Diesel

Dad's 75000 mile Audi A6 2.3 is going from top of the dispstick to lower level in a month. Puffs of smoke on startup, getting trickier to start too...

Is it -

A dodgy/broken oil control rings (and would a compression test show this up?)

B valve seals

C valve stem seals

D something else!

Need to advise him on best course of action [and this does not, of course, include upgrading to an Aston Vantage or the new Range Rover as he's a pensioner now and that would be very silly ]

Thanks for any advice.

D

PS it's in metallic light gold with the fawn seats, and hope I got the right forum

Dracoro

Keep oil in the car! when was it last serviced?

I'm sure some more technical people can suggest what it MIGHT be. Whatever it might be, get it to a garage ASAP and have it looked at. If an engine runs out of oil, that's when they go bang.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Max to min is usually about a pint of oil
Not good on a car of that mileage - and presumably not too old either.

A compression check + leak down test would be wise to make sure the rings are doing their job. But, oil loss could be in the way of valve seals, head gasket, or a very big leak.

If it was the rings/bores that were knackered, or valve seals - I would seriously question the maintanence and service history of that car.

brickboy

Can you follow him when he drives it? Once it's warmed up, if it gives blue smoke steadily when he puts his foot down and keeps it down in top gear, it's worn rings or bores.

If it gives a "puff" of smoke when going back on the throttle after being on the over-run, it's likely to be worn valve guide seals.

A compression test might show up worn rings or bores. If you get a low reading on one or more cylinders, put a few drops of oil down the plughole. If the reading improves after this, it's definitely the rings or bores. If the reading DOESN'T improve with oil in the bores, it's a burnt or poorly-seating valve.

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

He's checked there isn't a puddle of oil under the car's nightly parking place....

Dream Weaver

OK, here goes (having the same probs):

A dodgy/broken oil control rings (and would a compression test show this up?)

Do a compression test. Do it dry first on each cylinder and note the number of cranks to get the pressure up and the final PSi. then add a teaspoon of oil down the plug hole. If it jumps up in PSi by a lot (more than 15psi) then it is probably piston rings.

B valve seals

If not rings, then it could be these

C valve stem seals

Same as above - B

If your compression readings are vastly different in between cylinders it could also be your head gasket.

Check the spark plugs as well - they should be greay/brown in colour - if they are covered in oil, then rings it is.

Dream Weaver

Just realised, brickboy already said all that

Diesel

Thanks a lot guys - good detective techniques there. I'll fwd...

David Lock

Being a betting man - c). Puff of smoke on start-up is strong indicator.

Note stems can be sorted without head being taken off if garage has right bit of kit (I think this is compressed air into spark plug)which drastically reduces labour charge for head removal so ask around for quote. But obviously a compression test first. DL