white substance in the air system :s

[Guest]

following on from my post about needing parts, I've been tinkering under the bonnet a bit, just new plugs and a bit of TLC and changing the coolant temp sensor, as described here:

http://www.lovehorsepower.com/SubaruDocs/CoolantTempSensor.html

If anyone has the time to have a peek they'll be rewarded with a vision of my afternoons labour!

Anyways, as I was removing the hoses from the intake pipe I noticed some white matter in there. The only place I've seen that before is under the oil filler on an old Fiat which had lost the head gasket. Now, I'm under the impression that this white stuff is what happens when oil and water mix under pressure and is indicative of needing a new head gasket, I'm hoping that you wise people are going to say something along the lines of áll legacy's have that, you just need to clean it out once in a while...

Here's hoping...

[Guest keltik]

Oil vapor from the head breathers combines with moisture in the air or condensation from inside the engine and forms that film in the intake. Also small dust particles that the filter doesnt catch eventually build up in there.

[Guest]

:D :D That's exactly what I wanted to hear! Thanks for that mate.

Is there a quick and easy way of clearing it out at all? I'd quite like the pipes not clogged up with filth if possible but I'm not sure I can be bothered to take the thing to bits again tomorrow

[Guest keltik]

I just ignore it. As long as you dont have a thick scummy buildup it shouldnt be a problem

[Guest]

hmm, it was pretty thick. I blew the tubes out and then the had a problem starting when warm (which I'm putting down to a blockage to to moving the scum around). Is it a case of pulling everything out and giving it a clean then?

[Guest keltik]

Would need a good pic of it to get a better idea of what it could be.

[Guest]

Ok, I'll get the camera out tomorrow