Went to start my trike after fixing some irritating electrical problems which turned out to be a cracked wire & the thing just would not idle. Opened the oil breather & saw a bad sight. Instead of seeing nothing or a thin film of oil but what i saw was a creamy emulsified lookin mess. same when I pulled out the dipstick. Any ideas what has happened? I have only just got it back from the mechanic where he replaced a cracked head.

It sounds like there was water in the oil. It goes like a creamy gundgy gloop. You normally see it around the oil filler cap if it's been raining a lot. If it's on your dipstick when you pull it out though it sounds like it's in your engine :/ Not sure on the best way to flush it out. Maybe a few oil changes will clean it or there may be some sort of additive you could put in the oil to clear it. Sorry I can't be of much more help than that

[Edited on 1-8-2004 by Bu99ed]

One way to get rid of the water in your oil (provided that no water is still getting into ya oil) is to change the oil with soem fresh stuff, and then take it for a looong drive - preferably on a freeway. This heats up the oil and 'boils'l out all the impurities (including the moisture) and your engine will be much happier for it... and you get to go for a nice cruise in ya VW too!

I get that stuff (looks like out-of-date mayonnaise) in cold Canberra winters when I've done lots of short trips to work and back. It happens because the engine never gets hot enough to boil off any water vapour from the air and oil in the case. As oval TOFU said, taking it for a long drive on a hot day will help. You don't have to worry about water getting into the oil in a VW aircooled motor like you do in watercooled motors (when mayonnaise can be a sign of a blown head gasket).

Mmmmmm mayonaise......