4.0TFSI Turbo failure

[GrahamS4]

We're these failures on cars that had 10K mile oil changes?

Is there a year from which the C7 4L TFSI is known to have the revised strainer from factory?

[Paulm]

Fl (2015) has a revised strainer. Mine was a FL. I believe they changed the design again in 2017. Mine had full Audi SH but can’t remember what oil change intervals it had.

Worrying trend for those out of warranty. Not a difficult job to change or remove the strained completely, although not a 2 min job. I would say 1.5 days work for the home mechanic.

Some in the US are removing the strainer internals altogether. Only issue I see here is the NRV may get contaminated and start sticking partially open which will let oil run back out of the turbo feed pipes and back into the sump. Not a huge issue as this is how nearly every other Turbo car works. Audi decided they wanted to keep oil in the turbo feed lines to avoid the turbos spinning on start up with no supply until oil pressure is built up.

[Simon RS6C7]

Thanks a lot guys for your info. Paul, presumably the latest strainer would be supplied then, meaning 2017 on? Do you know the difference between the 2015 FL strainer and the 2017 onwards? If this is the cause, then it's depressing news that something this small and relatively inexpensive can cause all this work, time and expense.

I wonder how other manufacturers do it, ie BMW, Porsche etc. In some ways I want to keep it as I love it (when it's working). The only way I would is if I was told the cause has definitely been identified and rectified, and it won't do it again. If I sold, what would I replace it with I ask myself? I had a GTR before this which was awesome, (and reliable) but at the time we needed a bit more practicality, and I needed front discs and pads... again!
Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll know which way I'll go...

[Golfather]

JHM now do a kit which replaces the original oil screen and adds the filters up top, for easier maintenance.






https://jhmotorsports.com/products/engi ... -4-0t.html

[Paulm]

Thanks a lot guys for your info. Paul, presumably the latest strainer would be supplied then, meaning 2017 on? Do you know the difference between the 2015 FL strainer and the 2017 onwards? If this is the cause, then it's depressing news that something this small and relatively inexpensive can cause all this work, time and expense.

I wonder how other manufacturers do it, ie BMW, Porsche etc. In some ways I want to keep it as I love it (when it's working). The only way I would is if I was told the cause has definitely been identified and rectified, and it won't do it again. If I sold, what would I replace it with I ask myself? I had a GTR before this which was awesome, (and reliable) but at the time we needed a bit more practicality, and I needed front discs and pads... again!
Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll know which way I'll go...

Sorry not sure. I fixed mine and sold it. I only cleaned my filter and slapped on new turbos.

I also had a GTR-R35 and have had various cars trying to find a suitable replacement. Something not so in your face as the GTR. RS6, RS3(older one),S3, S7, M5, RS7 and now back to RS3.

RS3 is big enough for me and pretty good fun. Under the radar and cheap to fix when I break it

I think the mod above is pretty good but still a heap of wrok to fit it. Magic if you intend keeping the car a while

[Tadass910]

I think it depends on your luck, what kind of car you buy used or new, if you bought used normally Audi approved cars in Germany has 101 check before it gets audi approved program.

[Simon RS6C7]

The mod from JHM looks interesting, although I can't see where the filters are. Presumably they are removable easily to allow cleaning. I've fired off one or two questions to them.

I will add, and I've forgotten to mention this, is that my car has always lost a tiny amount of coolant. It went back to Audi on 3 occasions for this, and having found nothing wrong initially, on the 3rd attempt they replaced the coolant recirc valve. It made no difference. I did measure it over 2200 miles, and it lost 225ml of coolant. A small amount I know, but to me it shouldn't lose a drop. On many occasions when I've got out of the car and the fans are running, I can smell coolant.

Surely there can't be a link here...

[dasquade]

The filters are in the black small cilinders (i assume). Nice kit but sadely bit expensive especially if you need to import it and taxed .
For your info....friend of my in Italy with his facelift rs6 went stage 3 and inspected his oilscreen. It was revision F (so one before the lastest revision)...guess what....pretty dirty and....BURSTED -> a rip in the mesh along the side and 2-3-4mm to the center. Maybe luckly this happened as it looks it was about the fully block but pressure most likely bursted the mesh and allow oil to still make it's way to the turbo's.
Second time i have seen this on audizine, very curious how many driving around with a bursted mesh.
I hope mine bursted aswell, rather that then a blocked one and blow 1 or 2 turbo's.
Again, this was the last previous revision oilscreen, 40.000km/10.000km oil changes!
I'm sticking to my 5.000km oil change and every 10.000km an oil cleaner + oil treadment (currently 100.200km stage 2 s6 c7).

[MikeBirt]

My 6 is 16 FL, reading this thread with some disappointment

Would it be possible to put an oil pressure sensor on the two oil feed lines for the turbo? You should be able to get a reading on the health of the filter if you have a pressure value for clean filter?

One of the reasons I bought a car like this was not to worry about the stock side of things (after owning a highly modified vehicle for many years). Ho hum...

[Simon RS6C7]

Thanks for the info dasquade. Interesting.
I wonder how many more [strainers and/or turbos] will fail worldwide, and I wonder how many have failed in the UK, as we won't get to know about most of them, as not everyone frequents a forum.
I suppose cost is the reason Audi decided not to do a recall on them, as it's a hell of a rave to get at the strainer.

Yes Mike, I too am so disappointed. I've modified nearly all my cars over the years (just to around stage 1), and the only one that gave me grief was a Sapphire Cossy back in '94. It didn't like 330 bhp and the engine called it a day shortly afterwards.
Now I have a standard car (which I was intending to stage 1) and I get grief!
My turbos will be rebuilt in the next few days, so I should be up and running soon. If I decide to keep it I will seriously consider the relocation kit. Expensive I know but cheaper than 2 turbos!
I'm speaking to the garage today, then I'll make a decision.

[welwynnick]

I also had a GTR-R35 and have had various cars trying to find a suitable replacement. Something not so in your face as the GTR. RS6, RS3(older one),S3, S7, M5, RS7 and now back to RS3.

No car is perfect, but had you considered an E63S?

[Paulm]

I also had a GTR-R35 and have had various cars trying to find a suitable replacement. Something not so in your face as the GTR. RS6, RS3(older one),S3, S7, M5, RS7 and now back to RS3.

No car is perfect, but had you considered an E63S?

Yes, but fed up spending daft money on cars. I am really enjoying my wee RS3. Cheap to buy(compared to normal), run and fix when I break it

[welwynnick]

I am really enjoying my wee RS3. Cheap to buy (compared to normal), run and fix when I break it

And funnily enough it seems to dominate the TTE owner's league table.

https://www.theturboengineers.com/100-200-1-4-times

Nick

[Paulm]

I am really enjoying my wee RS3. Cheap to buy (compared to normal), run and fix when I break it

And funnily enough it seems to dominate the TTE owner's league table.

https://www.theturboengineers.com/100-200-1-4-times

Nick

It's pretty fast stock. I was surprised.

[bigbaz1974]

Following this post guys just a little info, both my turbos failed with 16k miles on the clock and MRC stage 2. Strainers blocked. I've bought the bypass kit from JHM and am having 2 new turbos fitted at the moment.
2 of my friends locally have also had the same issue of blocked strainer and failed turbos