Bit if white

[Rustybear]

Checked the oil today, noticed some white sludge on the oil cap when i took it off, heard this can be the norm on the golf gti mk5 engine but just wanted expert views as also aware could be fine of possible head casket failure 

 Its been cold of late done this way, done about 200 miles last week compared by my usual 5 mile per day commute just in case that makes a difference. Needed about half litre of oil, don't know if others same but when oil gets low the car seems noisier engine/drive wise (sorry not technically minded) 

[homesqueeze]

This sludge can be perfectly normal if you are doing a low mileage. I get a lot of it if I'm regularly doing short distances, especially in winter. However it does get better after a good long distance drive.
As for letting the oil get low, this is something you should never do! Keep a good eye on it and top it up before it gets low.

[Tortaruga]

I had this when I bought mine. I think it's water condensing at the filler cap area; it seems to happen in cold weather when you drive short journeys.

Give it a good run and use your right foot properly for a while 

[MC71]

I had this when I bought mine. I think it's water condensing at the filler cap area; it seems to happen in cold weather when you drive short journeys.

Give it a good run and use your right foot properly for a while 

I was just about to say that! 

Noticed a similar thing when I first got my car, thought nothing off it .  If you've only had to put 1/2 a litre in then your not low, takes about 5 Ltrs to fill.  Check once a week as a matter of course and you'll never get to the point of the light coming on. I always carry 1 Ltr of Castrol Edge in the boot.

 

[scottm72]

as said prob just your short journeys, my mk4 I had for 4 years had this problem all the time, always sludge, technicians could not figure it out but was not the head gasket, turned out the breather pipes where full of sludge which was passing through to the oil tank, it never stopped my car this problem but I got the garage to clear out the pipes and I changed my oil to one that is designed for short journeys.
I had this sludge for 3 years, after the pipes where cleaned and oil changed it got a lot better.
it was a combination of doing like 5 miles a day and the wrong oil used, you can buy oil that is more geared to short use for most engines but I don't know what one it is for the mk5.
one thing I still had to do was continually top up every 6 weeks or so,,,maybe a litre at a time but I got used to it,,,,, engine always had a slight murmour on idle but it served me well and never broke down once so I accepted it.
maybe look into the diff oils and check your levels weekly at least until this is sorted out, maybe a new oil filter would be usefull also and an oil flush additive which is about £10 but check suitability for your engine

[swgti]

As above mine was really bad in the first few months after bought it to the point it went back to the dealer for compression tests to see if the head gasket was gone. Still doing the same type of short trips but since it was serviced in Feb not noticed any at all so will be interesting to see if the cold weather has a bearing on it.