Oil Level - which to trust
02-01-2019, 06:35 AM
#1
AudiWorld Senior Member
Thread Starter
Oil Level - which to trust
The oil level as reported by the car and by the MyAudi app differ wildly. My car MMI displays the oil level as almost always full although sometimes it may be down slightly, perhaps because the car is parked on a non-level surface. The myAudi app often shows the oil level OK but near the bottom of the range. I assume I should trust the car MMI but why is the app so much more variable and so different?
02-01-2019, 07:27 AM
#2
AudiWorld Member
I was experiencing the exact same thing using the app and I finally just gave up on it. The app would occasionally show a lower oil level than the MMI. If there was a discrepancy it was always the app which was down but never past the add mark and it would always show low oil about 75% down to the add oil mark.
I only use the MMI now to check the oil level. In 2 and a half years of driving my oil level has never fallen below full except for one time when Audi did not fill the crankcase completely with oil during my second service in July of ‘18. I brought the car back, they topped it off and it’s been at the full level ever since.
My opinion, the MMI is really a lot more accurate and I just trust it more. Oil level is just too important to have any doubts.
It’s really a good case for the aftermarket dip sticks that some people add. Makes total sense.
I only use the MMI now to check the oil level. In 2 and a half years of driving my oil level has never fallen below full except for one time when Audi did not fill the crankcase completely with oil during my second service in July of ‘18. I brought the car back, they topped it off and it’s been at the full level ever since.
My opinion, the MMI is really a lot more accurate and I just trust it more. Oil level is just too important to have any doubts.
It’s really a good case for the aftermarket dip sticks that some people add. Makes total sense.
Last edited by Dave W; 02-01-2019 at 08:06 AM.
02-01-2019, 09:44 AM
#3
AudiWorld Senior Member
+1 Dave. You must have liked the look of the ECS dipstick under the hood of my A4. For us old school guys (no flaming please) the dipstick is the only way to go. Checking oil level via MMI is an answer to a question no one asked IMHO. I am headed over to Harbor Freight tomorrow a.m. to buy an oil extractor so I can change my oil this coming week (at 5,000 miles -- don't trust these long oil change intervals -- no flaming please -- at least the person who buys my A4 CPO after lease expiration will get a car that has been very well maintained -- and to boot I will have put a new engine air filter in the car at least once before my 45K allotted miles are used up -- whereas maintenance schedule doesn't call for that until 60K miles -- crazy). LOL.
Best,
Jeff
Best,
Jeff
02-01-2019, 10:09 AM
#4
AudiWorld Super User
The oil level as reported by the car and by the MyAudi app differ wildly. My car MMI displays the oil level as almost always full although sometimes it may be down slightly, perhaps because the car is parked on a non-level surface. The myAudi app often shows the oil level OK but near the bottom of the range. I assume I should trust the car MMI but why is the app so much more variable and so different?
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02-01-2019, 02:10 PM
#5
AudiWorld Senior Member
+1 Dave. You must have liked the look of the ECS dipstick under the hood of my A4. For us old school guys (no flaming please) the dipstick is the only way to go. Checking oil level via MMI is an answer to a question no one asked IMHO. I am headed over to Harbor Freight tomorrow a.m. to buy an oil extractor so I can change my oil this coming week (at 5,000 miles -- don't trust these long oil change intervals -- no flaming please -- at least the person who buys my A4 CPO after lease expiration will get a car that has been very well maintained -- and to boot I will have put a new engine air filter in the car at least once before my 45K allotted miles are used up -- whereas maintenance schedule doesn't call for that until 60K miles -- crazy). LOL.
Best,
Jeff
Best,
Jeff
02-01-2019, 05:20 PM
#6
AudiWorld Member
I have to admit that, after a good amount of initial skepticism about MMI reported oil levels, I most frequently go with those these days out of convenience.
