2.0 TFSI 3.0 Engine expresses oil from all seals

Hi everyone,

Perhaps someone among you has an idea or theory to help us understand this topic better.

My 2-year-old engine (2.0 TFSI, engine code CNCD) is leaking oil. Initially, it was leaking from the valve cover gasket. This was the first thing that was replaced, or new sealant was applied (a durable, elastic silicone compound). It happened in November.

During a routine check, I noticed oil leakage again. This time, it was coming from the upper timing chain cover. Similarly, the valve cover was leaking again.

At the authorized repair shop, a significant amount of oil leakage was detected, not only at the oil pan, but also at the oil level sensor and the lower timing chain cover (again, a silicone gasket was used).

In my opinion, oil is also leaking from the head gasket, but the workshop hasn't agreed with that assessment yet.

Okay, to summarize and put it bluntly:

- Valve cover (two)
- Upper timing chain cover.
- Lower chain guard.
- Oil pan
- Oil sensor
- Cylinder head gasket (presumably)

The engine is running smoothly and without any noticeable issues. I was thinking it might be a faulty EGR valve, but if that's the case, the engine probably wouldn't be running properly.

My theory is that there's a massive pressure buildup in the cylinder, but at the same time, I think that would mean the engine wouldn't run cleanly and would likely have reduced power.
Another thought is that the head might be warped or damaged because, during the initial repair of the valve cover, significant shortcuts and poor workmanship were used in other areas as well.
Is that possible if the terms and conditions haven't been met? What guide are you referring to that causes the head and block to warp, leading to leaks?

While all of this is covered by the warranty, I'm starting to get annoyed by having to deal with these issues.

Does anyone have any ideas about this? If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it.

Thank you for your input.

Hello,

Quote:

My theory is that there is massive overpressure within the block

.
That would be the first thing I would check. When replacing the cylinder head cover, you can't warp anything on the block.

What is your oil consumption like? Does it produce blue smoke from the exhaust?
Okay, I'm ready. Please provide the German text you want me to translate.

Because with carbon-fouled pistons, the blow-by can increase so much that it becomes too much for the crankcase ventilation system.

Best regards, Rainer.

I've already looked into Erwin (siehe Fehlerdatenbank) about this, but I haven't found any information on how to check the KGE. It was also my first time using ERWIN.

The pistons in this engine are in perfect condition; they even appear to have the new, three-piece scraper rings.

The oil consumption is, in itself, about half a liter per 10,000 kilometers. So, now it's probably leaking everywhere.

Normally, there's a slight vacuum in the crankcase when the engine is idling. I once put my finger in the oil filler opening and asked a friend to give it full throttle while the car was stationary, and I didn't feel any significant pressure buildup. Certainly not professionally done, but if there's excessive oil pressure, it should be forcing its way through almost every seal, and you should be able to feel it.

Since the valve cover is part of the upper camshaft bearing and the valve lift system, and is fastened with expansion bolts, the thought occurred to me that it might be warped. Also, the additional leaks only appeared after the initial (botched) sealing attempt.

Quote:

When idling, there is a normal, slight vacuum in the crankcase. I once stuck my finger in the oil dipstick opening and asked a friend to rev the engine while it was idling, and I couldn't feel any significant pressure build-up.

That sounds good so far.

Is the engine running normally? No stuttering or anything similar that might indicate problems with the power supply?

Best regards, Rainer.

I might imagine a slight, occasional hesitation at idle, but objectively, it runs smoothly and has its full (or even more than its full) power.
The maximum speed is reached, and with a bit of acceleration, it is often exceeded significantly.

I'm attaching some pictures; the engine has already been treated with talcum powder spray.

The photos were taken after an 800km highway drive. Before that, the car had been at the workshop to have the oil pan sealed.

The task of sealing the lower forehead area remains open; it is said that only a slight amount of sweat was present there. The workshop hasn't been able to complete that task yet.

Hello,

I would start by sealing the top (cylinder head cover), as the oil naturally runs down the engine and spreads as it goes. It's possible that there isn't much leaking from the engine itself, and the fluid is actually coming from above.

