Change the Oil Grade for High Mileage Engine with Problems?

Joined
Sep 6, 2020
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4
I have a well maintained 2008 audi 3.2ltr V6 with 260000km. I use a 5W-30 oil. There have also been some minor oil leaks probably from valve cover gasket. Recently (12 months) the the engine has been throwing errors with some engine sensors particulary on one side (bank 1). These errors mostly occur when the engine is cold. After renewing or moving these sensors I have not improved the situation, in fact it is gradually getting worse. The engine runs well with no undue noise or uneven running at startup. I am starting to suspect either low oil pressure/flow or a timing chain😠.

Following the oil option, I have pulled off the sump and checked the oil pump and pickup for blockage. Some small plastic particles, probably from timing chain guide, and a broken level/temp sensor stem in the sump (which may have affected oil pickup) but the pickup itself up did not seem to be overly blocked.

My question is... is it worth me trying a higher grade oil to see if this helps oil pressure/flow or just in principal for a high mileage engine?? and if so what grade should I go to? Also is there merit in considering a high mileage oil??
 
This sounds like something that oil will not fix. Do you have the codes ? Hopefully some of our more knowledgeable Audi members will chime in.
 
Engine sensor are sometimes a prewarning that maybe the chain is losing tension. If your finding piece of the guide inside I would consider replacement of the timing kit. Might go ahead and perform a engine flush to try and get all the debris out too. I would consider the Liquimoly Motor Oil Saver and an oil that meets the vehicles recommended weight.
According to this chart 5w30,5w40,and some 15w50 can be used.
 
Have you verified oil pressure in the engine?

Any oil light flicker when the engine is started?
 
This sounds like something that oil will not fix. Do you have the codes ? Hopefully some of our more knowledgeable Audi members will chime in.
I have some of the codes below.

Any feedback on these will be appreciated

6615 - Cam Adjustment Actuator B; Cylinder 3
P11AC 00 [096] - Implausible Signal
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 3
Mileage: 257717 km
Date: 2020.08.26
Time: 12:49:59

Engine speed: 1525.00 /min
Normed load value: 74.5 %
Vehicle speed: 60 km/h
Coolant temperature: 36 °C
Intake air temperature: 12 °C
Ambient air pressure: 1010 mbar
Voltage terminal 30: 14.172 V
Unlearning counter according OBD: 40
Engine speed: actual: 768 /min
Calculated oil temperature: 66
Engine: operating status: IS

6023 - Bank 1: CMP Sensor 3 (G300) / Engine Speed Sens (G28)
P0017 00 [096] - Incorrect Correlation
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 47
Mileage: 257787 km
Date: 2020.08.30
Time: 08:38:26

Engine speed: 1965.00 /min
Normed load value: 20.8 %
Vehicle speed: 77 km/h
Coolant temperature: 91 °C
Intake air temperature: 24 °C
Ambient air pressure: 1000 mbar
Voltage terminal 30: 13.968 V
Unlearning counter according OBD: 40
Engine speed: actual: 1632 /min
MAF_ENVD: 212.43529 mg/stroke
Coolant temperature (unfiltered): 94.5 °C
Engine: operating status: PL
ENVD_CAM_EX_1: 16
Vehicle speed: actual: 50 km/h

6615 - Cam Adjustment Actuator B; Cylinder 3
P11AC 00 [096] - Implausible Signal
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 1
Mileage: 257791 km
Date: 2020.08.31
Time: 13:15:57

Engine speed: 1655.00 /min
Normed load value: 79.6 %
Vehicle speed: 36 km/h
Coolant temperature: 46 °C
Intake air temperature: 27 °C
Ambient air pressure: 1000 mbar
Voltage terminal 30: 13.968 V
Unlearning counter according OBD: 36
Engine speed: actual: 1632 /min
Calculated oil temperature: 3E
Engine: operating status: PL

