Oil change A3 2.0L TDI 140

[Geraldy212]

I have recently purchased an Audi A3 Sportback. It is just over one year old. The service book says it was serviced at around 15,000kms. It now stands at just over 16,000Kms. I looked at the oil, and it seems to me to be well used. It is quite black. This is my first diesel. I half suspect that the garage did not change the oil at this first service. Can any member please help me with some answers? a) is this normal? b) Should I go ahead and change the oil anyway, for peace of mind? c) Does the ECU measure oil quality? Any help most appreciated.

[billshoreham]

Just bought a 55 2.0 tdi dsg with 16700 miles. Service records showed oil change at 15559. Checked the levels after a couple of days, oil very dirty. My reaction was the same. The dealer collected the car, 75 miles each way and left me another. The workshop checked and confirmed, in writing, that it was OK. Apparently it goes dirty almost immediately. They also gave me a spare bottle of oil in one of those pouches. Very nice!

[billshoreham]

and I was told that the ecu measures oil quality. Sounds right.

[Geraldy212]

Thanks Billshoreham, that's very reassuring. Yesterday, I took the car to my local garage guy. He looked at the oil, and said just about the same thing. He said that new oil in a diesel does darken very quickly, and recommended for my peace-of-mind that I waited for about another 2,000kms, and then had the oil/filter changed just to be 100% sure. The next service is due in about 10,000kms (or six months). I am not sure how the ecu measures oil quality, perhaps by the pressure differential across the filter..??? Nice if it does however. Again, thanks for taking the time to reply. Cheers.

[davelympany]

hi mate, we got 2.0 tdi sportsback new in 2005, why do these engines use so much oil? Is it a design fault, we had a new freelander before and it never used a drop.....strange, love the audi though

dave

[Geraldy212]

Dave, I was told by the garage that the TDI 140 would normally use about a quarter of a litre of oil per 1,000 kms. I have not had our sportback long enough to calibrate this. So far, the oil consumption does not seem excessive. Perhaps another member would have a better idea of the average oil consumption we should expect. It may also be linked to the s.a.e number of the oil you are using, and your normal journey distances/speeds etc. Since your car could still be under warrenty, you could take it back to Audi for them to take a look if you are worried.

[davelympany]

hi,

I would`nt say worried is the word as more concerned as to why a brand new diesel engine would use .25 L of oil every 600 miles, do you think thats acceptable? I dont. There is only 1 spec of oil to use and its got to be the longlife type oil, but you know that already.
A plumber mate of mine as the VW 2.0 tdi Transporter van and its costing him the £12 per Litre or so every 2 k!!!

I think a lot of it is down to driving style as well, my wife drives it much more that myself and we have used 1 litre between service intervals. An audi `technician` as they liked to be called said it isnt a design fault.......so why have the other new cars I have owned, freelander, rover (both diesels) never used a drop of oil in their first 40k of life......

If you google this you will find hundreds of posts relating to audi/golf tdi excessive oil consumption, if anyone reading these posts have an answer to this topic I would be interested to know

Cheers Dave

[M7ROD]

I have a VW Golf with the TDI PD engine. I bought it brand new in 2001 and have had it ever since. The low oil warning light came on after about 4,000 miles and for about the next 30,000 miles I had to top up between services (10,000 intervals). It has now done 60,000 miles and now hardly uses even a drop of oil. It runs very smoothly. I think diesels are just about run in at 50,000 with an easy 250,000 plus miles ahead (look at taxis and lorries). I suspect your TDI is just fine and is bedding in.

My dilema now is whether to service it myself as I am pretty fed up paying VW nearly 200 quid for an oil / filter change and a couple of other filters which simply clip out - oh and a lub of the door hinges. Those shinny glass palaces at main dealers cost a fortune and it is these and their company cars we all contribute to - yet cars are so much simpler to service compared to the days of points, tappets, pedal adjustments, etc. There is only about 30 mins of semi skilled work today and the essential parts are just 3 filters (oil, air, diesel and rather expensive engine oil). Legalised rip off to stamp the book.

[davelympany]

Here here! Unfortunately I have to keep getting ripped off at the main dealers, but believe me when the warranty expires, i shall be taken my sportback down to my local garage, I think as long as it gets serviced and a stamp in the book, ok it might knock a few hundred quid off selling later on but for what you would have to keep paying at the MD its worth it I reckon.......

Back to the point of oil consumption, I just find it strange why this particular engine uses so much oil initially compared to many other diesel engines`......I sure hope mine will settle down once its bedded in....

[Geraldy212]

Dave, I agree that a simple oil and filter change should be well within our expertise as practical people. My only worry is what else is done at these service intervals. Do they update the ECM software, reset the ECM parameters, or make any other service actions? These things we would find rather difficult to do by ourselves. I would love it if someone would outline what is supposed to be done at the main service intervals for this 2.0L TDI engine/DSG gearbox assembly.