Burning oil

[CarolineT]

Hi 

My Audi A4 convertible has started burning oil at an alarming rate. When I check the oil it's very black which suggest the pistons rings are wearing out. 

Going out this evening and will need to top it again for a 60 mile round trip. 

It's a 2003 - 119k miles.  2.4 engine. 

Has anyone had this happen and is it very expensive to mend? 

Asking sadly as I LOVE my car and it's going to break my heart to say goodbye to her. 

Advice and recommendations much appreciated, 

One very sad Audi owner, 

Caroline

 

 

[Stevey Y]

Hi, is there a lot of blue smoke from the exhaust when you accelerate, if not I would get the car checked for major oil leaks before condemning the engine, the only other thing it could be is one of Audis famous loose engines which I have no doubt  some of the members on here have come across.

Steve.

[Magnet]

Hello Caroline,

Thanks for being in touch.

Perhaps you could let us know if you have owned the car long enough to know that this is an issue that has arisen during your ownership, or if you have bought a car with which you have inherited an already known issue. 
The fact that the engine oil is very black because the piston rings are wearing out, is an assumption - it could be black because it hasn’t been changed for some time. Could you tell us when the car last had a quality oil and filter change? 
If this were mine, I would first be treating it to a quality oil and filter change using say Quantum oil and a Bosch or Mann filter. You will then have a basing point from which to gauge its oil consumption. I would also be doing what Steve suggests, and taking the car for a 10 mile run to ensure the oil is up to operating temperature, then leaving the car idle for a couple of minutes and blip the accelerator and observe any blue smoke from the exhaust. If this clears, rev the engine to about 3000rpm fairly quickly and again observe any blue smoke. 
We take it there aren’t any visible oil leaks.

Perhaps you could let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Twisty24]

Hi. I’ve come across a very similar issue with a 2012 A5 which over time burned a lot of oil. Audi garage advised the 2.0TFsi engine pre 2013 was renowned for the piston rings being too small and hence leaked oil. They quoted £1k to fix. 
Not the news you probably wanted to hear, but I imagine you are spending a lot of money a month on oil.

Thanks

Nick 

[Magnet]

Thanks Nick,

Its a shame Caroline - the original poster- hasn’t returned to the forum since 20 minutes after she joined, so all the comments are currently to no avail. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

[Stevey Y]

11 hours ago, Magnet said:

Thanks Nick,

Its a shame Caroline - the original poster- hasn’t returned to the forum since 20 minutes after she joined, so all the comments are currently to no avail. 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

Hi Gareth, I agree with the no avail bit,  you do get quite a bit of this on this forum , using reverse psychology I think what happens is they buy these cars off of the back of rave reviews from their mates and a lot of other experts who have never owned an Audi but know someone who has,  the old statement They Never go Wrong is applied and its a done deal, no consideration is given when buying older vehicles so they get very aggrieved when they go wrong as they were told it wouldn't.

Both yourself and every other long term member on this site are all aware of the fact that at some point your car will go wrong, thats the whole point of this forum but certain individuals such as this one expect someone with the most sketchy information to pull the right answer out of their backside or if in this case it sounds like It may cost money they shy away from it, I bought my first Audi off  of the back of my mechanics statement, if you look after it like you have with your other cabs its its more than good for the miles, he was right they do go wrong same as anything, but not that often.

Steve.