I have 2001 a6 2.7t and this morning my car started smoking...its about 1 degree here so i let my car warm-up for about 15 mins before i proceeded to drive it....and when i came back out it was smoking a little bit...then when i pulled out of the driveway and gave it some gas it smoked bad...filled up my whole court with smoke....i drove it around the block to see if it would go away and when idling it smoked a little and when accelerating it smoked alot...so i drove it back home and parked it and turned it off. Any clues on what could be wrong?

I have a 2.8 so I don't know much about what might go wrong on the 2.7 and just a little on the 2.8 . The first thing I was wondering is what color is the smoke. You technical experts out there correct me if I am wrong but in general I think white smoke COULD indicate antifreeze getting in to the combustion chamber through a cracked head or failed head gasket. If your antifreeze was not up to spec that could explain this. Black smoke generally indicates oil getting burning off in the chamber so that could be any number of things causing this. I think I have seen posts eluding to the turbos leaking oil so that might be a possibility. I would definitely get that thing checked out asap by somebody you trust. I hope its a little thing -and good luck.

well to me the smoke seems to be more of a white color if that helps anybody

Check your oil and coolant level. White smoke means water or coolant. Also, is it running hotter than normal?

Has to be a water based solutions because in liquid to gas transformation steam is white and if combustion occurs then black steam is the output ... water based solutions cant combust ... check coolant is my best guess

So i just went back out there to take a look at it and where the exhaust comes out at the back at..on the ground there is a brown goopy type stuff on the ground....could this be oil...but doesnt oil turn black or blue when burned? One more thing i noticed when i pulled out the dipstick there is no oil on it...completely dry....now if there is low oil shouldnt there be a low oil light that comes on?

well I believe your check engine light comes on when there is low oil or low oil pressure ... make sure you are not on a hill and the car is off and then recheck ... i would say do an oil change start the car and see if it holds oil or if there is any spots under the car from leaking or in the engine comp. from spraying ... keep us posted

Got under the car and looked through the engine bay and i saw no sign of an oil leak...the only one i noticed is the oil that looks like its coming out of the exhaust pipes

does a blown head gastket sound like it could be the culprit since i just had a bunch a seals replaced for a previous oil leak?

It sounds more like your turbo seals or valve stem seals. I'd place my bet on your turbo seals though. As was mentioned, the alarm goes off with oil pressure, not oil level so you must have enough left in the bottom for the oil pump to pick up.

On second thought, it could also be the pcv valve.

ORIGINAL: playboy00786

does a blown head gastket sound like it could be the culprit since i just had a bunch a seals replaced for a previous oil leak?


Now its becoming clear. Was it the valve cover gaskets and the camshaft seals you had replaced? If so then it is most certainly them leaking again due to the pcv valve.

Im pretty sure thats what was replaced...this was my dads car and he said that not to long ago he had some seals replaced because it was leaking oil...on second thought he said it was the valve cover gasket and camshaft seals and a few other seals. So do u think for sure it could be the pcv valve...now if that is whats wrong could anything elsepossibly be damaged now because of it or can i just replace the pcv valveand be fine or what should be done?

well if you didnt run the car for long id say you could just replace the pcv valv if you were gonna DIY ... good points frankinstyn (http://www.audiforums.com/showProfile.asp?memid=31508)... strange that white smoke is being produced from al this though

get some oil in her and ull have to guess and check

anybody know where i can pick a pcv valve up at....but your right the white smoke is throwing me for a loop...where is the location of the pcv valve...is there anyway i can just look at the pcv valve and tell if thats the problem?

ORIGINAL: joetm

well if you didnt run the car for long id say you could just replace the pcv valv if you were gonna DIY ... good points frankinstyn (http://www.audiforums.com/showProfile.asp?memid=31508)... strange that white smoke is being produced from al this though

get some oil in her and ull have to guess and check




ORIGINAL: Tom Torbjornsen

The car's engine is a giant pump, consequently it must breathe. The PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) system does just this, allows the engine to exhaust the excess pressure build-up (which is a natural phenomenon of the internal combustion engine). Carbon build-up is a by-product of an engine and can build up in the PCV system, clogging the breathing passages. This in turn pressurizes the oil pan and pushes oil up into the fuel delivery system, where it is fed into the engine and burned.



