VW Golf - water in the oil tank

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Tue 6 Mar 2007 13:56
VW Golf - water in the oil tank - botchjob
To cut a a long story short, my wife has just managed to pour 2 litres of water into the oil filler, thinking it was the radiator filler. Fortunately she realised her error before starting up the engine (well, a passing bloke pointed it out to her....). The car is currently being towed home by the breakdown service. Seeing as the engine hasn't been turned, would I be right in thinking/hoping that it is a simple matter of completely draining and replacing the oil ? Or is it more complicated than that (i.e. it's a garage job)?

Any helpful advice would be gratefully received. The car is a 10 year old Golf {added to subject header, as per one of the sticky requests at the top of the page - DD}. Many thanks in advance.
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Tue 6 Mar 2007 14:11
VW Golf - water in the oil tank - Peter D
The water will have gone straight to the bottom of the sump. Obtain new filter a cheap oil for flush the water out, a bottle of meths and a decent oil to finish it off. Drain it all out replace the plug and add the 1/2 ltr of meths. know rock the car for 2 mins then immediately remove the sump plug and drain, replace the plug and add 1/2 to 3/4 ltr of cheap oil, then drain again, fill with the cheap oil and run for 15 mins, Remove oil becareful it will be hot, then change the filter and fill with decent oil. There may ahve been some water trapped up in the head thus the meths which is dydroscopic followed by the 3/4 of oil. Run the car as normal and keep an eye on an emulsion forming on the oilf filler cap, clean off as required. Regards Peter
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Tue 6 Mar 2007 14:14
VW Golf - water in the oil tank - oilrag
"hoping that it is a simple matter of completely draining and replacing the oil"

Yes, do that then take it for a long run, about an hour to dry it further, then change the oill again, this time with the oil filter too.
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Tue 6 Mar 2007 14:17
VW Golf - water in the oil tank - oilrag
Dont add Meths ! Use heat from a run to get remaining moisture out after 1st oil change, then change again........ with filter.
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Tue 6 Mar 2007 18:14
VW Golf - water in the oil tank - Peter D
This head has got recessed valve spring pockets and cam followers., and although the is a flash plate under the filler the head will have retained some water and displaced the oil The meths helps to resolve this issue and the 3/4 lts or so of oil will displace the water and the oil down into the sump and eventually out the plug hole. To drive for an housr which a I agree with, but with excess water in the oil is unwaise as this can often led to the hydrualic cam followers being polluted with water and failing. Regards Peter
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Tue 6 Mar 2007 18:37
VW Golf - water in the oil tank - George Porge
Taking the cam cover off is an easy DIY task, maybe this is the way to go for the cost of a gasket?
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