PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME GUYS!!!! Loss of power,white smoke, and compression problem

[Infamous44]

I have a b6 s4 and do not know what has happened. I hope you guys could maybe take a second and give me your input and advice.....

My car has been smoking very badly ever since I put my milltek down pipes and exhaust on the car 2 weeks ago, it's white grayish smoke so it's Defiantly oil!! The car drove great and fine before it went in for the exhaust job, once I got the car back I immediately noticed power loss!! The next day my oil light comes on and 5 minutes after my check engine light. I ran the code and it says o2 sensor "signals swapped" so I'm guessing whoever put the exhaust back on the car didn't put the o2 sensors back in correct. Car goes into the shop and they fix my o2 sensor and take a look at my car to find out what it causing lack of power and extreme smoking , turns out someone had swapped out and stollen my brand new oem spark plugs and replaced them with some crappy 50 cent ones from pep boys, these spark plugs were filled with oil and they told me this is my problem for " loss of power and my smoking issue" so I picked it up from the shop 2 days ago and they say its a 100% increase in power and the car was good to go. So I'm driving the car home and about 30min into the ride I can see my car smoking once again, I pulled over and the car starts to smoke a good amount while at idle. I take it to a different shop where he tells me I need to do a compression check... The results are 140 on all 8 cylinders.. So he is telling me 100% it's my piston rings?? And I need a new engine or rebuilt this one?? Does this sound correct??

What would you say my options are now?? What else could this be??

Thank you so much for any and all help guys..

Mike

[JohnnyAlQaeda]

white smoke is usually coolant in the cylinders ala head gasket. burning oil is usually blue/black smoke.

[road race s4]

What shop is that they steals plugs from customers cars? Could it be possible that they took your car for a joy ride?

[Raser]

white smoke is usually coolant in the cylinders ala head gasket. burning oil is usually blue/black smoke.

This would also explain the loss of power.

[Infamous44]

What shop is that they steals plugs from customers cars? Could it be possible that they took your car for a joy ride?

A sketch place in Baltimore city, this guy traded me for my oem exhaust. No joy rides tho bc I was in and out of the shop the whole time.

[Infamous44]

So you don't think it's the rings? What would cause the low compression all the way around
? The car still drives and idels perfect still.

[mittenS4]

140psi is not bad..... as long as the individual cylinder compression #'s are withing 5% of each other.
Do you have a baseline for your compression?

[Infamous44]

140psi is not bad..... as long as the individual cylinder compression #'s are withing 5% of each other.
Do you have a baseline for your compression?

Yes he told me all 8 cylinders are at 140psi, what should they be at around 175?? I just don't know what my next step would be and why it would be smoking as well... Would I need to do a leak down test?

[mittenS4]

What I meant by "baseline compression" was have you ever previously had a compression test & what were those #'s.

Compressions should be between 130psi & 170psi some engines could have started their life @ 140psi.

I would do a leakdown test and make sure you are listening for leaks.
Your goal should be to determine where you are loosing pressure.


Have you scanned it yet?

[Lefthook]

What I meant by "baseline compression" was have you ever previously had a compression test & what were those #'s.

Compressions should be between 130psi & 170psi some engines could have started their life @ 140psi.

I would do a leakdown test and make sure you are listening for leaks.
Your goal should be to determine where you are loosing pressure.


Have you scanned it yet?

you're supposed to do the compression test with the engine warm. If it's done cold, the motor will show 10-15% low.

[Dcass08]

First of all, I wouldn't believe anything from a shop that stole my spark plugs. Who does that?! Go get a second opinion then go back to them and give them the opportunity to make things right. It obviously worked correctly before you brought it there. If they decline then report them to the better business bureau, sounds corny but its effective usually. Either way I would find a new mechanic.

Yes he told me all 8 cylinders are at 140psi, what should they be at around 175?? I just don't know what my next step would be and why it would be smoking as well... Would I need to do a leak down test?

[Infamous44]

The compression check was done when I bought the car about a month ago it was 170psi, the shop that stole my plugs is not my normal shop, so the compression check was done from a different shop and the car was left over night.. He said he was 100% sure it was my rings... But not so sure I can believe that, the car was running perfect 3weeks ago before the exhaust was put on. Could shitty spark plugs even do something like this to the engine? Or seize the engine ? I have no check engine lights on or anything. And if it was the rings wouldn't this take a good amount of time before they went bad? And would all 8 go bad at the same time, I don't know why it's causing all 8 cylinders to be low... Just very confused.

[mittenS4]

How is the car driving now? Does it still feel like it has the same power as before?

Is the only issue the white smoke?

[Infamous44]

The car still has some smoke and there is still a power loss, no check engine lights or anything.. I have not checked the compression again, I think I will tomorrow

[randomshenans]

Is it fully down on power, as in all the time or does it jerk about on throttle? How does it feel through the progression on putting your foot down? Lumpy? Smooth just down on power? Constant smoke, or just when on throttle etc.

[Dcass08]

I believe 170 is great compression, maybe a leak down test will tell more of what's going on.