I've been informed that while just the pcv valve might be enough, you are better off replacing...the pcv valve, the vacuum pump, and that hose that contains the whole system. I cannot remember the name of that though.

ORIGINAL: playboy00786

anybody know where i can pick a pcv valve up at....but your right the white smoke is throwing me for a loop...where is the location of the pcv valve...is there anyway i can just look at the pcv valve and tell if thats the problem?



Unfortunately no. However the part is cheap...even from the dealer and it is a common problem.

You can get the valve here...

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=khymst55ugym5xumatqrwr55&makeid=8 00002@Audi&modelid=1368154@A6%20QUATTRO%20&year=20 01&cid=pcv@pcv&gid=5052@PCV%20Valve

and the pump here...

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=khymst55ugym5xumatqrwr55&makeid=8 00002@Audi&modelid=1368154@A6%20QUATTRO%20&year=20 01&cid=pump@pump&gid=5172@Vacuum%20Pump

so can anybody tell me where exactly it is located? Or point me where to buya service manual kinda dont have the time to buy it online......and would a bad pcv valve cause a white smoke and leak all of my oil out?

replace the pcv valv ... u can get bentley service manuals for your audi at ross-tech.com or just google bentley audi manuals

so if i replace the pcv valve do i have to do anything special or can i replace it and just start driving again?

White smoke out the exhaust? the more on the gas, the more smoke ? Your turbo seals are blown.

normally yes you can just start driving again ... there are alot of different sugguestions in this thread ... maybe you should take it to a mechanic you trust or even a dealer if you have the $$$ because i'm sure they can take some stuff apart or at least get a closer look at the turbos and then give a better diagnosis

good luck let us know

if the turbo seals are bad like wolfsa62.8q said then the oil coming out fo the exhaust would def make sense ... on a second throught ... if you feel like takin stuff apart to get to the turbos then go for the seals ... not an expensive seal replacement if you can DIY

2001 A6 2.7T

Just had same problem over the weekend, -8 deg weather, low oil pressure light came on, checked oil, none left, all oil gone! Did not dirve any further. Towed to dealer. $7800 plus to start. Top end reseal and turbo replacement $5775, recomended $1300 ohter repairs since engine will be torn apart. Nothing but issues since we purchased the 300 Point Inspected Gem.

well id take this as a tip to do a turbo upgrade ... maybe it was a sign from god ... i am really sorry to hear about all of your problems ... cold is awesome for turbos but maybe -8 degrees is a bit too cold

Start your car. Take off the oil cap, and put your hand over it. If air is coming out, then u have blow by. This means your rings are probably shot, which could cause oil to shoot out exhaust.

ORIGINAL: 2.7A6MadAudi

2001 A6 2.7T

Just had same problem over the weekend, -8 deg weather, low oil pressure light came on, checked oil, none left, all oil gone! Did not dirve any further. Towed to dealer. $7800 plus to start. Top end reseal and turbo replacement $5775, recomended $1300 ohter repairs since engine will be torn apart. Nothing but issues since we purchased the 300 Point Inspected Gem.


Ouch! Thats a crappy first post.

Wow, cold must kill these seals. I have the same problem. Went out and started the car this morning and low and behold white/bluish smoke that has that ever so distinctive stench of burning oil. After seeing this post I felt lucky, so I went down to the dealer and got the pump and PCV valve and still had smoke. Pulled the intercooler lines and about 1/3rd to 1/2 a quart of oil came pouring out of each side. I let it drain and took it for a quick round the block, (still feeling lucky) and crystal clear for a few minutes, then WHAM I felt like James Bond with that cool smoke screen. I pulled it back on the lift and there was another bit of oil in the cooler lines (I was not smart enough to capture it to measure but based on the amount in my hair I would say it was ¼ cup.)

