Creamy sludge under oil filler cap.

Faults and Technical chat for the Renault Austral
Mr rugby
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Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2023 9:36 pm

Post by Mr rugby »

MMMMMM......Not good.
I today checked my oil level out of curiosity and to familiarise myself with the engine bay.
I also removed the filler cap to find a generous quantity of white creamy sludge in the Oil filler neck.
Now I ain't seen this in a car for many many years, and it was generally a symptom in days gone by of water getting into the engine oil via a head gasket or other failure.

I have only covered several hundred miles so I was quite shocked.

Another possible cause years ago was moisture condensing on the filler neck which was cooler than the engine and it formed the mayonnaise type cream. Eventually this would find it's way around to other places and breather pipes on older cars which would then block if not removed.

I have read somewhere of this being an issue for someone else I believe.
Seems like The dealer has another issue to deal with now then !!!!
Go check yours guys and gals and lets get a census of how common this is and why.
Are we dealing with an engine issue or is this going to be defined by the manufacturer as a "characteristic" that we have to live with.


Please feed back

Mr rugby.

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FocusArmy
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Post by FocusArmy »

Just checked. Also have a creamy sludge under oil cap that had a strong smell of petrol!
Mr rugby
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Post by Mr rugby »

Thankyou FocusArmy, be worth keeping an eye on this and I will let you know when mine goes in for a check and software update.
I know this 3 cylinder 1.2L Engine / generator combo is a new design, but the previous 1.2L 4 cylinder turbo from Renault wasn't without it's problems from what I have read, so lets hope this new block is more reliable.

Mr rugby
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FocusArmy
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Post by FocusArmy »

Yeah I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it. Especially the smell!!
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FocusArmy
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Post by FocusArmy »

The issue has been brought up in a Facebook group.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/HiAhgaR73BhNK8YT/
Coutainville
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Post by Coutainville »

According to Renault it is normal, nothing to worry about. What had a Clio for 10 years and it had the same mayo stuff, the engine never missed a bit.
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FocusArmy
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Post by FocusArmy »

Mr rugby wrote: Fri Apr 19, 2024 9:57 pm Thankyou FocusArmy, be worth keeping an eye on this and I will let you know when mine goes in for a check and software update.

Mr rugby
Have the service centre got back to you yet on this issue?
Mr rugby
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Post by Mr rugby »

FocusArmy wrote: Mon Apr 22, 2024 11:49 am
Mr rugby wrote: Fri Apr 19, 2024 9:57 pm Thankyou FocusArmy, be worth keeping an eye on this and I will let you know when mine goes in for a check and software update.

Mr rugby
Have the service centre got back to you yet on this issue?
It goes in next week. I will let you know.

Mr rugby
Mr rugby
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Post by Mr rugby »

Well the response from the dealer was that the sludge is common. He refuted any head gasket fears, instead going down the condensation and oil type route that will only accumulate under the filler cap area he explained which can then be safely wiped away.
As I had listed this as an item to be checked I removed the cap the following day expecting the sludge to have been cleaned away during the garage inspection (assuming they looked of course).
No such luck, the sludge was still present in the filler neck and had even topped itself up a little following my previous check a week earlier where I had finger dipped it for a smell test..
Bit disappointed they never saw fit to clean it for me on a car that's only done one thousand miles. I removed it myself today so I can establish a benchmark on how quickly it returns.
I must confess I don't like this issue, I don't think it is an engine characteristic that is going to help engine longevity, water and oil don't mix, you can call it condensation if you wish, but it is water in some form creating this emulsified cream.
Modern high quality synthetic oils shouldn't be producing this surely ?

Keep a check all, who knows where this stuff will find it's way around in a year or two's time. If you don't check, you won't know.

I would like your comments on this.

Mr rugby
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FocusArmy
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Post by FocusArmy »

It's the smell of petrol in the oil cap and sludge that still concerns me!
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