The compression check was done when I bought the car about a month ago it was 170psi, the shop that stole my plugs is not my normal shop, so the compression check was done from a different shop and the car was left over night.. He said he was 100% sure it was my rings... But not so sure I can believe that, the car was running perfect 3weeks ago before the exhaust was put on. Could shitty spark plugs even do something like this to the engine? Or seize the engine ? I have no check engine lights on or anything. And if it was the rings wouldn't this take a good amount of time before they went bad? And would all 8 go bad at the same time, I don't know why it's causing all 8 cylinders to be low... Just very confused.

[Infamous44]

Is it fully down on power, as in all the time or does it jerk about on throttle? How does it feel through the progression on putting your foot down? Lumpy? Smooth just down on power? Constant smoke, or just when on throttle etc.

It's a total loss of power all around, all the time. Not jerky or anything just no power at all. It tends to smoke more when you give it more gas...it has to be something w compression, bc the car doesn't even sound the same, the exhaust isnt as deep and loud anymore, like its being restricted or something

[SlickFix]

Wait, I'm confused now. How many shops are involved here?

Shop one was the exhaust shop that replaced the downpipes and screwed up the O2 sensors, correct?

Shop two, which diagnosed the "stolen" spark plugs, is your regular shop for repairs/maintenance?

Shop three, which performed the compression test, is a totally different shop than 1 & 2?

Whom do you suspect of stealing your spark plugs? The exhaust shop?

[Lefthook]

The compression check was done when I bought the car about a month ago it was 170psi, the shop that stole my plugs is not my normal shop, so the compression check was done from a different shop and the car was left over night.. He said he was 100% sure it was my rings... But not so sure I can believe that, the car was running perfect 3weeks ago before the exhaust was put on. Could shitty spark plugs even do something like this to the engine? Or seize the engine ? I have no check engine lights on or anything. And if it was the rings wouldn't this take a good amount of time before they went bad? And would all 8 go bad at the same time, I don't know why it's causing all 8 cylinders to be low... Just very confused.

bad plugs could cause misfires and detonation but this isn't adding up.. I don't see how bad plugs can damage all 8 cylinder walls/rings simultaneously and to an equal degree.


This doesn't make sense. I also don't see how they managed to swap the O2 sensors.. you would really have to try to make that happen because they're so far apart.


Now, if the thing went into limp mode it should have thrown codes. So start there: Get your codes read.

[Infamous44]

Car has been all over, this is my first Audi and usually my friends work on my car but they won't or don't know anything about these motors. But yes the sketchy exhaust shop did take my plugs...

[Infamous44]

Ok the car was looked at again, and threw like 10 codes in the computer. 2 codes for the o2 sensors, and the rest looked like misfiring codes on the cylinders, one said " too rich"

We checked the oil and it looks like it has too much oil in the engine now even though the oil was just changed with the spark plugs 2 weeks ago. " I don't know how that's possible" Also I don't know if anyone knows if this will cause a problem or not but my coils are the wrong part number ... They are the coils for the v8 4.2 a6 and a8 Engine. They are all black, when I believe they should be red, does anyone know if this could be a problem or if those coils are going to make a difference??

[QIKRNU]

Does the oil smell like gasoline?

[rjkotler]

Find a good shop that you can trust and take it there.

Induktion is near BWI - Good guys
RAI is near Baltimore City
New German Performance is up by Have De Grace

If you want a dealer then Criswell in Annapolis is pretty good.

[SlickFix]

Now, if the thing went into limp mode it should have thrown codes.

Limp mode for a 4.2? I thought limp mode was something that only happened to turbo engines.

[EUROSWAGR]

Ok the car was looked at again, and threw like 10 codes in the computer. 2 codes for the o2 sensors, and the rest looked like misfiring codes on the cylinders, one said " too rich"

We checked the oil and it looks like it has too much oil in the engine now even though the oil was just changed with the spark plugs 2 weeks ago. " I don't know how that's possible" Also I don't know if anyone knows if this will cause a problem or not but my coils are the wrong part number ... They are the coils for the v8 4.2 a6 and a8 Engine. They are all black, when I believe they should be red, does anyone know if this could be a problem or if those coils are going to make a difference??

Dude, not to be a dick, but your shit is all jacked up! How do you have the wrong coils? and did it have the correct coils in it when you bought it? Also, these cars take 9.5qts of oil, which is A LOT of oil, so did you actually measure how much oil are you going by the dipstick?

[dparm]

Limp mode for a 4.2? I thought limp mode was something that only happened to turbo engines.

Almost any ECM has a limp-home mode.

[Infamous44]

Does anyone know if the a6 a8 v8 coils will work the same as the oem b6 s4 ones??

[siren]

Car has been all over, this is my first Audi and usually my friends work on my car but they won't or don't know anything about these motors. But yes the sketchy exhaust shop did take my plugs...

Im sorry about your car...im even more sorry that u went to a shop that stole your plugs???? Wow. Just wow. This is what the world is coming to? Shady $h!t....

[Infamous44]

Im sorry about your car...im even more sorry that u went to a shop that stole your plugs???? Wow. Just wow. This is what the world is coming to? Shady $h!t....

Thanks man... It's really sad, I love this car but all this is making me thing twice about keeping it or ever getting another Audi again.