I've had an ECS dipstick for most of the 10k miles on my allroad and have found it correlates pretty well with the electronic sensor. However, the billet aluminum handle on the dipstick gets scorching hot when the engine is warm.
The dipstick to me is now most useful when changing oil: you can top off as many times as you want to get exactly the right level without starting the engine.
I've had an ECS dipstick for most of the 10k miles on my allroad and have found it correlates pretty well with the electronic sensor. However, the billet aluminum handle on the dipstick gets scorching hot when the engine is warm.
The dipstick to me is now most useful when changing oil: you can top off as many times as you want to get exactly the right level without starting the engine.
Last edited by bvariant; 02-01-2019 at 05:22 PM.
02-01-2019, 05:37 PM
#7
AudiWorld Senior Member
I know that this is very unscientific but has anyone noticed how black the oil in these direct injection cars gets after very few miles? The oil in both of my Acuras which I still own (04 TL and 94 NSX) and the other non-DI car in our fleet (13 Volvo S80 T6) remains pretty much the same color as when it came out of the jug for at least a couple of thousand miles before it starts to darken appreciably.
The oil in both my wife's A4 and my A6 is very dark within a couple of thousand miles. I just pulled the stick out of the A4 (car is 4 months old with 5,000 miles) and the oil color is a shade of black. The good news however is that no appreciable amount of oil has been consumed in the car's first 5,000 miles.
My guess is that the DI cars run the fuel pump and injectors at such high pressure that there is much more blow by the piston rings than in non-DI cars.
Given the foregoing, I adhere to a 5K oil change interval for both the A4 and the A6. Again, unscientific and just my 2 cents. I appreciate that many on AW have had oil analysis done from time to time and the results after in excess of 5K miles come back OK but I just feel better changing it at 5K intervals. Worst case is that I'm spending more on maintenance that necessary and could be accused of being wasteful but changing oil at 5K intervals isn't going to hurt anything and there may be some benefits as yet unknown. It would be interesting to have a thorough evaluation of two B9 engines and drivetrains which were driven under similar conditions after 100K miles -- one that has been maintained per Audi's maintenance schedule and the other that has had "old school" maintenance -- I.e. 5K oil change intervals, an air filter every 20K miles vs every 60K as per Audi's schedule, fluid changes on a more aggressive schedule than required by Audi (except for the DSG and brake fluids -- IMHO Audi got the intervals for those right). I'd like to think the car that benefitted from the more rigorous maintenance schedule would be in better condition. But then again, who knows.
Best,
Jeff
The oil in both my wife's A4 and my A6 is very dark within a couple of thousand miles. I just pulled the stick out of the A4 (car is 4 months old with 5,000 miles) and the oil color is a shade of black. The good news however is that no appreciable amount of oil has been consumed in the car's first 5,000 miles.
My guess is that the DI cars run the fuel pump and injectors at such high pressure that there is much more blow by the piston rings than in non-DI cars.
Given the foregoing, I adhere to a 5K oil change interval for both the A4 and the A6. Again, unscientific and just my 2 cents. I appreciate that many on AW have had oil analysis done from time to time and the results after in excess of 5K miles come back OK but I just feel better changing it at 5K intervals. Worst case is that I'm spending more on maintenance that necessary and could be accused of being wasteful but changing oil at 5K intervals isn't going to hurt anything and there may be some benefits as yet unknown. It would be interesting to have a thorough evaluation of two B9 engines and drivetrains which were driven under similar conditions after 100K miles -- one that has been maintained per Audi's maintenance schedule and the other that has had "old school" maintenance -- I.e. 5K oil change intervals, an air filter every 20K miles vs every 60K as per Audi's schedule, fluid changes on a more aggressive schedule than required by Audi (except for the DSG and brake fluids -- IMHO Audi got the intervals for those right). I'd like to think the car that benefitted from the more rigorous maintenance schedule would be in better condition. But then again, who knows.
Best,
Jeff
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