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Could do with some feedback on oil usage on the B6 S4.

Topped it up last Thursday in prep for a run to Hull and back home in the Midlands (about 260 miles), two hours to get there, 2 hours in a traffic jam (left engine running). On the way back home minimum oil level warning icon came on the DIS screen.

I'm surprised as to the usage after such a short time.

Any ideas? Could it have been down to the traffic jam?

I was driving it pretty hard with all the electrics on (seat heaters etc) so maybe this could be a factor.

Any thoughts anyone?

How many miles has your car covered? I ask because I've had my oil warning light come on twice since the first service (which was IIRC 18k miles). Up until that first service, the warning light never came on, and I haven't altered driving style throughout my ownership of the car. I can only suggest that, with age, the engine starts to drink oil more eagerly (as is obviously normal for any engine, but perhaps the V8 block is thirstier than most).

A more thorough technical answer to this phenomenon would be appreciated by me too.

I've always found the opposite with modern engines, in fact I think it says in the hand book that for the first few thousand miles the oil consumption is high. mine has done 11500 now and uses less than when I had it at 8800. I have a diesel Corsa for work and in the first 5000 miles got through half a litre every 600miles but now at 35000 it hardly uses any. It's all to do with the oil rings bedding in and the bores becoming more efficient. The compression rings also bed in thats why they go better with a few thousand on the clock.

Pete, It's done 28k, about 10k since the last service. I'm at a loss, I'm hoping that it is a one off, I'll keep my eye on it but will ask the stealer next time it's in.

By the way my V6 TT prior to this car never seemed to need topping up.

Dalton wrote:my V6 TT prior to this car never seemed to need topping up.

My previous 2.7 V6 S4 was the same, very rarely topped it up between services, & I ran it 'til 150k miles!

Must be a trait of the current V8, had no other problems engine-wise.

Dalton wrote:Any thoughts anyone?

Bought my B6 with 30k miles on the clock from a dealer who gave it a long-life service and (presumably) did the oil. I didnt pay too much attention to the level, but it was somewhere in the nominal dip-stick range. At about 34k miles I did a long run to the Alps and back. On the return journey the "low oil" light came on so I stopped, waited, checked the level and it was off the bottom of the dipstick ! After some further waiting & checking (about half an hour) I ended up calling out the french RAC.

The tow-truck guy ran his own garage and had some long-life oil. He eventually put 2 litres in for me and sent me on my way. (He didnt find any evidence of any oil escaping the engine either underneath or out the back).

I was at first a bit concerned as to where the oil had gone, but initially put it down to normal usage and not paying enough attention to the level. Next day I checked the level and discovered that the level was above the TOP of the dipstick max fill mark !

The car has now done another 6000 miles and I have frequently checked the level. There has been practically no usage. I have several conclusions:

1/ there must have been some oil "lost" in the engine at one point during my long journey, resulting in the oil level sensor activating. Waiting half an hour wasn't enough for it to find its way back into the sump.

2/ the difference from off the bottom of dipstick to the max mark equates to not very much oil (I estimate about 2 litres).

3/ so dont overfill !!

4/ my car probably doesnt actually consume much oil

5/ I always carry 1 litre of correct grade oil in case it happens again (but see point 3 !).

Audi's have had the reputation for burning oil when new. I think it varies from engine to engine though.

On mine, between oil changes (around 5K) I tend to loose about 1/2 the distance between dipstick max & min. However a last year when I drove to the Alps, on the way back my oil warning light came on (I had checked the level before I left!).

Audi dealers are often know to give a free 1l oil bottle to customers. There would have to be a reason for this!

Mine has used 4 litres in 27k miles or probably a bit more really as it would'nt have been on max when the service was done at 19k. I think this consumption is fine and its certainly a lot less now.

Dippy wrote:Audi dealers are often know to give a free 1l oil bottle to customers. There would have to be a reason for this!

Ahhh, it all becomes clear! Good point. I'd thought it was just the left over from the oil they'd used at service, didn't really pay attention as to whether it was a completely full bottle or not, sounds like it must have been! Audi can be good sometimes