Oil in my intercooler?

[mtaylor0806]

Today I was undergoing a carbon cleanup on my 08 s-line. First thing was to remove the hose from the throttle body to the intercooler. I along the rim of the intercooler was black, wet, and smelled like oil. I'm gonna call it oil . Any suggestions about what is going on? And more importantly how to correct it? Thanks!


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[2JayZ]

My turbo and/or breather tube dump about an 1/8th quart of oil in my intercooler every 3000 miles. I drain my intercooler as if it were an oil pan😒. If your tube is just wet and there's no actual oil buildup, I wouldn't worry about it

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[mtaylor0806]

I'll pull the lower IC piping and check for more substantial oil. I have been going through 2 quarts every 5k miles so I don't have high hopes for what I will find.
Also, for diagnostic purposes... I have a pcv delete and have installed a forge dv spacer. Other mods too but those are the two that may be relevant.


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[Low and Behold]

That sounds pretty normal honestly. It's definitely oil consumption related considering you have to add a quart every few(ish) thousand miles. It's fine for now. Doesn't hurt to pull things off and clean it out once in a while.


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[Low and Behold]

Also don't be surprised if a shit ton of oil comes out when you take off the lower IC pipes. That's where all this oil is going to collect since it's the lowest point in the system, and smaller amounts are going to get pulled up/sucked through the intake as it collects.


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[Okedokey]

Check and replace your PCV

[canadianA4B7]

How much oil? Drained from both intercoolers? And last time it was seen? Any coloured exhaust gases out the tail pipes? As noted above inspect pcv system completely, be sure to see if your getting suction on the oil fill cap while engine running. If no suction pcv could be shot. If pcv is fine and your getting minimal or suggested oil consumption as per Audi manual keep an eye on it. If you start hearing turbo squeel or strange noises from turbo side of motor possibly damage to turbo. As of now with info provided things seem to be "normal" but more info could help. Any noticeable lack of power? Or black soot on rear bumper near tail pipes? Are you running a cat? Are you throwing low pressure or low oil level engine lights?

[flowhigh]

Definitely a sign of a worn engine as with all these other threads if you haven't noticed. Oil is getting into the vacuum system. If this is your first time opening up the system then I'd guess that it isn't too bad depending on how much came out.

This could be due to a number of vacuum related parts or even due to excessive piston blow by. All oil lubricated motors create a fine oil "mist" when running and worn/faulty vacuum components will allow it to get into the dryer portions of the system.

When excessive amounts of oil builds up in the intercooler piping you will often experience engine stutter or bogging during acceleration from stop.

Catch cans do not prevent this.

[danbfree]

Check and replace your PCV

This... I've also heard it can be the valve cover leaking into the PCV system but I thought by '08 they had updated the valve covers...

[mtaylor0806]

Update:
I pulled the lower intercooler pipes and had little to no oil in them.
Also, I have a pcv delete. Soooo, no pcv to check or replace.


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[Low and Behold]

Thats good then. I wouldn't worry about it for now. A quart every few thousand miles is nothing.

[vce1232000]

Thats good then. I wouldn't worry about it for now. A quart every few thousand miles is nothing.

Some of members wish it was just that .............

[Low and Behold]

For sure. Tons of members go through quarts in less than 1000


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[JetG0ld]

On this note, i've got a 2008 car which is "supposed" to have an updated PCV system, should I still do the BSH PCV Refresh?

[torrque]

Mine did the same until I replaced the valve cover. It was siphoning oil into the turbo via the aluminum vent pipe, and down into the intercoolers piping .... Clean after 3000 miles with new valve cover and PCV.

[JetG0ld]

Mine did the same until I replaced the valve cover. It was siphoning oil into the turbo via the aluminum vent pipe, and down into the intercoolers piping .... Clean after 3000 miles with new valve cover and PCV.

My buddy is an Audi tech, he told me the way to test the valve cover is by opening the oil fill cap with the engine running. If it feels "stuck" or overly difficult then the VC is toast. Mine popped open no problem.

[brandonpham]

My buddy is an Audi tech, he told me the way to test the valve cover is by opening the oil fill cap with the engine running. If it feels "stuck" or overly difficult then the VC is toast. Mine popped open no problem.

That can mean the PCV is bad.

[JetG0ld]

That can mean the PCV is bad.

Oh yes you're correct. Sorry I mixed the two up.

[2JayZ]

Definitely a sign of a worn engine as with all these other threads if you haven't noticed. Oil is getting into the vacuum system. If this is your first time opening up the system then I'd guess that it isn't too bad depending on how much came out.

