AUDI OIL USAGE

EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE ON AUDI A4

In a previous blog Audi Oil Pump Problem - Audi A4 Engine Noise, I mentioned the benefits of using VW 503.00 Long Life Engine Oil, but it seems that I was also mislead by the VW propriety oil specification the expanse of which I was unaware. This is probably the reason why my sister's A4 2.0L 2007 engine gave up the ghost. But as they say in the legal circles, "Ignorance of the Law is no excuse". Apparently as long ago as the year 2000 increased requirements compelled vehicle manufacturers globally to reduce exhaust emissions, minimize their carbon footprint, and improve overall fuel economy. Since motor oil plays a crucial  role in meeting these requirements,  the API's (American Petroleum Institute) old petroleum-based motor oils standards was abandoned by VW in favour of advanced cutting-edge synthetic motor oil formulations. As a result, the technologically advanced Audi engine designs required a very specific motor oil that met with Audi quality specification. 

Its newer models fitted with advanced fuel injection systems needs to  be lubricated  by this very specific motor oil formulations in order to guarantee optimal system reliability and fuel economy. These oil specifications started with VW 500.00 for models prior to year 2000 which has been superceded by VW 502.00. Then there is  also  VW 503.00, VW 503.01, VW 504.00, VW 505.00, VW 505.01, VW 506.00, VW 506.01, VW 507.00, etc, each applicable to either or both gasoline and diesel Euro standard engines. But certain oil specs are not suitable for certain vehicles. For example RAVENOL WIV III SAE 5W-30 is not suitable for specification VW 506 01. Meaning Audi engines with LongLife Service (QG1): Diesel-Engines (R5-, V10 TDI Pumpe-Düse) with or without Diesel Particulate Filter.  As well as  Audi engines without LongLife Service: R5-, V10 TDI Pumpe-Düse with or without Diesel Particulate Filter.

Topping up with conventional motor oil that does not meet Audi oil quality standards is therefore risky because the wrong motor oils could cause damage to internal engine components, somewhat increase emissions, reduce fuel mileage, and very likely void applicable vehicle warranties. The vehicle is also bound to use excessive oil and tend to smoke a lot more.

Ravenol HPS 5W-30 oil meets the Audi oil quality standard 502 00 and is  recommended for Audi A4 2005/2006 and on Audi A3 models equipped with the 2.0 Liter Turbo engine with FSI. Their fuel pumps are driven directly off the engine camshaft and lubricated with engine motor oil.  By not using the approved Audi motor oil  these models are subject to premature engine wear which will result in a loud ticking valve noise  after the engine has warmed up to its  operating temperature.  

Ravenol VMP Audi Oil 2010 - meets the Audi 507 00 Oil Spec and is recommended for use on Audi A3 TDI and 2009 - on Audi Q7 TDI models equipped with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). Using non-approved Audi motor oil will results in increased oil consumption oil since it will be burning oil. Any non-approved TDI motor oils will clog the DPF  prematurely which is also  quite costly to replace. 

Since the VW oil specification and oil usage cannot be generalized across the Audi and Porsche ranges and old petroleum-based motor oils are no longer usable, it is no wonder that Audi owners are complaining about excessive oil use. Some Audi owners have driven as little as 600 miles or about 950 kilometers before the engine oil low light goes on and the buzzer drives  the m crazy. This is probably because they topped-up with non synthetic oil. Funny enough, Audi stresses the  point of not adding petroleum-based motor oil to its synthetic brands.

FOOL ME ONCE SHAME ON YOU; FOOL ME TWICE SHAME ON ME

VW SHAMED  TWICE SHAME FOR EMISSION CHEATING

Thus far Volkswagen AG, Audi AG and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. and Volkswagen (VW) as a whole has gone through the mill for the EPA emissions scandal that broke on the 18 September 2015. They have suffered massive third-quarter financial losses. Legal injunctions have compelled them to recall 11 million vehicles fitted with the now notorious 2.0L TDI engine. They are obliged to repair them entirely at their own cost which could take at least two years. They had to set aside some 7 billion Euros as restitution and compensation to VAG vehicles owners whose vehicles will, as a result of the "cheat device", have  diminished performance and poorer fuel economy. They fired their heads of Research and Development and launched an internal investigation into the “rogue software engineers” responsible for fitment of "cheat device". They have even instated a new CEO, Matthias Mueller, the former  boss of Porsche to the helm, to steer them out of the arse mousse  that Volkswagen find themselves sinking into deeper day by day.

The largest Automobile manufacturer in the World.

