Oil In Intercooler Hoses / Pipes

[cliffoco]

I checked for oil in my intercooler hose about a month ago and removed quite a bit from both sides (around 1 cup from each) This was my first time doing that at 150 000 KM.

I am now a month (if that) later and when changing the oil i decided to check and got a tiny bit from one side but another 1/2 cup or more of a cup on the driver side.

I am having EXCESSIVE oil consumption issues so I am thinking this is causing it.

I will be replacing my valve cover gasket because it is leaking, but dont think its causing this leak, could it?

I had a new turbo (stock) installed at 100 000km, I do thrash it around sometimes as well.

So is this another bad turbo? Anything I could do to fix it or diagnose it better? Could the oil in the hose be a PCV issue, I have the new revision but was thinking of replacing that just incase.

Please help me solve this oil issue!

[Biged243]

At what milage are you putting oil in? And how much?

[cliffoco]

At around 3000km (1800miles) My oil pressure light goes to low, and I fill it up again (usually over a liter (I use a big 5L jug so its hard to tell., and it seems like only a few weeks later its back on again. I just changed my oil today and I reset the trip, I am going to try to and monitor it closely to see exactly how much I put it in.

[Denio24]

It is normal to have some oil in your intercooler hoses / pipes. How much are you finding in there? Did the turbo you purchase come with a warranty. Also, was it a OEM unit or aftermarket?

You have to remember, blow by gases are also routed into the intercooler piping, and this also accounts for some of the oil.

Also check for leaks around the rear main seal, front main seal, or valve cover; that could also account for your oil loss. If you're adding at least a quart every week, then you probably have issues.

[cliffoco]

The Valve Cover is leaking a little (oil around screws) a little bit of oil in spark plug area as well (when I remove Coil Pack or spark plug I usually get an oily tool)

It was stock turbo installed by the dealer under a 3rd party warranty, 50 000mkm ago, I just asked about warranty but I am thinking it is a 1 year 10 000km warranty.

In one months time I got over 1/2 cup which IMO is quite a bit, reading on other experiences some just say there a film is on inside or a small driplets, mine pours out. I am thinking that I also burn a lot of that oil by having it sucks up through the intercooler piping (which would explain why in the first 50 000km of the turbo's life there was only 1 cup of oil and in 1 month a couple thousand KM there's over 1/2 a cup. Maybe explain the smell? I am going to ask to see if they remember there being smoke.

[Biged243]

Possible PVC, you need to keep in mind possible bad factory rings that were improperly installed. Start measuring how much oil your losing, when was the turbo replaced and like some one asked, was it oem or a China crap replacement. Did you install it or did you have a shop install it? A bad turbo seals can do this too but with it being new, I don't think this is a problem. After a while of documenting it you need to find exactly how much your going through and if it is enough oil consumption then it might qualify for Audi to fix the problem of bad rings. There might be a certain vin range for that, as I am not too sure. Better rule out the other stuff first.

[Biged243]

Sorry didn't see that last post of yours

So that answers some of the questions. Again rule out the other stuff like PVC, but you might have the bad piston rings.

[cliffoco]

Called in dealer regarding the OIL test, Since i saw that some cars has a TSB for it was told my car does not qualify for it and it would be around 1000$ to get an oil leak test or what ever (where they weigh the oil)
Anyway to test PCV or just replace all the parts and see?

[Denio24]

You can open the PCV valve & check its functionality: good thread HERE for PCV diagnostics. Though I highly doubt the PCV would be letting in that much oil.

[billyhoyle]

Called in dealer regarding the OIL test, Since i saw that some cars has a TSB for it was told my car does not qualify for it and it would be around 1000$ to get an oil leak test or what ever (where they weigh the oil)
Anyway to test PCV or just replace all the parts and see?

Where they weigh the oil? Hwhat is this wizardry? Dry and wet compression testing will tell you if you have bad rings and doesn't cost anywhere near $1000. Someone local might even do it for beer.

[allstock]

PCV and the rest is wishful thinking. If it wasn't your turbo seals, which you know it isn't after the swap, most of it is due to blow by at the pistons. 1800 isn't good, but there's been worse.

