Originally Posted by
ngood1
Source on the separation of the G13 coolant?
I use Bosch 4 prong spark plugs and liquimoly 5w-40. You might want to consider 0w-40 since you are in mexico and get the oil flush stuff
I heard OEM or Fuchs is the friendliest to the gears and you don't want to use anything else
The word, I was told, a few years back - VW/Audi found that the turbo charged engine of that time period/slightly before, had "experienced" - coolant seperation with G13, which was the OEM VW/Audi, coolant from the factory - no one got specific, but out here in AZ, you can imagein, that being a serious problem...
So, the "Dealers" VW & Audi, were "shelving G12", puting G13 out to pasture - at that time.
In my case - my S4, was due for a fluid replacement, (by my standards), but when I heard this info, I had already, "upgraded" to G13, back when I did the replacement, so was just getting, "top-off", for slight level drop I had observed - so I had to hunt around - finding one, (with dust), at a VW Dealership... That's the best I can offer.
As for sparkplugs - Audi put both Bosch and NGK plugs in the 4.2 engine at the factory, (Yugoslavia I think), mine came with NGK, (platinum "plated" nickle - four (4) prongs.
Being an OEM Original guy and that at 50K, an Audi Dealer changed them the first go round, I wasn't aware, the the ALL Platinum, was even available, let alone that NGK, specifically, recommended the pure platinum for the 4.2 S4 B7 engine...
At 96K, I had a catastrophic, 7K rpm, detonation, that sent the pre-cat guts into the secondary cat on bank 2, (left side). Still under extended Warr. the Audi Dealer, put their "Master Tech" on the causal hunt - that was an absolute cluster-fuck from Hell, they "tried" the "throw shit at the wall see what sticks" - new plugs, (nickle), rotated the coils, (on which all eight, were replaced at 77K, under Warr/recall/Service Bullitin), fuel injectors switches, (no new seals I might add) - they could not find the source of the left bank 8-6 cylinder mis-fires - F'n IDIOTS!
An independant shop - found the "cat blows", to be the cause...
My regular machanic and I replaced the whole cat assembly, both banks, with ALL OEM Original cats and parts... But, didn't change the NGK nickle/OEM "Genuine" spark plugs.
All, fine, good - now Like a brand new car engine - no engine damage, luckily..
Until 135K, out of nowhere, driving the freeway, got caught between gears in a situation, that forced a "lug", (2K rpm, gas push on...) Sure as Shit - flooded, the engine w/ too much fuel!
Poof - cat failures, both banks...
There is an interim, story, I'll leave - which involves an independant shop, mistakenly, failing at trying to fit a Magnaflow cat system instead of VW/Audi OEM Genuine - another cluster Fuck!
So, again, my mechanic & I, got a whole new set of OEM Genuine cat assemblies and parts - and did the Work our selves.
By now - I had contacted NGK, tech in MI - that, is where I got - NGK Factory spec. of ALL/Pure Platinum, for my engine.
Since 136 K to now 157 K - even from the get go - the engine has performed, flaulessly and noticably better than with the nickles.
My mechanic and I deduced - what may have induced the first cat fails was Dealer OverFills at the 5K Dealer oil changes - an ABSOLUTE NO NO! I didn't know then, what I know now...
NEVER, check oil level on any un-level surface, both directions, and always check after a 6-10 min. drain down... Cold oil checks are Worthless - synthetic fluids expand with heat...
As for engine oil - I found out, the hard way, not all Audi Dealers were using Castrol Syntech, on S4 Dealer oil changes - but they did on R8s !
When I found out - I had to, drive to an AutoZone and get 10 qts. and hold one (1) back, because by then, I had become aware - how critical level oil changes were, (even on "lifts"), level of the engine may not occur, so the drain plug method, would not, fully drain the pan !
So, the dumb-ass tech, would just fill the 9.5 qts, and not know what the Hell he/she was doing - Dealer oil changes are by the "lowest on the totem pole - techs"...
So, since then - even, since, I & my mechanic do the 5K oil changes, on a lift too. I hadn't yet got to the value of the fluid extractor... (A MUST BY NOW!)
We also, suspected the over-fills, over time, had "plugged the cats" , because the 4.2 "uses oil"...
Faced with, "away from home", 5k oil change intervals - I investigated the fluid extractor - Mytevac, (sp).
Once I got one, my mechanic and I did a test - at the next change, we - first, used the extractor, using the right rear slight lift on a level slab, worked great...
Then, we pulled the plastic belly pan, oiled the drain plug - NOT ONE SINGLE DRIP of oil, came out ! He was shocked! I was convinced - this was the only way to go...
I've since, on my own, done the 5K oil changes on my realively level slab at home or wherever - verifying with my torpedo level, using the extractor.
The extraction oil is dirty as hell - but now three/four done - the oil coloration, throughout the 5K duration is , really clean each time I check - ever two (2) weeks, after a local "run", or at each gas fill if traveling/ and adding as needed.
I also, keep the level on the stick, about 1/8" above the top of the lower orange plastic tip on the stick.
We figured, the rings on the engine are very thin - thus the using occurs when the engine is cold start to full warm up time - so, never start it, unless you are going to highway drive it 30 min. minimum. Seriously, it takes that long, on the highway, to really get there - screw the "gauges"...
Castrol Syntech, was Factory OEM Genuine - that has been my, standard - period!
WB
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