Help Needed

[Jameswmcl]

I have just spent upwards of 2K on my R reg A4 1.9 turbo deisel due to Oil in the water. I am at my wits end as the problem is still there. After numerous google searches I came across a post on another forum that suggested it may be down to a faulty Oil Cooler (the bit where the filter screws into). The garage that has carried out the repairs seem to dispute that this could be the problem. Have any othre A4 owners experienced this.

 

[Olly_K]

what exactly is the problem ?

 

[Jameswmcl]

The problem is Oil in the coolant and I was wondering if the problem was caused by the oil cooler becoming faulty

 

[Sinny71]

How much oil are we talking?? Are you loosing oil and having to top up?? Could it be residual oil in the cooling system??

 

[Jameswmcl]

Quite a bit of Oil - I dont think it is residual

I am still convinced the oil cooler is at fault

 

[Sinny71]

What work have you already had done?? And what do the garage who have done all the work for you say it is then, as they have obviously not been to successful thus far??

 

[Jameswmcl]

Head Gasket Replacement - Head pressure tested and skimmed, radiator replaced.

They reckon there isnt an oil cooler on my particular model - but it is in plain sight

 

[Sinny71]

They seem to be very keen to say its not the oil cooler....but what do they say it is as all the work they have done hasn't resolved the problem.

Are they trying to say they have cocked up ??

 

[Jameswmcl]

I reckon when I reported Oil in Water they jumped to the conclusion that it was the head gasket. Now that the problem still exists they are throwing all sorts of excuses at me. I might have to get a haynes manual and sort it myself

 

[batwad]

Head gasket is the classic one for oil in the coolant, but I've heard very few reports of HG failure on VAG engines (not like in my Peugeot days when barely a week went by before someone posted an HG-related question on the forums).

How's the coolant looking in general? If it's really grim it might not have been changed for years.

 

[Jameswmcl]

cooling system has been flushed 3 times now and a new oil sensor and header tank fitted

 

[spike]

Hi James

I'm not an A4 owner but believe your oil cooler theory is correct. As far as I know, just about every Audi engine has a watercooled oil cooler - its easy to check as usually the coolant supply and return hoses are clearly visible on the oil filter head assembly.
As engine oil pressure is significantly higher than the coolant pressure while the engine is running, internal damage to the oil cooler core will result in oil entering the cooling system.
Sometimes the reverse can also happen if the oil cooler core damage is more severe. When a hot engine is switched off, the oil pressure quickly falls to zero but the coolant system pressure remains high for several minutes. Under these conditions coolant can be forced into the oil system

Cheers Spike

 

[albgut1]

Did you get the oil cooler changed then?