[brandonpham]

PCV and the rest is wishful thinking. If it wasn't your turbo seals, which you know it isn't after the swap, most of it is due to blow by at the pistons. 1800 isn't good, but there's been worse.

1800 honestly isn't bad in my opinion. Audi dealerships will tell you 1000 is normal. I'm at 500-600 miles per quart.

[cliffoco]

Will buy a compression tester tonight, I see a couple Diy on how to do it, do I just undo the fuel pump cable and fuse? (similar to when I would check cam?) and then unplug all spark plugs, or leave the spark plugs in on one's I'm not testing but undo the coil packs... Any good diy anyone know of? How many times should I let it crank, been at work so only skimmed some reference material.

[drumnjuny]

did you check your butt?

[brandonpham]

Will buy a compression tester tonight, I see a couple Diy on how to do it, do I just undo the fuel pump cable and fuse? (similar to when I would check cam?) and then unplug all spark plugs, or leave the spark plugs in on one's I'm not testing but undo the coil packs... Any good diy anyone know of? How many times should I let it crank, been at work so only skimmed some reference material.

Fuel pump fuse out, ALL coil packs ALL plugs out. Compression tester in, hold gas pedal all the way (WOT) and do 3 full cranks, some do 4. Get the reading, release pressure from the tester and move to the next cylinder.

Repeat for wet test with about a teaspoon of oil in the cylinder. I use about half of the oil cap full.

[cliffoco]

I will not get to the compression test tonight but I do have 2 updates.
1) After a drive home in traffic I went WOT with someone I knew behind me, they said there was a little white smoke on first WOT but pretty much nothing after that was 70 degrees today... I would say that is ok / normal however my freshly polished tail pipe which was BLACK before is already starting to lose its shine on the passenger side exhaust tip.

2) here is a video of me taking off my oil cap while car is running, it really chugs when its off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLgikCsZl6U

[cliffoco]

Update 3) After 100km (around 60 miles), there was about 5 table spoons of oil in the intercooler... quite a bit for just a short drive. The oil indicator still is at max.

4) I swear this is new but,,, i am now noticing drips on the passenger side right near (but not from...) the intercooler, see the pictures below.
Any thoughts on where this physcial leak is from?
http://postimg.org/image/fj2w2ru9p/86df3749/
http://postimg.org/image/jzzdpu2ex/31e98639/

[Denio24]

It is quite difficult to diagnose these issues. Even with good compression (test performed by leak down or compression test), you could still have quite a bit of oil leaking past the rings since you mention smoke coming from your exhaust, but let's save that for last since it's never any fun taking an engine apart. Note -- oil leaking past the rings could have nothing to do with the compression rings, but relates to the oil control ring on the suction stroke. So even if your compression is good, you may still be losing some oil past the piston. There are also instances of the opposite; people having poor compression with no oil loss. Basically, oil consumption and blow by aren't exclusive to one another. What can that mean for you? Well, if the issue isn't a PCV issue causing positive pressure in the crankcase, it can also be blow by creating positive pressure in the crank case. Perform a compression + leak down test to be positive.

First make sure you aren't leaking oil near any of the seals -- the pictures you posted -- I would figure it out. Rear main, camshaft seals, bad valve cover seal leaking on top of trans, front main seal? Based on the figures you gave, you're not losing that much oil, but at least a quart every 3-4 weeks or 1800 miles to my understanding. You mention that this is excessive, but in terms of a severe oil leak, I don't think it is that bad -- also as said by Brandonpham. So let's take it down a notch, and go back to basics.

Your video has caught my attention. The engine shouldn't be chugging that hard and am wondering where and why that noise is being created. I am thinking that this is crankcase pressure related. Don't rule out the PCV as mentioned by others. A clogged / broken PCV system can put pressure in the crankcase forcing the oil through the turbo seals and into the intercooler, which could also account for oil leaking around the valve cover. FYI, a strong enough vacuum can also pull oil into the intercooler. What can be done about this? Get a PCV refresh kit including the updated rear breather hose that connects to the TIP (turbo intake pipe). Start putting all the little details together and you might get a clue to what the major issue is.