Oil Consumption help, possible leak, new to Audi.

[A1EK]

Hi Guys

Great Forum, I have recently bought a lovely A4 1.8T cabriolet 2005 year and it drives great.

The two things I have noticed is that the coolant had a brown sludge in it, I am hoping its just contamination from different coolant types and I have thoroughly flushed the system with hot water and removed and cleaned the expansion tank, I then refilled with the pink G12 coolant from Audi.

The second issue is that I am using about 1 litre of oil every 600 miles and there is a faint oil smell inside the car. I have read on this forum that it can be a leaking timing chain gasket cover seal or camshaft cover. The leak looks like it is at the back of the engine and there is also oil residue around the injectors?

I read that a bad PCV can give the signs I have so I removed the PCV (Hockey Puck) valve and it was full of brown sludge with the two pipes on the car also blocked, I have cleaned them out the best I can and put it back on.

I have attache some photos, any help would be greatly appreciated !

[calum]

Do you have any further contamination in your coolant? It could be that the oil cooler has failed (common) and the oil is mixing with the coolant. A blocked PCV system results in the cam cover and cam chain tensioner seal leaking oil. This may account for your oil loss if it's not the oil cooler (although it does seem quite extreme)
The faint oil smell is usually caused by a leaking crankcase breather, this one
1x Seat Leon 1M1 1.8 T Cupra R Febi Engine Air Crankcase Breather Hose/Pipe | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-Seat-Leon-1M1-1-8-T-Cupra-R-Febi-Engine-Air-Crankcase-Breather-Hose-Pipe-/302001824401?hash=item4650b62291:g:ApsAAOSw-FZXkQ2w)
The staining around the injectors is from the O rings leaking when under boost, cheap and simple fix.

[A1EK]

Do you have any further contamination in your coolant? It could be that the oil cooler has failed (common) and the oil is mixing with the coolant. A blocked PCV system results in the cam cover and cam chain tensioner seal leaking oil. This may account for your oil loss if it's not the oil cooler (although it does seem quite extreme)
The faint oil smell is usually caused by a leaking crankcase breather, this one
1x Seat Leon 1M1 1.8 T Cupra R Febi Engine Air Crankcase Breather Hose/Pipe | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1x-Seat-Leon-1M1-1-8-T-Cupra-R-Febi-Engine-Air-Crankcase-Breather-Hose-Pipe-/302001824401?hash=item4650b62291:g:ApsAAOSw-FZXkQ2w)
The staining around the injectors is from the O rings leaking when under boost, cheap and simple fix.
Hi calum thanks for all the items to check. I've read just the same things you've said so will do a check. Do I have to drain all the oil to check the oil cooler, ( is that the small item that the oil filter screws into?)

I checked the PCV valve and found that the pipe it pushes into was broken and the valve was open to the air . I managed to glue the rubber T Piece back and then secured it with self amalgamation rubber tape, further secured with a hose clip. I checked the PCV valve and it was clean, when i blew into it the valve spring seemed to move nice and freely too.
Back to the PRV valve, I cleaned out a lot of gunk with white spirit and also cleared a blocked hose from the air into side. PS is there a good way to check the PRV? I revved the engine and found with the bottom pipe left off the valve the air passes freely thorough it sucked from crank case, is this correct?

I appreciate all your help!

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[calum]

No you won't have to drain all the oil, just remove the oil filter, it will be messy though, a large rag underneath should catch most of the spillage, expect to top up a little oil afterwards. Once you've removed the oil filter there's a large nut to undo this will allow the oil cooler to drop down for checking. Have you had any more oil contamination in your coolant?

AUDI A6 C5 1.8T AVANT 1.8 TURBO ENGINE BREATHER HOSE PIPE VENT VACUUM 06B103221P | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A6-C5-1-8T-AVANT-1-8-TURBO-ENGINE-BREATHER-HOSE-PIPE-VENT-VACUUM-06B103221P-/272506991423?hash=item3f72aeb33f:g:aaQAAOSw-itXrOjw)

PRV should allow air to pass through both ports, once turbo is boosting the crankcase blow by gasses will be drawn into the turbo inlet pipe then through the turbo and back in to the combustion process.

Try this place if you need parts cheaper than the dealers, https://www.yell.com/biz/the-trade-parts-specialists-glasgow-8138056/

[A1EK]

No you won't have to drain all the oil, just remove the oil filter, it will be messy though, a large rag underneath should catch most of the spillage, expect to top up a little oil afterwards. Once you've removed the oil filter there's a large nut to undo this will allow the oil cooler to drop down for checking. Have you had any more oil contamination in your coolant?

AUDI A6 C5 1.8T AVANT 1.8 TURBO ENGINE BREATHER HOSE PIPE VENT VACUUM 06B103221P | eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A6-C5-1-8T-AVANT-1-8-TURBO-ENGINE-BREATHER-HOSE-PIPE-VENT-VACUUM-06B103221P-/272506991423?hash=item3f72aeb33f:g:aaQAAOSw-itXrOjw)

PRV should allow air to pass through both ports, once turbo is boosting the crankcase blow by gasses will be drawn into the turbo inlet pipe then through the turbo and back in to the combustion process.

Try this place if you need parts cheaper than the dealers, https://www.yell.com/biz/the-trade-parts-specialists-glasgow-8138056/
I'm new to Audi, i have just bought the car due to my 20 year old Mercedes CLK being written off due to an idiot who wasn't paying attention. Having said that the Audi drives far better than my Merc and the grear box is sublime, everything feels as tight as a drum too!

I removed the PRV again today and checked the rubber hose from the crack case and although dirty was still good condition, looking at the new hose clips used possibly tells me the previous owner had replaced it. However the metal pipe that goes down to the PCV was chocked up bad, in managed to clear it a fair bit with a flexible sink unblocker wire, spirit and rags. So now both the air intake hose from air filter and the one to the PCV is pretty clear.

My coolant had a little oily surface but nothing compared to how it was when i bought the car! It was think brown sludge before which I cleared out with hot water via a garden hose, I did the heater core first then the engine side, last was the expansion tank which I removed and cleaned with spirit, it was stuck to the sides!

I will check the oil cooler next time.

I was going to buy a new PRV but it seems to be okay now I've cleaned it, although I'm not sure the best way to check it?

PS how do I rev the engine whilst standing under the bonnet as I could not find any throttle cable?


Thanks for the place to get cheap parts too as I work just round the corner!! I may use them as I need to get some power steering fluid.

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[calum]

Oil cooler sounds okay if you only have residual oil deposits in coolant. You will be unable to rev the car while under the bonnet as the throttle is drive by wire.


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[A1EK]

I've noticed that there seems to be more oil sludge in my coolant so I flushed out for one more time just to see if that helps. I am suspecting now said it might be the oil cooler as there is no white smoke suggesting that the head gasket is ok and not away and also the car drives fine. Therefore if I remove the oil filter is there a good way to tell if my oil cooler is ok? Thanks

[calum]

I'd just change the oil cooler they are well known for failing and if it was the head gasket you'd expect to have pressurising in the coolant reservoir.