[s-cars] Wife's A4 has oil consumption/white sludge. HG?

[Nic Bode]

Brian,

My experience has been when the car is not driven for long periods of time,
ie short trips, the oil doesn't get hot enough to burn off the little water
content in the oil and this white foam builds up. Does it smell like fuel?
Just a guess from past experience. You'll see this on many cars on dealer
lots that have been there for while and they move them often just not very
far.

My wifes 99 VW Passat V6 30v uses oil between 5k oil change intervals. I
believe the more valves or the older, the more oil it uses. I say if it
isn't dripping on the floor, I wouldn't worry too much. Unless the car
behaves funny. Oil is cheap and if you can't pinpoint any strange behavior
due to low oil or oil usage, just keep driving it like you stole it. It does
need longer trips more often to rid the foam from the filler cap. Hope that
helps in the BTDT sense.

Nic