Piston Ring Replacement

[coolwater]

I know that there is an oil consumption thread open already.
I figured this might deserve it's own thread.

I have gone through all the AOA recommended repairs and tests to finally warrant replacement of the piston rings.
I'm at 37k miles now and my warranty will run out in another year or so. (50k)
I have coverage thru my car insurance also, but there is a deductible.

Does anyone have experience with getting their rings replaced?
My understanding is the whole engine needs to be taken apart and it will take a week.
I have some concerns about long-term ownership of this car after the engine has been rebuilt.

Taking that up with AOA and the dealership right now, but wanted to get some feedback from everyone.


-cW

[AofC_RR]

You're getting more than rings. Current protocol is replace the pistons and rings. If that fails then it's a new long block.
I've seen several of these done. Usually they're fine after that.

[coolwater]

You're getting more than rings. Current protocol is replace the pistons and rings. If that fails then it's a new long block.
I've seen several of these done. Usually they're fine after that.

I was supposed to be fine after the PCV was replaced...
Still doesn't make me feel better.
Would rather have everything been perfect straight from the factory.
I should have waited for a 2011.....

-cW

[Highlander1010]

I'd look at it this way. Since your car wasn't perfect from the factory, the dealership and AOA will make sure that you get the right repairs so you are satisfied long term. And if something in that system fails, even outside your warranty, you can easily push for coverage since it has been well documented. I actually think you're all set.

[gdawg'05a4]

On our '07 B7 2.0T, we had the piston/piston rings replaced. It was consuming a quart every 700 mi. So far, it hasn't consumed oil. 1500 mi and the oil is still at the max fill mark. It seems promising but I'll keep an eye on it. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[routertyty]

I'd be looking into the lemon law... Make them replace it with a new 2012.

[Blake P]

I should have waited for a 2011.....

Meh, my '09 doesn't consume oil. Maybe you broke a mirror in the past 7 years or didn't notice that black cat that crossed in front of you on your way to buy your A4 or that ladder you walked under when entering the dealership...

[cory_can]

^ my 09 doesn't consume any oil either.

[coolwater]

Meh, my '09 doesn't consume oil. Maybe you broke a mirror in the past 7 years or didn't notice that black cat that crossed in front of you on your way to buy your A4 or that ladder you walked under when entering the dealership...

What can I say. Love the car hate the problems.
I will be a happy camper if they extend my powertrain warranty.

-cW

[coolwater]

^ my 09 doesn't consume any oil either.

That's good for you, but sucks for me.
I think there was a bad batch or rings in MY 2010.

-cW

[cory_can]

My point was that you aren't immune to issues by merely buying a different MY....I'm sure 2011 and 2012's will also include their share of unique problems that creep up over time.

[coolwater]

Yes, but in my case the whole engine is getting taken apart and put back together.
So that's not quite the same as a steering shudder, water pump, wierd transmission shifting, or intake mani problems.
All of which I also had and got corrected and was fine with.

It doesn't help that every independent shop I've talked to recommends I push for extended powertrain coverage or just dump it when I hit 50k.

-cW

[hender]

got my water pump replaced last week, and am in the midst of an oil consumption test myself. I anticipate it to fail, given the horrendous numbers I'm getting.

[coolwater]

When did you get your car? I think in Oct of 2009?
Maybe we have the same build date....

-cW

[k9lovr]

got my water pump replaced last week, and am in the midst of an oil consumption test myself. I anticipate it to fail, given the horrendous numbers I'm getting.

how is your consumption in terms of numbers? 1 quart every 1k?

[lintattack]

I had my pistons and rings replaced around the 29,000 mark. Currently at 35,000 and has not burned through oil.

[FSures]

I just had my engine piston rings, pistons and bearings replaced by audi. My car had 45,000 miles when this was done. I love the fact that i now have essentially a new motor. All audi mechanical repairs in CA are good for 1 yr or 12,000 miles. I"m looking foreword to a long love affair with this car. I average 30,000 miles a year on my cars.

[coolwater]

I just had my engine piston rings, pistons and bearings replaced by audi. My car had 45,000 miles when this was done. I love the fact that i now have essentially a new motor. All audi mechanical repairs in CA are good for 1 yr or 12,000 miles. I"m looking foreword to a long love affair with this car. I average 30,000 miles a year on my cars.

Were you a MY2010 with a 2009 build date also?

-cW

[FSures]

2009 with a late 2008 build date.

[hender]

how is your consumption in terms of numbers? 1 quart every 1k?

i've been recording every time i've had to top it off ** but its more like 1QT every 900km / ~560mi.

[coolwater]

i've been recording every time i've had to top it off ** but its more like 1QT every 900km / ~560mi.

And they did the PCV fix for you already?
Looks like you will be in the same boat as me.
I see new piston rings in your future....

I'm supposed to hear back from AOA today on the warranty situation.

-cW

[hender]

And they did the PCV fix for you already?
Looks like you will be in the same boat as me.
I see new piston rings in your future....

I'm supposed to hear back from AOA today on the warranty situation.

-cW

don't think i've had the PCV fix yet. I just had my water pump replaced last week.

