Need pro advice for the quest of overheat/color oil

[TX S3]

I bought a 97 M3/4 yesterday. Through the excitement, I forgot one thing. Open up the oil cap this AM, noticed a chocolate soft chewy left over under the oil cap and surrounding opening. But the owner use 5/40 Syntec and change ever 4K miles. Im begining to think or fear overheat or crack head gasket...does anyone every look under their oil cap...please let me know. Also what is the bulb size for the dash, my temp gauge was dark last night, only the gas the RPM came on last night...much thanks :rolleyes

[nicom3]

yes usually its a good thing to look under the oil cap, sometimes the mirkyness you are describing is condensation. I would really only start to worry if the vehicle is overheating while your driving at a constant state i.e. your driving and your temp needle goes up then down then up then down etc etc etc. to the point that it stays up.

How many miles are on your m3/4? Another thing if you are concerned with your HG is that when you drive off you have a cloud of white smoke trailing behind you. or when you go to change your spark plugs there is oil mirky residue on your plugs.

ANd another thing is why the owner used 5w40 every 4k. Just for safe measures i use 5w30 mobil 1 synthetic every 3k. But thats just me. Good luck with your new m3

[andylv]

As nicom3 stated the stuff under the oil cap could be just be condensation, pull the dip stick and see if the milky stuff shows up there too.

Check the exhaust for smoke only after the car has fully warmed up, you can get steam out fo the exhaust from the car running rich during warm up at this time of year.

Doing either a leak down test or compression check will tell you for sure if you have a problem.

[hellrot325]

I would really only start to worry if the vehicle is overheating while your driving at a constant state i.e. your driving and your temp needle goes up then down then up then down etc etc etc. to the point that it stays up. I don't believe this is a symptom of a blown HG. The othe rpoints are well taken...the cap can be condensation, but if its alot then plan on the worse. White smoke (coolant burning off) coolant on the dipstick...change your oil and see if there is coolant in it...or check for oil in your coolant...it will be floating at the top of the reservior (this is wat I found). All indicate a blown HG and should be taken care of ASAP.

Too late to say check this stuff out before you buy the car :rolleyes

[nicom3]

I don't believe this is a symptom of a blown HG. The othe rpoints are well taken...the cap can be condensation, but if its alot then plan on the worse. White smoke (coolant burning off) coolant on the dipstick...change your oil and see if there is coolant in it...or check for oil in your coolant...it will be floating at the top of the reservior (this is wat I found). All indicate a blown HG and should be taken care of ASAP.

Too late to say check this stuff out before you buy the car :rolleyes

I never said it was the symptoms of a blown HG, i was just simply stating the fact that he bought a new car and all these things he hadnt checked out. Trust me i had a blwon head gasket and it pretty much killed my engine because the of the severity of it all. But i do agree with that the mix of having coolant in your oil and vice versa is pretty much indications of a blown HG. I've seen it and its just not pretty when it happened to me :(

[hellrot325]

I never said it was the symptoms of a blown HG, i was just simply stating the fact that he bought a new car and all these things he hadnt checked out. Trust me i had a blwon head gasket and it pretty much killed my engine because the of the severity of it all. But i do agree with that the mix of having coolant in your oil and vice versa is pretty much indications of a blown HG. I've seen it and its just not pretty when it happened to me :( Ok, but you said this "I would really only start to worry if the vehicle is overheating while your driving at a constant state i.e. your driving and your temp needle goes up then down then up then down etc etc etc. to the point that it stays up."...that's why I commented. And you're right, when I saw that oil in the coolant it was not pretty, nor was my language. Good excuse to add some M3 cams when they head comes off...you know, as long as I'm doing the head... :D

[TX S3]

I have to hand it to you boys...Yall really know your shit!
I look and it seems like every one tells me of the condensation. I dont meant murky or anything, but that sort of cruddy craps around the cap and opening, but than I thought of could it be the rust on the metal blade under the oil cap? I pull the dipstick out, just pure fresh oil. No white smoke or liquid squirt on the pipes. I felt some what better after reading you guys opinions. it has 64 K on it. An older lady own it and change oil frequently. Why the 5 40, beat the hell out of me, I did not know such exist. There is a oil change sticker on the windshield indicated-5/40 Syntec?

[beatniks325]

she probably didn't get the engine warmed up and revved up to properly burn off the moisture, thus the gunk on the cap.

[torquey]

I bought a 97 M3/4 yesterday. Through the excitement, I forgot one thing. Open up the oil cap this AM, noticed a chocolate soft chewy left over under the oil cap and surrounding opening.
Good choice on the new purchase. I have the exact same thing in my car ever since I bought it @ 63k, which is waaay to early for a blown HG. Besides car runs very strong, and both spark plugs and dip-sticks look clean. I even ran lubro moly motor-clean wanting to get rid of any sludge deposit on the internals.

It could very well be a TX climate thing. I wouldn't worry about it too much, just clean that crap out and see it develops again. Enjoy the ///M :)

[hellrot325]

I have the exact same thing in my car ever since I bought it @ 63k, which is waaay to early for a blown HG. You can blow a HG at 63 miles if you overheat :rolleyes