Changing the battery over the weekend and noticed some unusual 'mustard' coloured substance around the master cylinder of my mk3 Octavia VRS.  I can only describe it as a hard putty like texture, and is confined mostly in one area, though seemingly has spattered in the area below it.....

 

Can anyone put my mind at ease over what this is, and whether is a problem?

 

 

That looks to me like expanding foam, which has no place in an engine bay!

Have you had the car from new? Has it been in an accident? Possibly dodgy crash repair methods?! 

Definitely expanded foam and from a DIY aerosol and not a pro gun judging by the collateral splatter.

 

That also looks like a tywrap above it.

 

I  reckon its a bodge to stop something vibrating and rattling so have some sympathy and understanding, I have several guns with different compounds on the go at all times, by multi-purpose bodging tools of choice!

Edited 7 August, 20232 yr by J.R.

Thanks for the suggestions.  Any other ideas?  Is this known to be a source of vibration on these vehicles?

 

 

Very odd if that's what it is.  It was a used vehicle though only 12 months old at the time and under 15,000kms.  Its never been in an accident during my ownership and this has never been noted during services at either dealership or independent through the last 5 years of my ownership....

It does show I haven't paid much regard to what's happening under the hood!

31 minutes ago, inso said:

Thanks for the suggestions.  Any other ideas?  Is this known to be a source of vibration on these vehicles?

 

 

Very odd if that's what it is.  It was a used vehicle though only 12 months old at the time and under 15,000kms.  Its never been in an accident during my ownership and this has never been noted during services at either dealership or independent through the last 5 years of my ownership....

It does show I haven't paid much regard to what's happening under the hood!

I'm surprised the garages haven't picked it up.

1 hour ago, inso said:

Very odd if that's what it is.

 

I am very confident that is exactly what it is, the question is why?

 

Removing it will likely give you the answer.

1 hour ago, ords said:

this has never been noted during services at either dealership or independent through the last 5 years of my ownership....

 

It's most likely them that did it, did you have any work done in that area?

Nope, no work performed on or around this area that I'm aware of.  Quite puzzling!

just a thought, but could it be CV boot grease?

Only if the boots were greased with expanding foam.