Our middle son has the subject auto. He is not very knowledgeable about automobiles, so I am asking this question for him:

Yesterday, he called me from a mall parking lot with the news that his "Low Oil Pressure Warning" had come on. Without checking his oil via the dipstick, he put two quarts of oil in it. When he told me this, I explained that he should not have done that and that if he had too much oil in the engine, that was almost as bad as not enough.

Anyway, I drove out there, and when we checked his dipstick, it showed that the level was well over the "A" level. It looked to me as though he was at least a quart high. I checked the manual and decided that I should drain at least 1 quart out of it.

The "Low Oil Pressure Warning" had gone off by then and stayed off. He has recently been experiencing some sensor failures, and we suspected that this was another case of that.

I had him drive it to our home and planned to drain a quart out of it so it wouldn't damage the cat converter.

He decided to have it towed to a local Imported Car Service to have it looked at instead.

THEY told him that he had been using the wrong kind of oil in it, that it had plugged up "something in the engine", and that it would have to be taken to an Audi dealer to have the lubricating system flushed. They also told him that the only oil that should have been used in it had to be imported from Germany.

I called BS on both counts.

From what I have so far read here, a full synthetic 0W or even 5W-40 would be fine, something like Royal Purple or Mobile 1 for instance.

Secondly, the only thing I could figure out that could be "plugged up" was possibly the oil-pump screen and maybe the oil filter.

So, since I am now 72 and began my car experience with a 1930 Model "A" Ford, building cars over a number of years since then, what IS the full and correct story on this issue concerning oil, plugging up the engine, etc.?

I think he needs to find an independent mechanic...

Your advice?

Thanks.

Ken Gordon

 

Most fully synthetic 0 or 5W40 such as Mobile 1 or Castrol Edge are fine in these engines. You are probably correct in that the screen may be partially blocked causing the issue with the low pressure.

Finding an independent, but reputable shop would be your best option. After all, "flushing the lubrication system" sounds to me like just a really expensive oil change.

 

Thank you. Much appreciated.

 

Well, sadly, it is looking more and more as though his problem is paint flaking off the insides of his valve covers plugging up certain oil passages. He has an indy working on it, who turns out to be very honest, although somewhat "****" about preferring OEM fluids. We'll know more in a day or two. We are not pleased...neither is his wife...

 

I bought an 04 allroad 4.2 l about 9 months ago. I also have had the light come on a few times. However, it did need a quart or two of oil. I've been told that the 4.2 L will need more oil every thousand or so miles. I'm told it's an "audi" thing.

BUT, I did also take into deal recently and I'm told the oil pan needs to be replaced and it's leaking oil. So, i'm not sure if the V8's burn oil quicker or it's just that i needed a new pan.

I don't think the oil he used is causing the issue.