Drinking Oil

doctor

Member
Since my first service Oct06 my 1.4petrol SE is complaining of low oil (manual checks regular!). Prior to this my oil level was well balanced and requiring top ups rarely.
The car does very little motorway driving, mainly around town stop starts.
Is this common or should I get my Audi peeps to take a look as it is still in warranty?
Perhaps this is normal (define normal) for my A2 but would have expected it to highlight earlier and can only think of this service as being a clear change of consumption

doctor
 
Hi doctor
I can't think of anything related to the service which would suddenly have such a dramatic impact on oil consumption apart from the type of oil used. It could be worth discussing your concerns with the garage.

Cheers Spike
 
Thanks Spike I shall email the service manager and see what they say, probably monitor it for a while.

doctor
 
Hi doctor
The wrong oil theory is a bit of a long shot but it could happen - not sure if a dealer would ever admit to it though.
Assuming there are no external leaks, engines use oil in the following ways
Sucked down the valve stems (worn valve guides / valve stem seals)
Gets past the piston rings (worn bores / rings)
Oil mist from crancase breather into air intake (worn bores / rings)

Assuming non of these things have suddenly happened to your (1.4 petrol)car, using a thicker grade oil often means the piston oil ring cannot cope, allowing more oil into the combustion chamber. A thinner oil gives the oil rings an easier time and they can wipe the bores more efficiently - but it can get sucked down the valve guides easier.

Hope this helps Spike
 
another long shot: make sure the dip stick is in properly, I remember with my A2 that when I put the dip stick back it would not go in all the way and kept popping up leaving the top of the tube open which may let oil out when under pressure. just a thought
 
I have topped up with Castrol 50-30w (Gold bottle) Specially for Audi/VW (cost a fortune) oil which is the light one I believe. I suppose in my email to the SM I can ask which oil they used in the service. I don't see any visible leaking on the drive, so that would cancel out leak. I might just take a look under the panel this weekend just to check that there are no obvious signs there.

The car has done 22k and is only 2.2 years young, rarely does motorway but mainly city/A road driving. It is never thrashed but driven quite conservatively.

Doctor
 
hi doctor

if you have got a leak it mite be on the under tray as most of the engin is coverd by it so would not be on the drive

ROBIN
 
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