This could be due to a number of vacuum related parts or even due to excessive piston blow by. All oil lubricated motors create a fine oil "mist" when running and worn/faulty vacuum components will allow it to get into the dryer portions of the system.

When excessive amounts of oil builds up in the intercooler piping you will often experience engine stutter or bogging during acceleration from stop.

Catch cans do not prevent this.

Sorry im a bit confused and im having more and more oil in my IC now. What path exactly can oil that has blown past the pistons take to get to the intercooler without passing through a catch can?

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[Okedokey]

You might have a turbo going bad which is leaking oil.

[pezgoon]

Sorry im a bit confused and im having more and more oil in my IC now. What path exactly can oil that has blown past the pistons take to get to the intercooler without passing through a catch can?

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Ya that doesn't really make sense?

Catch can do prevent the majority of the oil reaching the turbo/intercooler piping though

So I await your response to you being wrong

You might have a turbo going bad which is leaking oil.

Agreed

Have you checked/replaced the VC or PVC?


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[Low and Behold]

If oil is slipping past the rings it would be burned, not end up in the ICs... PCV, valve cover, turbo seals, etc can cause the consumption that makes oil end up in your ICs.

Catch cans do not fix oil consumption issues.


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[mtroxel]

Catch cans do not fix oil consumption issues.

From what I read here, they fix everything!!

[Low and Behold]

Sorry im a bit confused and im having more and more oil in my IC now. What path exactly can oil that has blown past the pistons take to get to the intercooler without passing through a catch can?

It would have to defy physics and flow backwards. Oil that blows past the pistons should be burned, not recirculated back up through the intake and into the ICs... so basically thats not your issue. If you were having oil consumption issues and the piston rings were to blame, you probably wouldn't have that much oil in your ICs because it would be burning the oil, not collecting it.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Ya that doesn't really make sense?

Catch can do prevent the majority of the oil reaching the turbo/intercooler piping though

So I await your response to you being wrong

How do you figure? CCs are designed to catch blowby vapors and condensed nastiness. The only way it would catch actual oil is if your VC is broken and the catch can is sucking oil directly out of the crank case. That amounts do a different problem all together. You'd theoretically have to empty your catch can every day to get the oil out.

Instead when most folks empty their CCs, a pungent cocktail of pure grossness is what comes out (some of it being oil, yes)

Id like to hear a different train of thought on this, if there is one.

- - - Updated - - -

From what I read here, they fix everything!!

Everything.

[pezgoon]

It would have to defy physics and flow backwards. Oil that blows past the pistons should be burned, not recirculated back up through the intake and into the ICs... so basically thats not your issue. If you were having oil consumption issues and the piston rings were to blame, you probably wouldn't have that much oil in your ICs because it would be burning the oil, not collecting it.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.



How do you figure? CCs are designed to catch blowby vapors and condensed nastiness. The only way it would catch actual oil is if your VC is broken and the catch can is sucking oil directly out of the crank case. That amounts do a different problem all together. You'd theoretically have to empty your catch can every day to get the oil out.

Instead when most folks empty their CCs, a pungent cocktail of pure grossness is what comes out (some of it being oil, yes)

Id like to hear a different train of thought on this, if there is one.

- - - Updated - - -



Everything.

Well it's still collecting oil vapor, so it's catching oil. I didn't specify how much

I know he has huge quantities or something? Idk I generally read half the thread and answer and generally it's the later half haha

But his VC could be broken anyways, that is what we have been suggesting for him to check

So if he had to empty his CC everyday then it would verify a broken VC! But he doesn't have a CC to check this.

I was referring more to about the blowby, which I was thinking about that incorrectly anyways . Listen you! I had a few beers in me when I made that post alright, what I was arguing against didn't make sense so I started with a loaded deck! (Loaded against me lol)

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[Low and Behold]

Well it's still collecting oil vapor, so it's catching oil. I didn't specify how much

I know he has huge quantities or something? Idk I generally read half the thread and answer and generally it's the later half haha

But his VC could be broken anyways, that is what we have been suggesting for him to check

So if he had to empty his CC everyday then it would verify a broken VC! But he doesn't have a CC to check this.

I was referring more to about the blowby, which I was thinking about that incorrectly anyways . Listen you! I had a few beers in me when I made that post alright, what I was arguing against didn't make sense so I started with a loaded deck! (Loaded against me lol)

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No mercy!

