Dan99

And, many people don't break the engine in correctly when the car is new, introducing damage that a maintenance schedule can't overcome. You can find debates about the best way to break in an engine in other threads. There is a small but vocal crowd that claims the best way to break in an engine is to drive it like you stole it. Those cars have problems like premature oil consumption. While you do need to apply power occasionally during the break-in, to help seat the rings, it's important to remember that other components are machined closely and have to be broken-in gradually. Essentially, any machined surface with tight clearances has to be broken in gradually to help hone the fit, but also give the metal surface time to harden (e.g., bearings, valves, etc.).

Dan99

Well, if you have an oil temperature gauge, you know that this engine takes 15-20 minutes for the oil to get up to temperature, long after the coolant is up to temperature. It's the oil temperature that matters.

AudiAllTheWay

I couldn’t imagine changing the oil only five times in 50,000 miles / 80,000KM’s. Sure this will get a new vehicle to warranty end for trade-in but is a setup for failure for the engine. Nearly all car makers today are now promoting long distance oil changes because that’s what people want to hear.

Laugh if you want but I change my oil with correct spec full synthetic on all my Audi’s every 5,000 - 6,000KM. I have never had oil consumption issues on any of my engines including the 3.0T. I see a nice light golden brown color on the metals and zero trace of sludge under the valve covers.

KnappAttack

I've never had oil consumption doing 10,000 mile changes using Mobile 1 0-40 in any of my Audis ever, and they are certainly not babied! I have sampled the used oil many times with very little wear metals, less then average in fact, so I didn't even bother doing sampling anymore. Had valve covers off only because they started leaking at 200K miles and the inside is amazingly clean using Mobile 1 0-40, and I've seen my share of sludged up engines over the years being a mechanic in my younger days.

For what it's worth Mobile 1 0-40 is the most highly rated 40 weight oil for wear on Rat540 blog as well, and seeing how spotlessly clean it keeps the engine internals over 200,000 mile runs, I will never stray away from it for all my Euro engines in my fleet.

I break engine in hard so they seat the rings. A babied engine on break in will make for oil consumption and less HP with excess blowby, thats been proven by race engine builders over a number of years. Rings do not have much time to wear in to the crosshatch when new and this time is critical for proper seating. Bursts of throttle are needed to wear them in properly.

Dan99

I also change oil every 5000 miles. I'm on my 3rd Audi with a V-6 engine and have yet to need oil in between oil changes. Keep in mind that the manufacturers just need to make it through the warranty period, and changing oil at 10,000 miles accomplishes that. Any subsequent wear due to extended oil change intervals only benefits those who sell replacement parts and repair services as the car ages. It's a way to generate recurring revenue.

Dan99

Race engines are built with larger tolerances because they are rarely broken in and they are rebuilt frequently, so the break-in routine for a race engine does not resemble the break-in period for an engine that you expect to drive for years without a rebuild. Yes, you need occasional(!) bursts of throttle to help seat the rings, but you also need to take it easy during most(!) of the break-in period to allow the bearings, valves, etc to harden. This process is much like working a piece of metal with a hammer. The metal hardens the more it is struck. Valves striking the valve seats, rods pounding the rod journals, roller bearings (e.g., rocker arms), any internal gears, chains, pumps, etc. all need a gradual break-in to allow the contact surfaces to harden.

AudiAllTheWay

Been working on German vehicles for 45 years so I will stick to tried and true proven methods including OCI’s, several developed processes for detecting stuck open DI injectors, regular maintenance for PCV Oil Separator, Thermostat / Waterpump, Injector Service instead of waiting for critical maintenance parts to fail causing havoc, periodic DI injection cleaning additive as per the manual, following manufacture break in procedure for new engines, etc.


I change Valve Cover Gaskets every 100,000KM to 120,000KM due to rubber going brittle from age and heat cycling causing oil leaks. If you’re able to get over 320,000KM from Valve Cover Gaskets before they leak then we live in very different climates with very different driving styles. I am in extreme climate both for heat and cold, combination city highway driving, mostly boosted and chipped engines enjoyed responsibly, etc.

Acuransx

+1. AudiAllTheWay, I could not agree more. My /15 A6 3.0T, PP/SP gets and will get similar treatment. 5,000 mile oil change intervals, air filter every 20K miles, a few other maintenances somewhat earlier than Audi maintenance schedule calls for. And yes, the biggie -- although my A6 is now closing in on 8.5 years old it only has 77,000 miles -- however, by 90,000 miles I will do the so-called "refresh" - carbon cleaning, new PCV parts, new thermostat, new water pump, new crossover pipe, hoses, valve cover gaskets, etc. Hopefully this will address some well-known issues before they become issues and buy me another 35,000-45,000 peaceful miles. By then it will be time to move on to something else. I'm only doing about 7,000 miles/year these days so good chance the A6 will be with me another 6-7 years. It is really a very nice ride. That supercharged V6 feels very much like a small American V8 from the old days -- I like that! I'd rather be proactive same as AudiAllTheWay than wait for trouble. Thankfully between FCP Euro and my Indy cost of this type of maintenance does not take my breath away like the dealer does. LOL.

AudiAllTheWay, where are you located in the Great White North? I used to live in Toronto -- now in Michigan.

Best,
Jeff

KnappAttack

That particular engine I'm speaking about was on it second valve cover gasket change.....

Irregardless, I've always done 10,000 mile oil changes and run used oil samples on them early on, the recommendation from Blackstone was to extend to 12,000 mile changes, which I wasn't going to do. I haven't had a Audi that needed any makeup oil during that 10,000 mile range, so people that think because they needed no oil doing 5,000 mile changes they must be doing the right thing, I say whatever. Do what you want, but a well broke in engine shouldn't need oil at 10,000 miles either.

I've done the used oil analysis multiple times and can say confidently that there is no negatives on going by the factory recommend 10,000 mile oil changes using Mobile 1 0W40. Wear metals are nothing and the TBN is still there nicely to actually go even further. So people that think they need to change at 5,000 miles are just wasting dollars and resources unless it's all city driving or exceeding that one year limit in the crankcase, then I say feel free to change it out, but following the science and doing used oil sampling will give you the real answers as to what works and what doesn't.

Dan99

I'm not sure which engine you have, or how you drive. I have an RS5 and track it a few times each summer, and change the oil every 5000 miles. I also have Blackstone analyze the oil. They tell me everything looks good, and they do not recommend a longer service interval. So, I suppose it's possible that some cars and some drivers place more of a load on the oil than others. I'll continue changing at 5000 miles.