  I've proven this regime to work well, to my own satisfaction over many years with diesel cars (and tractors!).

P.S. Hate to burst the bubble, but Genesis ain't the "Greatest ever live band"! - Springsteen and E-Street band are!  If you've never seen them live - you have yet to live!  Seen both live. The Boss cuts it every time for sheer energy and value for money   OK - we can go back to Topic now.....!

Hmm i find that after a 2min turn over, and 10min easy drive, 10mins of hard driving ie overtaking a few corsas with big bores on a two lane road (aka spirited driving)... oil temp is there, you shouldn't "need" the motorway.

 

Also do 6 monthly oil changes minimum not 12 monthly, you don't need £50 oil, just decent oil to spec more regular is better than paying for a brand and less frequent. Also if you find it a ball ache get a pump, its not as good as sump drained oil, as the sludge stays at the bottom, but if you struggle getting under the car and do it more regular its better than not doing it at all.

Edited 22 March, 201511 yr by FromTheDarkness

I use the pump method time to time, depending on the service, on the pd engines using that method it takes about 10 minutes for an oil and filter change.

I use the pump method time to time, depending on the service, on the pd engines using that method it takes about 10 minutes for an oil and filter change.

There are a few pumps to choose from.i have the hand pump type which is good. But for the extra cost you can buy those ones that hook upto battery and drain within mins. Also helps with engine warm drains it even quicker

I do 2 oil changes a yr.

I will book the car in for a oil change at the garage.

Just had a look at the oil cap and bottom of it looks better with hardly no sludge. Dip stick was back to normal with no lumps on it.

glad it seems better, i would still suggest at least once a week to have a good run 20mins on mortorway, or 40mins hard drive (both ish nothing set in stone) i would imagine if gunky oil, then egr clogging and manfold clogging, these diesel engines need using

Perhaps an engine flush would be beneficial too. Ask the garage to run a bottle of it through when they do the oil change.

JRJG