Just making sure everyone is on the same (and correct) page here as this is a semi-common issue.

[pezgoon]

No mercy!

Just making sure everyone is on the same (and correct) page here as this is a semi-common issue.

Yep yep yep


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[mtroxel]

Id like to hear a different train of thought on this, if there is one.

There is not.

Just to reiterate what Low and Behold is saying, whether you have a catch can or the Audi PCV system, they have nothing to do with oil in the ICs.

Are they both under the hood? Yes

Are they anywhere near each other in any other way? No.

[redline380]

Op, the oil is in your piping because it is leaking past the turbo seals. Totally normal. If you get more than a cup every few oil changes it may be time for a new turbo.

[pezgoon]

There is not.

Just to reiterate what Low and Behold is saying, whether you have a catch can or the Audi PCV system, they have nothing to do with oil in the ICs.

Are they both under the hood? Yes

Are they anywhere near each other in any other way? No.

What?

Of course they do have something to do with the IC's

They have nothing to do with blowby though which is what he was saying

You do realize that oil vapor that passes through the pcv system and/or cc system goes into the turbo then into the IC's right?

Where if they haven't coagulated in either of them they coagulate in the IC's thus collecting in them

They have nothing to do with blow by of pistons because that cannot make it to them which is what he was correcting me on


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[mtroxel]

What?

Of course they do have something to do with the IC's

My bad. You're right. You can pull oily air into the turbo from the VC.

[pezgoon]

My bad. You're right. You can pull oily air into the turbo from the VC.

Haha okay I just wanted to make sure more disinformation wasn't being spread, me being the first haha


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[Low and Behold]

Op, the oil is in your piping because it is leaking past the turbo seals. Totally normal. If you get more than a cup every few oil changes it may be time for a new turbo.

Explain how this is a foregone conclusion of yours. You're skipping right to the turbo seals?

[redline380]

Explain how this is a foregone conclusion of yours. You're skipping right to the turbo seals?

Oil seeping past seals in the turbo is an inherent fact of operation. They aren't necessarily bad, even a brand new turbo is liable to leak a bit.

[Low and Behold]

Oil seeping past seals in the turbo is an inherent fact of operation. They aren't necessarily bad, even a brand new turbo is liable to leak a bit.

Agreed - What you're saying is indeed a fact. But how are you sure that the turbo is the cause of oil consumption in this case? That's my point. You quickly suggested the turbo as if every case of oil consumption can be blamed on the turbo seals. Pretty misleading for the OP (or in this case whoever revived the thread) that's all.

[tloft4]

he did say a cup every couple changes. even at 2 changes, .125qts for 10k miles seems pretty ok, albeit surprising to find if you didnt expect any

[redline380]

Agreed - What you're saying is indeed a fact. But how are you sure that the turbo is the cause of oil consumption in this case? That's my point. You quickly suggested the turbo as if every case of oil consumption can be blamed on the turbo seals. Pretty misleading for the OP (or in this case whoever revived the thread) that's all.

I never said the turbo was the cause of oil consumption issues. That would be hogwash. I said the turbo is the likely cause of oil in the charge piping, the entire question asked by the OP.

His oil consumption issues are totally unrelated to oil in the charge piping.

[redline380]

There are two.completely separate issues here. I'm not sure everyone is aware of that. There is oil in the charge piping that is caused by oil leaking past the turbo seals and collecting in that piping.

Then there is oil consumption issues, whereby oil is leaking seeping past the piston rings and being burned during combustion.


Those two issues are totally separate and everyone here's needs to treat them as such.

[Low and Behold]

I never said the turbo was the cause of oil consumption issues. That would be hogwash. I said the turbo is the likely cause of oil in the charge piping, the entire question asked by the OP.

His oil consumption issues are totally unrelated to oil in the charge piping.

Ah! We are talking about different "OPs" here. The actual OP disappeared at post #10. The other person with an issue is 2jayz (post #2 and revived the thread at #19). I thought thats who we were talking about now.

My turbo and/or breather tube dump about an 1/8th quart of oil in my intercooler every 3000 miles. I drain my intercooler as if it were an oil pan😒. If your tube is just wet and there's no actual oil buildup, I wouldn't worry about it

Sorry im a bit confused and im having more and more oil in my IC now. What path exactly can oil that has blown past the pistons take to get to the intercooler without passing through a catch can?

Happy Go Skate Day everyone

[daniel B6 1.8t]

I am having this issue on a b6 1.8t can i get the thread for the solution to this?