Astra 1.6 with mayo in engine oil

if the top cover breather system is blocked then you will have this fault. some models have had a modified breather box iirc. I have often found the breather system blocked, particularly the vacuum connection on the manifold. Of course if it has been used for lots of short journeys the problem will be worse and take longer to get right. An oil change and a good blast (with the breathers all clear) will probably fix it completely.

I see what you mean, I just popped over and had a look but I can't get the airbox cover off properly, but managed to squeeze it open and the filter looks clean, well, the few inches of it that I saw. I'm not all that good with engines and it'll just end up broken if I start taking attachments apart so I'll throw it at a garage in a couple of weeks to flush the oil out, but new stuff in and a new filter and while they're at it they can check the breathers. Ta.

I was not actually talking about the air filter, but the engine breather system which is rather different and harder to do than the air filter, so perhaps a pro. should look at it.

Okay. Would an engine warning light come on if there was a breather problem? As there aren't any coming on.

No. in general something electrical has to fail before the light will come on.

Take it straight back to where she bought it as it's knackered! The mayonnaise is a mixture of oil and water. Removing it will do no good, it will get to the point of damaging the engine completely if it hasn't already. It could be the usual head gasket or a leak inside an oil cooler if it is fitted with one. Changing the oil will do no good, it will not fix the problem. The oil is for lubrication and a certain amount of cooling, but if it's mixing with water it will not do the engine any good. The repair bill will be a few hundred as it will probably need a new cambelt, water pump and new oil, new oil filter, new coolant etc. It depends on how much damage has been done. Obviously you can't trust what is written in the service book. If it's a main dealer get it back to them and complain. If it's a smaller garage then why didn't anyone go and check the car out first? I always check the oil level, fluid levels and colour of fluids and unscrew the oil filler cap to have a look. It's a very basic thing to do. Don't forget some coolants do change colour, so how do you know it is still the same as it was a few months ago?

Take it back, have it repaired and then fight over who is paying. If you don't the car will not last much longer. Short journeys are nothing to do with mechanical failure or gasket failures. That is some crap used by so-called experts that haven't any real experience of cars. I've never killed a battery or EGR valve from short journeys, or a DPF for that matter!

no its not ! its caused by condensation, some renaults suffered the same problem but in the breather tube, they had a recall which resulted in the tube being wrapped in the similiar type of foam you wrap round exposed water pipes in the home.

I've never

lucky then aint yer !

Utter tripe snipped.

Dear original poster,

Please ignore the garbage "Clive" posts, here and anywhere else.

I don't know specifically about the Astra engine in your Mum's car, but I know that Corsas of the same age suffer with engine condensation problems, even from new and with no faults.

If you get the things checked that the ever helpful Mr Cheerful has suggested, I'm sure your Mum will get many satisfactory miles from the car.

Chris

Although be aware it /might/ have a knackered head gasket. Draining the oil & refilling it won't get all the mayo out if it is condensation, you still may need to blat it around with the foot to the floor afterwards. (On Vauxhaulls you can normally spot a headgasket failure with a compression test)

Thanks for he advice, but seeing as you didn't actually bother to read my original post I don't think I'll bother.