[OEMplus.com]

Ok the car was looked at again, and threw like 10 codes in the computer. 2 codes for the o2 sensors, and the rest looked like misfiring codes on the cylinders, one said " too rich"

We checked the oil and it looks like it has too much oil in the engine now even though the oil was just changed with the spark plugs 2 weeks ago. " I don't know how that's possible" Also I don't know if anyone knows if this will cause a problem or not but my coils are the wrong part number ... They are the coils for the v8 4.2 a6 and a8 Engine. They are all black, when I believe they should be red, does anyone know if this could be a problem or if those coils are going to make a difference??

reading over this thread it leads me to believe that most of your issues lead back to the improper O2 sensors, the car is getting signals from the O2 sensors on how much fuel is needed, if you are getting misfires and running to rich and O2 sensor issues it seems to be steaming from that, I would first get the O2 sensors fix and then see if the problems continue, Was the vehicle running rough before you installed the exhaust? If not then all your problems are probably steaming for the improper install of the O2 sensor.

regards,
nick

[Dcass08]

I'll bet they over filled the oil.

Ok the car was looked at again, and threw like 10 codes in the computer. 2 codes for the o2 sensors, and the rest looked like misfiring codes on the cylinders, one said " too rich"

We checked the oil and it looks like it has too much oil in the engine now even though the oil was just changed with the spark plugs 2 weeks ago. " I don't know how that's possible" Also I don't know if anyone knows if this will cause a problem or not but my coils are the wrong part number ... They are the coils for the v8 4.2 a6 and a8 Engine. They are all black, when I believe they should be red, does anyone know if this could be a problem or if those coils are going to make a difference??

[rjkotler]

I have 8 used revision T coil packs from my B6 S4 you can have. I bought all new ones when I got the car and only found out they had already been updated when I replaced them and the plugs.

[Dcass08]

Drain some oil until its at the proper mark. I put a little too much in my old 2.8 and it ran like crap until it got down to where it was supposed to be, (I had a good leak).

[Infamous44]

Thanks everyone for all this great advice.. And thinking about it, the car ran perfect up till the exhaust was put it, the codes that came up in the computer still said o2 sensors and misfire on the cylinders, if you guys think this would cause a misfire than that prob is what it is, and as far as the oil it was drained today but looks like oil has completely covered my spark plugs again and elsewhere, which is probably why it's smoking the way it is.. I'll know more tomorrow I hope.. Do you guys think I should go buy new o2 sensors?? How long should the oil take to completely clear from my engine and stop smoking??

[Lefthook]

Thanks everyone for all this great advice.. And thinking about it, the car ran perfect up till the exhaust was put it, the codes that came up in the computer still said o2 sensors and misfire on the cylinders, if you guys think this would cause a misfire than that prob is what it is, and as far as the oil it was drained today but looks like oil has completely covered my spark plugs again and elsewhere, which is probably why it's smoking the way it is.. I'll know more tomorrow I hope.. Do you guys think I should go buy new o2 sensors?? How long should the oil take to completely clear from my engine and stop smoking??

those idiots overfilled the oil. Jesus.


The o2 sensors could be fouled but honestly they probably could be cleaned and reinstalled, along with fresh plugs. You will be dialed after that.

[ElCapitan464]

Thanks everyone for all this great advice.. And thinking about it, the car ran perfect up till the exhaust was put it, the codes that came up in the computer still said o2 sensors and misfire on the cylinders, if you guys think this would cause a misfire than that prob is what it is, and as far as the oil it was drained today but looks like oil has completely covered my spark plugs again and elsewhere, which is probably why it's smoking the way it is.. I'll know more tomorrow I hope.. Do you guys think I should go buy new o2 sensors?? How long should the oil take to completely clear from my engine and stop smoking??

like stated above, the sensors just need a proper cleaning and installed correctly. If you are still getting errors after cleaning the O2 sensors then yes replacement of the sensors is needed.

regards,
nick

[s4buckeye]

turns out someone had swapped out and stollen my brand new oem spark plugs and replaced them with some crappy 50 cent ones from pep boys

unbelievable.

[Infamous44]

Awesome... I hope this works,I'll let you guys know tomorrow what happens, I just really hope it's not the piston rings.

[JimmyBones]

Dude you need to find a better mechanic/shop and I would start with RAI.

If a shop stole spark plugs off my car I would be furious and probably be in jail from beating the shit out of people.

Then if the O2 sensors were switched, it would be the rear because the fronts don't have enough cable to mess that up and is an easy fix.

Next if your engine is/was overfull on oil then that excess oil will go into the exhaust and smoke plus do damage to the catalytic converter. On most of the oil filler caps it states do not overfill for this reason! I don't know if you got downpipes with cats but if you did then that oil will stick around in the cats for a while. For example, I had a new 2.0T with a stuck open injector that took fifty miles of smoging everything behind me to clean out after replacing the bad part.

140psi of compression is on the low side but still within the ok range for these engines. Most are in the 150-165 range for good engines.

[devilbones]

Do you want to post the name of the shop on here so we know to stay away? If you dont thats cool, I hope you get your issues sorted out soon.