As if this isn't enough,  US’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just notified Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft of a second breach of clean air legislation. On the 2nd  November 2015, the EPA issued them with a second notice of violation (NOV) of the Clean Air Act. This NOV alleges that VW developed and installed defeat mechanisms in model years 2014 through 2016 VW, Audi and Porsche light duty diesel vehicles equipped with 3.0 liter V6 TDI engines. The harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions produced by diesel engines fitted in the 2014 VW Touareg, the 2015 Porsche Cayenne, and the 2016 Audi A6 Quattro, A7 Quattro, A8, A8L, and Q5, appear to exceed the EPA’s standard by at least nine times. 

3.0 Liter V6 TDI Engine

In their own defence VW emphatically denied the charges of fitting the “cheat device” into its luxury brand of vehicles. However the following day  VW admitted that certain “unexplained inconsistencies” had been found during the testing process for CO2 emissions. VW added that approximately 800,000 vehicles are currently thought to be involved, most of them sold in Europe.  But some of the vehicles now involved have petrol engines, implying that the scale of the second  installment of the emission scandal could be much greater than initially assumed. 

Suddenly the “credibility” of the “rogue software engineers” argument just fades into obscurity. It is just to outlandish, flimsy and too incredulous now that Porsche and other luxury brand of vehicles are also involved. This boils down to down-right systematic manipulation and rigging of emissions test data by VW in order to gain themselves and unfair and an illegal  competitive advantage over its competitors. These latest developments just tarnished Volkswagen’s reputation and future sales even further, perhaps irreparably.  But to regain any sort of confidence and trust from both customers and investors, Volkswagen would have to make some radical changes to its management  and come clean. 

Considering that for the first time Toyota sales has overtaken that of VW.  And that Volkswagen  will forfeit all its CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy)  carbon credits, and have to pay the taxation difference between the lower vehicle tax that  VW’s customers have unwittingly paid and what was actually due. Besides  getting grilled at COP 21 on the 7- 8 December 2015 for fooling the rest of the world twice.  And to add insult to injury, VW sales across all models, including petrol engines sales dropped by almost 10% since October 2015. Credit ratings agencies Moody’s and S&P have downgraded VW and three other major ratings agencies have VW on negative watch considering further downgrades. What a  deal breaker!

AUDI OIL PUMP PROBLEM

AUDI A4 ENGINE NOISE

For the past week my sister's Audi A4 2.0L 2007 has been having issues. When it starts its engine sounds like a tractor engine but after about 15 secs it quietens down and sounds and idles perfectly normal. Ever since its engine oil and oil filter change some seven weeks ago by her friend. The "Engine oil pressure light" keeps turning on, after some 20 minutes of driving, accompanied by a beep from the pizzo electric buzzer. Thereafter  it repeatedly  triggers  unexpectedly,  actually giving her a fright every time it does. I ran a scan with VCDS and there was absolutely no sign of engine trouble or DTC from the engine. Except for ABS signal out of specification fault which is totally unrelated to oil pressure. So since there was no problem other than the engine  Engine oil pressure light that triggered daily she decided to drive the Audi in that condition and tolerate the beeping. 

I inquired about the oil that they used, thinking perhaps that if the  grade of oil was too thick, it would affect the oil flow and pressure.  She fetched the container which still had some oil in it from the garage to show me what it was and on inspecting the viscosity of the oil between my thumb and forefinger I was amazed by the crap they sell unsuspecting customers. It turned out that she bought SAE 10W/20 oil at the local supermarket off the automotive shelf because it was going cheap. The oil was so thin, it was virtually like water, it couldn't even form a drop at the end of my finger. I even asked her if they mixed paraffin with the oil and she said no. I looked at the writing on the container to see if it wasn't two stoke oil for lawnmowers but it wasn't. 

Audi A4 Oil Pump (Old Top - New Bottom)

I then knew that this was the cause of the problem. The oil was too thin and the oil pump had difficulty in getting enough oil to the cams, bushes and gears  resulting in the noise caused by excessive friction during the the first 15 seconds when started. I actually thought that the oil may be too thick, so that the  oil pump couldn't push through the required volume of oil per minute. After telling her what an idiot she was to buy this cheap crap oil, I begged her to get some VW 50300 Long Life Engine Oil from the Audi agents.  I even offered to drain the crap oil out her Audi, flush the engine, replace the oil filter and fill it with the correct oil. The VW 50300 Long Life Engine Oil does cost a lot more than regular oil put it has the advantage of 30000 km before the next change. Fortunately it costs less than VW Automatic Transmission Fluid

So after replacing the filter and filling up with the new oil, the Audi now sounds a lot better but it is still noisy. Not as loud as it was before and the duration of the noise reduced from 15 seconds to about 4 seconds. Its  going to cost her a new oil pump replacement within the next week or so, because driving with a suspect oil pump is asking for the engine to seize and heaven alone knows what that's going to cost to repair.