Well all weekend, Ive been fighting the broken elbow from my dv back to the intake, and the hose I bought as a patch would either slip off or leak, giving me all sorts of fueling issues. I mostly babied the car all weekend, and finally got the replacement McGuyvered hose to stay for good (thanks to autozone). Now I understand the concept of venting a DV, vac leaks, and how the car handles it, but now I have noticed a loud rattle coming from the front of the car, almost where the #1 cylinder is... Please don't tell me I've managed to fry piston rings or something. The cars stock, and is about 3k into the oil change. Also, its managed to take about a quart of oil after the change, and I used clear hose to recirc the DV, and theres been a lot of oil showing up in there as well... I think I have a failing turbo and some engine damage of some sort..

my car also eats oil, but when i asked the mechanic who i bought it from if it was a problem he said that it was ok for it to take some oil.

These cars go through oil. A little oil in the intake is fine, as long as its not like a quart or something. As for the knock, get out a stethoscope and listen around. Does it respond to revs? Is it high or low? How's the car idling? Performance?

Here's my story. Replaced timing belt, and ended up with a knocking noise. EVERYONE, even my mechanic, my neighbor, my exhaust guy EVERYONE said it was definitely a rod knock. Sounded just like it. I thought I fucked up timing somehow. Tore it all apart and found it to be a loose bolt on the powersteering pulley. I thought the car was trashed.

Unless you begin to see white smoke from the exhaust, less power and a WHOOOO noise from the turbo, I wouldn't worry about it much. Now GO GET A BOOST GAUGE!

why do you think you have a failing turbo? kayakman is right, get a boost gauge...

Compression test would be a good first step in checking the engine's health too.

yes, first thing you want to do is a compression test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2gjxcH2QNk You can hear it really clearly
At the end, I'm holding the brake and revving it slightly, and its really loud on the 2nd startup. Where/who/how do I do a compression test? Also, what would be in spec for cylinder pressure?

this is exactly what my car sounded like when my water pump went bad, but it only did it when the engine was warmed up. but i don't know if you have the same thing :P

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3521125 --> im not sure if the engine management fuse is the same as that car, but your owners manual has all the engine fuses listed, youll want to pull them so the injectors dont dump fuel into the cylinder while you are running the test.

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/audi-a4-8/compression-check-diy-1-8t-79825/

Oh, and you can get a compression gauge from any auto parts store, just ask them for one, it helps to get one with a metal extension (youll see once you take the coil packs and spark plugs off).

Try turning the steering wheel when you hear it. My power steering pump made a noise after a coolant flush and after driving around the block it went away!