10,000 km OCI; 1998 Audi A6???

[cutchemist42]

!) What kind of vehicle you have
1998 Audi A6 2.8


2. What your owner's manual says -- not just viscosity, but certifications (look for acronyms like API SM, ILSAC GF-4, etc.) and change intervals as well
0w-40; 10,000kms; Synthetic


3. Where you live
Winnipeg, Canada (Extreme cold climate in winter compared to most cities, -20ish degrees Celsius average in colder months)

4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?)
Easy

5. What your daily drive is like (short trips? long trips? city? highway?)
15 minute drive to work and back in the city.


6. Whether your car has any known problems
Leaking coolant from water pump...


Sometimes when I have seen these longer OCIs, I have seen notices still saying to not go over a year. However, I do not see one when I look through the Bentley manual I have for this car.

For this car, is it good to go past a year if I have not reached 10,000kms yet because I only drive about 7,000ish a year. (Bike to work in summer)

Thank you.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Your driving is considered severe therefore you should change the oil every year even if it is less than 10k KM.

 

[Oregoonian]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Your driving is considered severe therefore you should change the oil every year even if it is less than 10k KM.

+1.....could not agree more

BTW....get that water pump fixed as soon as it get alitle warmer.

 

[Astro14]

+2 - ahhh "Winter-Peg"...remember it well.

This is severe service. Synthetic 0W40 only, don't let it go longer than a year.

Sometimes in extreme cold (like yours) water pumps will leak until engine warms due to drastic seal/shaft shrinking with temperature...it gives you a bit of early warning - it may hold when warm, but the pump's on its way out.

 

[antonmnster]

Uh, water pumps don't leak depending on the season.

I have a similar dilemma down here in Minneapolis with my 02 BMW. I drive about 6-8,000 miles per year. My winter work is 1.4 miles away and my summer work is about 1.8, and I, too bike in the summer. (Why is it that the coldest climates have the highest bike-commuter rates? I love it!)

Anyway, I change my oil at about Thanksgiving and Easter. My theory is I give it fresh oil for the winter, and get all the diluted fuel out for the summer. I did on analysis last year, and my winter wear metals were a lot higher than I expected (27 ppm Fe), so I'm sticking with this schedule.

A leaking water pump will quickly become a seized water pump. A seized water pump will cause your timing belt to shred and you'll kick yourself when you realize that an engine service is a LOT cheaper than finding and replacing an engine. This is a repair of the highest priority!

But, anyway, welcome, fellow Northerner!