so i open up my oil cap today and i stick my finger in there and wipe the edges. i find this black dusty stuff. is this carbon and if i get too much should i be concerned? how much of this is normal?

Shouldn't be dusty. It should be oily and not too black. Sounds like a head lubricatrion problem. How often do you change your oil? Should be about every 3500 miles and that should include the oil filter. If it is in oil side, it is sludge. If the combustion side-carbon.

well i recently just bought the car. theres not a lot of that stuff on the dipstick at all, just when i open the oil cap i wipe the sides with my finger n i notice this black charcoal like stuff. i just bought an oem honda oil filter, plan on doin an oil change this weekend.

Good idea. Also take the oil cap off and look at the rocker arms and valves to see if they are wet with oil.

Also double check that the oil cap is not cracked....even a hairline crack will weaken the cap.....and let in stuff from the outside. Might be worth getting a new oil cap so you know for certain that it is ok.

i know the cap is good, i just done know whats up with the motor. maybe its been running too rich or not or maybe its just been a while since its had an oil change. like i said its this black stuff like burnt charcoal lol. i opened my dads car today and i found some in the oil cap too but just not as much. he did just recently do an oil change tho.