6035 - Bank 1: CMP Sensor (G40) / Engine Speed Sensor (G28)
P0016 00 [096] - Incorrect Correlation
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 2
Mileage: 257856 km
Date: 2020.08.31
Time: 13:55:31

Engine speed: 2345.00 /min
Normed load value: 52.9 %
Vehicle speed: 116 km/h
Coolant temperature: 94 °C
Intake air temperature: 23 °C
Ambient air pressure: 990 mbar
Voltage terminal 30: 13.866 V
Unlearning counter according OBD: 40
Engine speed: actual: 2336 /min
MAF_ENVD: 305.03529 mg/stroke
Coolant temperature (unfiltered): 94.5 °C
Engine: operating status: PL
ENVD_CAM_IN_1: 16
Vehicle speed: actual: 116 km/h

6044 - Bank 1: Camshaft B (Exhaust)
P0014 00 [096] - Retard Setpoint not Reached (Over-Advanced)
Intermittent - Not Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 1
Mileage: 257983 km
Date: 2020.09.02
Time: 11:29:07

Engine speed: 1255.00 /min
Normed load value: 30.6 %
Vehicle speed: 48 km/h
Coolant temperature: 91 °C
Intake air temperature: 28 °C
Ambient air pressure: 1010 mbar
Voltage terminal 30: 14.172 V
Unlearning counter according OBD: 38
Engine speed: actual: 1248 /min
MAF_ENVD: 163.41176 mg/stroke
Coolant temperature (unfiltered): 91.5 °C
Engine: operating status: PL
ENVD_CAM_EX_1: 0
Camshaft adjustment: exhaust: bank 1: actual: 1.125 °
 
Engine sensor are sometimes a prewarning that maybe the chain is losing tension. If your finding piece of the guide inside I would consider replacement of the timing kit. Might go ahead and perform a engine flush to try and get all the debris out too. I would consider the Liquimoly Motor Oil Saver and an oil that meets the vehicles recommended weight.
According to this chart 5w30,5w40,and some 15w50 can be used.
Thanks for that. Have done 2 engine flushes. The 5w40 has been suggested by a local mechanic. Since the problem is only on one bank and this has a dedicated timing chain I suspect the tensioner giving problems is this side. I would replace both upper timing chain tensioners. The rest require a gearbox drop:(
 
Have you verified oil pressure in the engine?

Any oil light flicker when the engine is started?
No I have not, good idea. Also upper chain tensioner is also pushed by oil pressure. Also oil pressure could explain the error codes. No flicker of oil light on dash. Turns off straight after start.
 
No I have not, good idea. Also upper chain tensioner is also pushed by oil pressure. Also oil pressure could explain the error codes. No flicker of oil light on dash. Turns off straight after start.

The oil pressure light behavior sounds about normal. It should not stay on immediately past start-up. Maybe for less than a second on a cold morning but even then, not exactly. So that is a good sign.

Depending on how much time and resources you have.. you could do a compression test because, why not?

Maybe you simply have a sensor issue. Not an Audi expert, not by any means, but I think I saw a Crank Position Sensor code in there. If they are about to fail, maybe that is part of your problem. Maybe your issue is a sensor or electrical in nature.

Your engine may very well feel different or maybe even better on a different oil, such is the nature of the oil site where we talk about what does what to what, and why. But if it is a mechanical issue, as mentioned earlier, oil may not help it.

They used to say, to go up a grade as the engine gets older, though I would question how true that is today.
 
Sounds like a job for Supertech 20w50 with a quart of Supertech Oil Stabilizer. (Unless really cold weather is on the horizon.) It should at least band-aid the "gunshot wound" together for a few more miles before you can tear it down, or pay someone to tear it down. Or it may not work at all, but at least you tried... Anyways, I'd just bite the bullet and replace all timing components by a trusted mechanic with all VW special tools required for the job.
 
Low oil pressure can cause phaser issues, usually tensioners need less pressure. Try Rotella T6 5W-40 and see if it goes away. What have you got to lose?
 
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