Engine blown?

Lambytone

Member
Hi, ive only owned this car, 53 plate 1.6fsi since mid December. 134,000 on clock. Its been ok other than oil light warning coming on abt a month ago. I've been regularly putting oil in as a precaution but the dip stick doesn't seem that good for indication. Any way I put abt half a litre of oil in this morning and was driving up a hill about an hour later when the car started losing power and started rattling then lots of smoke. Managed to pull into a side road off the hill and checked the oil. Nothing indicated on dip stick. Spoke to my local garage they said to put oil in. I've put another one and half litres in as that's what I had in the car. Checked oil again about 15 min later and still nothing on dip stick. Have started car and it sounds ok but then really heavy smoke. Garage says it sounds like the turbo but there is no turbo on the 1.6 fsi petrol? Have I blown the engine? Any ideas. Thanks.
 
I guess at the point the oil light came on there was a problem. Sounds like you have been guessing and filling up the car with oil in the hope that was the issue but the light indicates more than just that the car is short on oil :)

It does sound like something major has happened tbh but maybe you could get someone local to do a quick scan of the car.
 
Other than the oil warning about a month ago a bulb warning yesterday its been ok. There was no lights earlier and no warning other than the loss of power then rattle then smoke.
 
Bet the dipstick end is broken off and the car has been way over-filled with oil, which is now finding its way through the PCV system and/or past the piston rings in the bores under pressure. If the coolant level is fine, drain the oil and put back the correct amount, you might just save it. The catalyst won't have liked the dose it just received though, so this car may not be a long-term bet.
 
The end of the dip stick appeared fine, min ,max level but nothing on the stick itself. I've left the car where it is and it's gonna be recovered to a garage tomorrow but I just went back to the car to recover a baby seat and checked the oil and its now showing . Started the car and sounds OK but just loads of grey smoke.
 
Approximately how much oil have you put in since December and how many miles have you done?
 
If the coolant level is fine, drain the oil and put back the correct amount, you might just save it.

^^ This: dipsticks have various issues, and if it's been replaced in the past you may have the incorrect one. If the sump's drained, measured and refilled (which also give the opportunity to examine the oil for anything nasty) you'll have definitive proof the dipstick and its tube are correct.

Oil sensors seem to fail across the range: I've had one each on 1.4i (level), TDi 75 (pressure) and bought a 1.6FSi that flashes oil pressure light as well. Therefore the oil light issues may be real or electrical.

I literally wouldn't run it (even into a workshop) until the oil's been drained and checked. If it's hugely over-filled at the moment every time it's started reduces the odds of a successful save. For the sake of a couple of blokes pushing it onto the ramp, it's just not worth the risk.
 
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Bought mid December, went down with covid a couple of days later and had various issues since, so been off work nearly 2 and half months, general round town driving and one 30 mile round trip when the oil warning light came on. Have barely done 400 miles since buying it. Have put about 4 litres in since buying it and after the oil warning light came on, put 2 litres in earlier and thats included in the 4 litre total.
 
As said drain engine oil and ideally catch and measure how much comes out, then refil with correct amount imagine 4 litres but never worked on these engines, my feeling too is it simply has too much oil in it!
 
Bought mid December, went down with covid a couple of days later and had various issues since, so been off work nearly 2 and half months, general round town driving and one 30 mile round trip when the oil warning light came on. Have barely done 400 miles since buying it. Have put about 4 litres in since buying it and after the oil warning light came on, put 2 litres in earlier and thats included in the 4 litre total.

Hope you and car make good recoveries!
 
If the car has lost 4L of oil (and isn't hugely over-filled) it is fairly likely that a large amount of that will have gone out the bottom of the engine bay - is it very oily on the undertray?
 
As said drain engine oil and ideally catch and measure how much comes out, then refil with correct amount imagine 4 litres but never worked on these engines, my feeling too is it simply has too much oil in it!
In my experience it tends to be about 3.8 - 3.9 litres to get the level back to the centre of the dipstick (which takes several attempts + wipes before a reading can be taken). If the oil filter isn't taken off it could even be a bit less than that.
 
Bought mid December, went down with covid a couple of days later and had various issues since, so been off work nearly 2 and half months, general round town driving and one 30 mile round trip when the oil warning light came on. Have barely done 400 miles since buying it. Have put about 4 litres in since buying it and after the oil warning light came on, put 2 litres in earlier and thats included in the 4 litre total.

That is a huge amount of oil, if had leaked that you'd have left a trail everywhere and if it had burnt that you'd be able to see the smokescreen for miles. I agree with previous comments, likely overfilled at present.
 
Bought mid December, went down with covid a couple of days later and had various issues since, so been off work nearly 2 and half months, general round town driving and one 30 mile round trip when the oil warning light came on. Have barely done 400 miles since buying it. Have put about 4 litres in since buying it and after the oil warning light came on, put 2 litres in earlier and thats included in the 4 litre total.
As said drain engine oil and ideally catch and measure how much comes out, then refil with correct amount imagine 4 litres but never worked on these engines, my feeling too is it simply has too much oil in it!
Ok thanks will have a look tomorrow.
That is a huge amount of oil, if had leaked that you'd have left a trail everywhere and if it had burnt that you'd be able to see the smokescreen for miles. I agree with previous comments, likely overfilled at present.
Recovery picked the car up this morning. Started it up as in a dead end and reversed out then rolled down hill to recovery truck. Engine sounded ok but lots of grey white/smoke. I didn't check coolant. Dropped car off at the garage. I've never used them before but lots of audi/vw in yard. Told the guy what happened and how much oil I've put in. And said what most have said on here and he said he agreed but will check it out and get back to me. Just have to wait now. Thanks
 
Just had a call from the garage. There was 8 litres of oil in the sump. Theyve drained and refilled the sump and the smoking has cleared. So that corresponds with how much oil ive put in since ive owned it. So hopefully all ok. Will pick the car up later and see what happens. Will have to look at the oil pressure switch as well.
 
Just had a call from the garage. There was 8 litres of oil in the sump. Theyve drained and refilled the sump and the smoking has cleared. So that corresponds with how much oil ive put in since ive owned it. So hopefully all ok. Will pick the car up later and see what happens. Will have to look at the oil pressure switch as well.

I was about to say, have they replaced the oil sensor?
 
I was about to say, have they replaced the oil sensor?
No they haven't changed the sensor but apparently the oil level sensor wiring plug is damaged and has had a botch repair done to it so that may be why the oil light came on in the first place. They have put oil in and said to pop back in a week or so to check the level. They also said the dip stick was hard to make out and had to use engine data to see how much oil it needed. Will there be repair part for the level sensor loom/ plug?
 
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