Here's my question, is it possible that this is left over and not new? The reason for this thought is I changed the oil about a week ago and the oil was down about 2 quarts and was nasty, the new oil on the dipstick is still pretty clean and is right at half way in between the add a quart and the full, and this has not changed since changing the oil. The oil in the cooler lines was the nasty black stuff, not the newer stuff.

BTW this is a 2000 a6 2.7 with the tip and 101,000 miles on it.

Any way to 100% confirm that this is the turbos?

Thanks in advance.

Well i managed to get the car towed to a dealer now im just waiting on the word on whats wrong...so if it is the turbos there is no wayfor me to pay the $7k..so how hard would it to be to upgrade the turbos or even replace the turbos for that matter?

I have a 2001 A6 2.7T and have had the smoking problem twice. Last year it was -15F and yesterday it was -5F when the problem reoccured. I thought I was looking at a major repair bill the first time as I thought I had blown something out. Turns out that the 2.7 engine has a quirk, as my garage tech calls it. The problem can be traced to a frozen suction pump (jet valve). Moisture in the valve freezes and causes excessive pressure in the crank case. The excess pressure causes oil to pass the piston rings and burn in the exhaust. It also forces oil up through the turbos. The valve has to be cleaned out or replaced andthe intercoolers need to be drained of the forced in oil. Turns out that Audi recently came out with a vented engine oil cap that may help reduce the problem.

I had a 2001 A6 2.7T which had the smoking problem last year when it reached -14F and cost me $4000+ to repair. So when it repeated the same symptoms on Jan 21st this year after another sub zero night I knew I had to get rid of the A6. I waited for the temperature to rise to +20F when the smoking stopped and traded it in, but not for another Audi!!!

Let me know when the 2001 A6 owners class action law suit is under way...

What's going on? A curse? I live in frozen WI and my 2001 2.7T started blowing tons of smoke today on the way home. Reeked of oil when I parked it. I haven't even been out to look at it yetso I have no idea what's going on. Sign me up for that suit........

Dan

A cursory examination tonight showed evidence of excessive crankcase pressure on mine. You can see where it was blowing out under the oil filler cap under pressure. Definitely blowing out the exhaust too (past the rings?).I loosened the cap andran it some. Seemed ok. Minimal smoke and that could have been fromresidual oil.But it's so damn cold it's hard to tell. I'm going toreplace the vac pump, pcv,valvecover & tensior gaskets, pray,and see what happens. Probably checkthe intercooler hoses for oil.

It's been everything from sub zero to freezing rain last weekend here so I'm hoping for just a frozen pump or pcv.

I recently had the same smoking issue during a cold day....had it towed to shop and it was the crankcase ventilation system (PCV valve etc). Cost $680 by the time it was done....but no more smoking.

When it warms up I am going to need to pull the belly pan and powerwash it because I know some excess oil fell onto it (I have seen some drops below the car after parked and upon an intial exam I can see that there is some residue on the belly pan). I am also curious about that Audi vented oil cap as that might be worth the investment just in case.

My mechanic never looked at the intercoolers so I'm hoping there isn't any oil sitting in them....but it hasn't smoked since the repair so maybe I'm ok. I'm still driving nervous though....I glance back checking for smoke a LOT more often now.

I worked on it this weekend. Removed the spider hose and it's related pcv plumbing. There was ice in there. Not totally clogged but it could have been at some point. Cleaned it all out good and re-assembled. It smoked some when I got on it when I first drove it but ithas decreased to the point where now I see none and it drives fine. Pulled the belly pan today and drained about 1/2 cup of oil from each intercooler hose. I think I have a cam seal or tensior gasket leaking also but that may have been pre-existing.I was starting to get some oil smell before. The breather problem probably just exacerbated it. With 85K it's probably time to do the timing belt,cam seals, and top end re-seal and pray the turbos are ok. I can do the rest myself.