Best regards, Rainer.

Yes, that was done, as I said. The valve cover has already been sealed twice, but now the oil leak is back. It looks like it's leaking from around a screw. The same applies to the upper chain cover.

I could see the oil pan and the oil level sensor myself (otherwise I wouldn't have believed it). While idling, wet spots formed all around the oil pan gasket, and on each of the 3 screws of the oil level sensor, there was a single drop of oil hanging from each.

The lower cover of the timing chain also became oily again within minutes after being cleaned.

I've never seen or read anything like it, where a motor is leaking from almost every cover at the same time.

Both sides of the engine appear to be damp, as you can probably see in the photos. And the idea that the oil, starting from the valve cover, could seep through the head gasket and travel all the way to the last cylinder due to capillary action, I find hard to imagine given the dimensions involved, but it's certainly possible.

Hello!

Based on my experience, it's quite strange that modern engines tend to leak so much.

I myself have often struggled with such oily engines in the past (in older cars with cork seals), and in problem cases, I would thoroughly verschandeln the entire engine and then run it for a long time until I could see exactly where the oil was leaking from.
Even though it took an hour .

"The biggest problem I ever saw was with a BMW 5-series. The entire engine compartment was covered in oil. I traced it back and saw that the oil was leaking out of the engine wiring harness! I couldn't quite figure it out, so I ended up cutting open the wiring harness, and I found that there was a protective sleeve over the cable for the oil pressure sensor. The sleeve ended right there, and that's where the oil was leaking out." Simply put, the oil pressure switch is defective.

It might also be useful to measure the actual oil pressure with a pressure gauge. Workshops usually have a set of tools for this purpose. It's not unimaginable that the oil pressure is much too high.
I've experienced something similar myself, with a car (of my own).
That would only explain the oil leak at the head gasket, and possibly... Engine running problems, because it could potentially push down on the hydraulic lifters.

That's all I can say about it.
Just to clarify, oil can sometimes take unusual paths, especially when it's hot, and it can also be affected by the airflow/fan.

But generally, it runs from top to bottom.

Hi!

@Benny:
My father once had the wrong amount of oil put in his engine during its first service – exactly double the correct amount. This kind of mistake is often made by trainees. As a result, the engine leaked oil everywhere, just like yours. It pushed the oil out in the most unlikely places, even after the excess oil was drained. The issue was eventually resolved through a change of process, and the branch was very cooperative.

Feel free to specifically ask at your workshop if something like that has happened. I think that with 2 years of use, you probably had the change done. A natural cause for such widespread incontinence can otherwise only be attributed to excessive oil pressure.

Yes, the car was in for service, but it had already been losing oil before that.

The engine has an oil level sensor based on ultrasound technology, so I would assume that overfilling would be detected as a fault. According to the display, the level was never full, but gradually and slowly decreased.

Well, next Thursday he's going back to the workshop. Maybe the Audi field sales representative has an idea.

Okay, then it shouldn't have anything to do with that.

However, the oil level sensor is designed to protect against oil starvation, and its measurement range is configured accordingly. It is certainly not suitable for detecting overcrowding.

However, I think that even after the cause is eliminated, this will remain a long-term construction site until everything is truly sealed.

Okay, it's sealed again.

Unfortunately, it seems that all the leaks were caused by the workshop.

After five attempts, it's no longer leaking all over the floor.

Can you tell me exactly what it was?
hg
Herbert.

I would like to.

I can only say that most recently, the upper chain cover (where the oil filler cap is located) was replaced (for the third time). This cover originally has a gasket. Firstly, he probably had a hairline crack (best regards from the torque wrench). Secondly, he is now additionally being glued with sealant.

I can't say exactly why everything else started leaking, but the mechanic mentioned in passing that he had removed the crankshaft end seals to take a look at them. I suspect the original problem was there, or perhaps during the initial attempt to seal the valve cover. A clogged drain or something else that was accidentally resolved during this viewing (or not mentioned).

Of course, I'll continue to monitor the engine, but I hope and think that's the end of it.

Good day.

Is the golf course closed now?