3.2 GSI with cream on Oil Filler

[vectrasimonsri]

Right guys and girls,

I have just bought a GSi 3.2 2003 and have creamy/emulsified oil forming on the oil filler cap.

WAIT! I know what your thinking, oil cooler gone, head gaskets gone!

There is no oil in the expansion tank or creaminess. I have owned more V6's than I dare say except for the Vectra C (this is my first) and never seen this. I have been informed that this can sometimes occour in the 3.2 due to it having plastic rocker covers and the condensation can sometimes cause some emulsified oil to settle under the filler cap. As said before I have never seen this before on any V6 however I have only owned 2.5's and 3.0's using the old white plenums and metal rocker covers. When I bought the car, it had been stood for a month, so when I bought it I did about 50 miles in it to blast the crap out (if this is a good way to describe it).

Then changed the oil and filter. I have just completed a 400 mile round trip and the problem is still there although improved, except due to the freshness and quality of the oil the creaminess is almost like a layer of milk on the filler cap rather than gone off cream.

I trust the car and the seller, and I cant see the head gaskets or oil cooler failing as I would have oil showing in the expansion tank and this is not the case. The car drives and runs lovely.

Can anyone shed any light on this? Is there a breather pipe issue? Are there any other known sources of water ingress? The car has been fitted with an induction cone system and cold air feed, could this be allowing moisture into the throttle body and therefore the rocker covers via the breather? I have never known a filter to cause this though?!

Seriously I have seen many things, but I am all ears on this one

[John LE]

Pretty common on the V6 mate, if you have the extension tube on the oil filler still take it off and fit the oil cap straight onto the cam cover.

The moisture sits in the extension tube

[bigmac]

very common mate

[vectrasimonsri]

Oh right, it's as simple as that, at least it's nothing terminal! I must admit I was getting worried. I will do that now and let you know what happens after driving 200 miles tomorrow.

Cheers and will post pictures soon.

Pretty common on the V6 mate, if you have the extension tube on the oil filler still take it off and fit the oil cap straight onto the cam cover.

The moisture sits in the extension tube

[vectrasimonsri]

Many thanks, feel a bit better now!

very common mate

[Big Sig]

As said its very normal. You can twist and pull the filler tube out and put the cap back in the hole thats left. Cures the problem.

[vectrasimonsri]

yes this definitely cured the problem. Many Thanks to all

[paulvectrac]

and for my dads 3.2 signum cheers

[parttimer1]

and mine, cap coming off when I do the HIDS! Had a panic there when checking the fluid levels!

[adam_92]

thanks guys. iv had this aswel. i knew it wasnt a problem and it was just slight moisture but knowing that the filler tube can be removed helps heaps