Valve cover off at 122,000 miles=

[moribundman]

A blast from the past: This is a picture of the left bank of my '96 A4's V6 engine without the valve cover.

Up to that point in 2003 I had used Castrol 5W-50. More often than not I added a few days before every oil change 1/2 quart of MMO to the sump and drove the car gently, a practice which I have picked up again a couple oil changes ago.

When I replaced a leaky valve cover at 122 k miles, I took this picture:

At that time oil consumption was high, mostly caused by leaks that hadn't been fixed. Some of the oil consumption was, based on BITOG expert opinion, due to a "dirty engine." Dirt, which alledgedly was hiding in the darkest, deepest creveces, such as piston grooves -- where you can't see the dirt.

Did the suggested A-RX treatment. Six years and 68 k miles later I wonder how it looks underneath the valve cover. I'm hoping for a valve cover to begin leaking. So far, no signs of it! Curiosity may drive me to open up the engine anyway. Just for you guys!

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
Curiosity may drive me to open up the engine anyway. Just for you guys!

Do it now!

 

[Drew99GT]

Even though it's clean, you should run Auto-RX to clean out the nooks, crannies, and piston rings. I'd bet your mileage will go up as well.

 

[Steve S]

Crud in the "nooks and crannies" do not bother anything. Carbon in the piston ring lands is a problem though.

 

[demarpaint]

Is that strictly the handy-work of MMO a week before you changed your oil as you mentioned? Pretty impressive results!

Frank D

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Even though it's clean, you should run Auto-RX to clean out the nooks, crannies, and piston rings. I'd bet your mileage will go up as well.


Did that back then after the above picture was taken. Gas mileage has always depended on the weight of my foot and the quality of the gas.

Oil consumption was always lowest when driving lame and when using what most of you will consider "thick" oil.

Oil consumption has been greatly reduced by modifying the PCV system.

As for the dirt deep down in the engine, RIP!

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Is that strictly the handy-work of MMO a week before you changed your oil as you mentioned? Pretty impressive results!

Frank D


I don't know for sure (I don't crack open the valve covers for fun), but I'd like to think so! How could the red elixir, which smells of bubble gum, fail me?

I WANT TO BELIEVE!

 

[Johnny]

Mori, what oil and weight are you running in the Audi now? Have you owned the car since it was new? You ever want to sell that Audi I might be forced to drive to SF.

 

[Drew99GT]

If you use Auto RX again, it might even take the rust and grime off your wheels. Big money saver there, and you'll be out of that pickle of how to paint the wheels.

 

[moribundman]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Mori, what oil and weight are you running in the Audi now?

Lubro Moly 5W-40

Quote:
Have you owned the car since it was new?

I bought it new right after uni.


Quote:
You ever want to sell that Audi I might be forced to drive to SF.

You will have to pry the keys from my cold, dead fingers.

 

[c3po]

Nice Picture

 

[drivewaytech]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
Crud in the "nooks and crannies" do not bother anything. Carbon in the piston ring lands is a problem though.


Yes, that is so true. Mori, could you be a darling and remove the head right quick and take a picture. It would be such a bother to drive 2 miles up to the parts store for a can of MMO without knowing.

 

[moribundman]

I'll proselytize you all yet!

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
I'll proselytize you all yet!

 

[addyguy]

Thanks for posting that again - its good to see. Syntec 5W-50 doesn't get much respect at all on this site, but I think it deserves a lot more credit than it gets - it IS a good oil!

People may complain that Syntec is a 'fake' group III; but that wouldn't apply to the 5W-50 grade - pretty sure you can't get that spread to be durable w/o a significant amount of PAO or esters in the mix....

 

[moribundman]

I don't think Syntec 5W-50 is still as good as it was 10 years ago.

 

[wavinwayne]

Originally Posted By: moribundman
I don't think Syntec 5W-50 is still as good as it was 10 years ago.


There's always K-Mart.

 

[moribundman]

Not here, there isn't.

 

[Bobert]

Originally Posted By: wavinwayne

There's always K-Mart.
Wanye your local K-Mart must be just like mine. They have old Castrol Syntec SJ formula collecting a 1/4 inch of dust with the labels peeling half off. I'm pretty sure there is some old SH formula hidden in there as well.

 

[addyguy]

To be truthful, I've been tempted to go to a Zellers store, which has the same thing going with old Syntec 5W-50; find the oldest bottles I can (most likely SJ from about 1998-1999); and run it for 10k miles over the summer in my car, and see how it does (UOA).