Polo dripping oil

[VickyM]

I have discovered that my 1.0 W reg Polo is dripping oil (quite a slow drip) on to our drive. The car is driving OK. I have checked the dip stick and there is still sufficient oil but I have just noticed that the coolant level is below minimum. I really hope it isn't the head gasket (not that I know what one is) as I understand it is pricey to fix. Any other ideas from anyone please? Any advice gratefully received by one who knows very little beyond the basics about engines! Thanks.

[pologt]

You would really need to get your hands dirty and find out where the oil is leaking from. It could be many other areas than the head gasket.

Head gasket failure often causes the oil and water to mix inside the engine rather than leak out so you're looking for dirty water and sludgy / white oil (lift off the filler cap).

You should top the water (coolant) up to the maximum mark and see if it goes down again (although if it does it might be a simple leak)

Keep an eye of the temp gauge... head gasket failure will eventually cause overheating.

[VickyM]

Thanks for your advice. I wish I knew enough about cars to get my hands dirty! - anyway, the car is now repaired and apparantly it was a blocked air filter............ No more oil dripping so assume they have cracked it!

Thanks again.

[g40jon]

just incase you want to know how and why its happened....
there is an oil breather hose which goes up to the air filter box. this hose returns oil vapour gases into the airbox to be burnt, thus reducing emmisions. The rubber hose deteriorates over time, and often gets blocked. this causes a build up of pressure which normally forces oil out of the dipstick or any other weak place it can find.
As for the low coolant, if you have a black coolant bottle cap, these can leak slightly, so the coolant simply evapourates. The replacement ones are better and blue in colour

[VickyM]

Thanks for your very clear reply - it is useful to know why these things happen.

[crauch6]

In my Polo had similar problem, get preasure check of radiator and see if there is any leak from radiator, this 15 minutes job at the dealer.