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So I appear to have developed two new behaviours. I'm hesitant to call them faults just yet since I'm not convinced there's actually a problem...

Behaviour 1: The oil warning light

The oil warning light appears to have started coming on when the handbrake is on. It goes off when the handbrake is off. For the moment I'm putting this down to an electrical fault since there appears to be plenty of oil on the dipstick and no observable leaks or puddles.

Behaviour 2: Mayonnaise on oil cap

This confuses me a little, since mayonnaise on the oil cap has always meant to me that there's condensation in the engine or that there's a leak between the water jacket and the oil. The latter seems ludicrous so I've discarded that, but condensation in an air-cooled engine that's used reasonably well for 20-60 minutes at a time?

Does anyone have any thoughts or comments? Should I be worried by either of these new behaviours?

Thanks!

Stuart

I would pull the dash out, its only 4 screw mounts and then you can check for stray wires etc.

After a damp period especially doing a lot of short trips I sometimes get a little white on the inside of the oil filler as you describe, but its often more like just drops of water. A long run to get everything up to temp usually clears it.

I have had your issue as well. I agree with the short trip theory. When I lived where it was damp, often this would occur. I just wipe it off and not worry. It may correct itself when you change oil. You may also notice this whiteish stuff when you remove the valve covers to check clearance, especially in the third cylinder cover as this one gets less air circulation (why, can't figure it). I would think this one would be the hottest.

Cheers

Thanks to you both

Further information available.

It turns out that my oil warning light coming on when the handbrake is on is a slight misdiagnosys.

After much digging and consultation of circuit diagrams I noticed something absolutely critical to the diagnosys.

The lights on my dash were labelled in a different order to the ones on the circuit diagram.

Bearing this new information in mind and now revising the testing I tried the handbrake and oil pressure (i.e. ignition on but no engine running vs engine running) and checked the lights.

My labels for the handbrake and oil pressure were back to front!

So, after much careful jiggling of the plastic cover I have now swapped the two labels and my Pinz now indicates exactly what I'd expect it to indicate

Well that explains a lot! So maybe its just a bit of damp air and cold running causing the problem and nothing more. I take it your air filter is in good condition.

ScottishPinz wrote:Well that explains a lot! So maybe its just a bit of damp air and cold running causing the problem and nothing more. I take it your air filter is in good condition.

About time to check, I suspect. I had a look at the airbox today with the intention of investigating snorkel ideas. Looks like a pretty crude cylindrical airbox. Is the filter a close fit to a readily available filter?

If there's mayonnaise on the cap of the filler make a sandwich
(sorry couldn't help it)
But on a serious not it's no bigy this usually happens to me if the climate is cold or if it has been raning and I drive it for short runs, cold weather equals condensation on the air