[Leo14]

I'm surprised to see you need rings so early.. They just said I needed rings and im at 65k, even though I'm a b7.. my friends 09 burns oil to shit, dealer said he needed new turbo and hes at 82k. Usually takes them a week yes, engine needs to be rebuilt basically.

[coolwater]

My oil consumption is not as bad as Hender, but my guess is Audi is aware of faulty parts (rings, pcv) in some of these cars.
If it was just due to normal wear and tear, they would not OK a 5k+ warranty repair at 37k miles.
It has to have been a bad batch of rings, etc that they know about.

-cW

[coolwater]

Good news.
They have extended my powertrain by 1yr/12k miles.
So I'll be fully covered till 5yr/62k miles.
SA also told me any carbon build-up or parts that need cleaning will be taken care of during this repair.
So I'm feeling a lot better about this now.

-cW

[hender]

Good news.
They have extended my powertrain by 1yr/12k miles.
So I'll be fully covered till 5yr/62k miles.
SA also told me any carbon build-up or parts that need cleaning will be taken care of during this repair.
So I'm feeling a lot better about this now.

-cW

good stuff. i'll pursue similar with mine, then! i'll keep this thread posted with my progress as well, since we seem to be brothers.

[coolwater]

good stuff. i'll pursue similar with mine, then! i'll keep this thread posted with my progress as well, since we seem to be brothers.

Sounds good. I'm going in next Mon and it'll be in the shop for about a week or so.

-cW

[vtheman]

Good news.
They have extended my powertrain by 1yr/12k miles.
So I'll be fully covered till 5yr/62k miles.
SA also told me any carbon build-up or parts that need cleaning will be taken care of during this repair.
So I'm feeling a lot better about this now.

-cW

Cool, so now you can buy a catch can and be our guinea pig ;)

[coolwater]

Cool, so now you can buy a catch can and be our guinea pig ;)

Not sure about the catch can, but the Eurocode inlet hose looks good for the $$$$.
I am back in the shopping mode now :)

-cW

[B8_Jim]

Good news.
They have extended my powertrain by 1yr/12k miles.
So I'll be fully covered till 5yr/62k miles.
SA also told me any carbon build-up or parts that need cleaning will be taken care of during this repair.
So I'm feeling a lot better about this now.

-cW

Speaking of carbon buildup... Any chance you can get some pics of the intake valves?

[coolwater]

They don't normally let us into the service area unless they want to show us something.
I'm not much of a grease monkey so I'll have to rely on what they tell me regarding carbon build-up or sludge, etc.
I'll definitely ask though.

-cW

[coolwater]

Update:
Got the car back on Friday.
Took a week to get in the queue and then another week to get it done.
Looks like there are quite a few of these getting done at the dealership.
Here is the write-up.


I went easy on the car the first 100 miles, then this morning did a spirited run to work.
Good pistons + GIAC Tune = WOW!!!!
I did not realize how much power I had lost from leaky piston rings.....

-cW

[STA4]

I went easy on the car the first 100 miles, then this morning did a spirited run to work.
Good pistons + GIAC Tune = WOW!!!!
I did not realize how much power I had lost from leaky piston rings.....

-cW

Good to hear. Improved performance may also be due to the removal of the carbon build up.

[coolwater]

Good to hear. Improved performance may also be due to the removal of the carbon build up.

SA didn't mention anything about carbon build-up.
I asked them a few times, but maybe there was.
They were scrambling getting a bunch of these done so I dunno if their engine guy was really in the mood to answer these questions.

Car feels great now and my warranty extension is coming in the mail in a couple of weeks so I can't complain.

-cW

[hender]

Horseshit. They said I was burning .31L / 1000KM so it passed the test.
I've been topping up way more than that. How could I suddenly get this "spectacular" oil consumption.

so pissed right now. they act as if topping up every goddamn month is "normal"

[coolwater]

Horseshit. They said I was burning .31L / 1000KM so it passed the test.
I've been topping up way more than that. How could I suddenly get this "spectacular" oil consumption.

so pissed right now. they act as if topping up every goddamn month is "normal"

Did you get a new PCV yet? They should have at least got that taken care of for you first.

-cW

[hender]

Did you get a new PCV yet? They should have at least got that taken care of for you first.

-cW

that's going in next week.


can you or anyone else around mention what their approx. "good" consumption is? i was told anything less than 0.5L/1000km is acceptable...but wtf! forrealsies? a fucking QT of oil every 2nd fillup is acceptable?

[coolwater]

I'm still burning some.
On pace for 1 qt in 1500-2000 miles.
Must be the Manhattan commute.

-cW

[lockeed]

2010 here. Here are my last fill up kms:

Low oil warning @ 41,500km - 1qt
Low oil warning @ 44,901km - 1qt
Low oil warning @ 46,628km - 1qt

I asked for an apointment on feb 24th... I'm leaving the car there for 7 days as I'm going on vacation. They better find the problem this time. This will be the third time I ask for this issue to be taken care off. Last time, I brought the milleage at which I added oil... pretty much the same frequency as now... They told me they didn't found anything and to keep monitoring the oil !

[Nison_Li]

sent my car in for the second part of the oil consumption test, it failed and pistons on order.
SA told me at least 1 week before i see my car again.