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Is there a way to tell if a TT has the oil issue?

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6.4K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  repsol  
#1 ·
Hi all,

I've registered to the forum tonight as I'm looking to buy a Mk2 TT.

However I quite quickly discovered the Oil Consumption issuepresent in Mk2 TTs from 2007-midway through 2011 on the 2.0l TFSI petrol models.

Is there any way to tell if this issue is present before purchasing? Other wise the only option I see so my cash is not wasted is to get a Diesel or a 3.2l model....

Any advice welcome, I've had a similar issue on the 1.8l petrol Toyota engine in the old 2001 Celicas so i'm keen to look for any way to tell if the oil consumption issue could be present.
 
#3 ·
I'm very impressed with my 2010 3.2. The engine has a fantastic character - lots of torque, very smooth and with a wonderful exhaust note. It may be outgunned by the 2.0 turbo (esp if remapped) but from what I can see it's a very solid engine in terms of reliability. It's quite a classic engine really and has its own appeal for that reason. Fuel consumption isn't crazy so long as you don't use the load pedal all the time. I've managed about 29mpg over the 2000 miles I've done since I got mine in May.

I've only been a member here a couple of months but have seen more than a few horror stories about issues with the 2.0l TFSI engine - piston ring issues and excessive oil consumption plus wrecked engines due to timing tensioner problems. Personally, unless you feel the need to re-map I think the 3.2 is probably a better option when buying an older car unless you have good knowledge of the history and condition of a 2.0 that you want to buy. The 2.0d is probably also a safe bet if you can bear the idea of a diesel!
 
#4 ·
Wolvez said:
Oil is going to the intercooler.
There many causes for excessive oil consumption, but the 'known' issue with early TSFI motors is due to faulty piston rings that allow oil to slip past, enter and burn in the combustion chamber. Oil in your intercooler would not be an indication of this.

Obvious signs of bad piston rings would be blue smoke from the exhaust. Another indicator would be a bad (poisoned) catalytic converter or signs that the cat has been replaced. Service records might also provide clues if previous owner(s) have attempted to have a consumption problem addressed.

Signs oil in the intercooler could be normal blow-by, but a lot of oil in your intercooler most likely means you turbo is defective.
 
#5 ·
FNChaos said:
Wolvez said:
Oil is going to the intercooler.
There many causes for excessive oil consumption, but the 'known' issue with early TSFI motors is due to faulty piston rings that allow oil to slip past, enter and burn in the combustion chamber. Oil in your intercooler would not be an indication of this.

Obvious signs of bad piston rings would be blue smoke from the exhaust. Another indicator would be a bad (poisoned) catalytic converter or signs that the cat has been replaced. Service records might also provide clues if previous owner(s) have attempted to have a consumption problem addressed.

Signs oil in the intercooler could be normal blow-by, but a lot of oil in your intercooler most likely means you turbo is defective.
Acording to Audi's TSB: 0.2 quarts of oil in the intercooler is normal

GDI engines produce excessive amount of blow-by because gasoline dissolves engine oil. There will be no buildup in the Intake Valve and Intake manifold flap without excessive blowby
 
#6 ·
Knotts said:
However I quite quickly discovered the Oil Consumption issuepresent in Mk2 TTs from 2007-midway through 2011 on the 2.0l TFSI petrol models.

Is there any way to tell if this issue is present before purchasing? Other wise the only option I see so my cash is not wasted is to get a Diesel or a 3.2l model....
... or you could buy a 2012 or latter 2.0 TFSI model
 
#7 ·
I think most of us 3.2 owners will recommend a 3.2. :)

But it's worth test driving both to see for yourself. Just be sure to do a little research on the available options for various years and try to get what you want first time. While some retrofits are possible, they're not always easy and if you can't DIY, they can get expensive.

It's worth taking some time to read through the Knowledge Section and read up on various issues, TSBs and recommendations so when you do talk to a seller, you can have an educated discussion about that particular model rather than risking getting pulled over the table.

Good luck with your search. If you have any questions about a potential deal, post some details here along with some pictures. Everyone's happy to help steer you in the right direction. Since you've already started this post, you can just add to it (even edit and change the title) so you don't end up with different posts scattered about.
 
#8 ·
FNChaos said:
Wolvez said:
Oil is going to the intercooler.
There many causes for excessive oil consumption, but the 'known' issue with early TSFI motors is due to faulty piston rings that allow oil to slip past, enter and burn in the combustion chamber. Oil in your intercooler would not be an indication of this.

Obvious signs of bad piston rings would be blue smoke from the exhaust. Another indicator would be a bad (poisoned) catalytic converter or signs that the cat has been replaced. Service records might also provide clues if previous owner(s) have attempted to have a consumption problem addressed.

Signs oil in the intercooler could be normal blow-by, but a lot of oil in your intercooler most likely means you turbo is defective.
thanks for the helpful post. Obviously I can rev the engine to check for blue plume, I remember having to check that one on a 96 Nissan Micra I was after back in the day! :lol:

Is there an easy way to check the condition of the cat ? I don't have emissions apparatus

I can check the service records for clues, i'm also tempted to ask the dealer straight, but of course they're not going to own up to it.... After an initial excitement at the thought of this car i'm suddenly a bit apprehensive as I won't be able to afford a later (2012+) model, or the 3.2l model. :?
 
#9 ·
Knotts said:
.... After an initial excitement at the thought of this car i'm suddenly a bit apprehensive as I won't be able to afford a later (2012+) model, or the 3.2l model. :?
I hate to say it but if your budget is tight, an Audi is probably not the best car to consider.

Sure, if you wait long enough age, mileage and depreciation will reduce the selling price of almost any vehicle, but the cost of service never goes down. Similar repair parts for my Toyota or Ford run half the price of parts for my TTS.

Add in the fact that sports cars in general are expensive to feed and maintain. (i.e. no sense buying a fast car and then 'hobbling' it with cheap passenger tires or fueling it with low-grade gas).

A good question to ask yourself is, if your turbo or DSG were to fail, do you have enough reserve cash for repairs? Could you come up with $1 - 2K to get you car back on the road?
 
#11 ·
If I was you I would buy the car and start your TT experience within your funding limits. I recently bought an 09 TT with a TFSI engine and 70,000 kms on the clock. I have now done 10,000 kilometers (some of which has been very brisk) and it has used 2.5 litres of oil without any blue smoke or other issues. The published information on the "oil consumption issue" states that it effected a small amount of engines with most of those fixed by Audi. Obviously any poor experinces will be amplified on a forum such as this so don't be scared away by a low risk event. According to "expert reviews" some say the TFSI is a great engine that suits the handling of the car better than the 3.2 without the additional fuel consumption. This makes sense given the additional weight on the front end of a six cylinder. So go for it....
 
#12 ·
I've had my 2007 TFSI for 5 months now and was initially concerned after reading about the oil issue. However, I check the oil level every few weeks and top up when necessary. I average about 250 miles per week (it's my daily for getting to work) and have probably topped up with 1.5 litres of oil during that time. I was fully expecting it to be a lot worse tbh. No blue smoke or anything else to indicate a bigger problem. Fingers crossed!
 
#13 ·
I picked my 2.0 TFSI up yesterday and must have missed this oil consumption problem in my research.

I will keep a beady eye out and keep my fingers crossed I don't fall foul of this problem.

I did have the engine ticking over for about an hour as I cleaned the engine bay and the hood so it was up n down a lot and didn't want to wreck the battery.

I only noticed a tiny amount of crap on the floor and no plumes of blue smoke, so fingers crossed.
 
#15 ·
You'll soon know if its got oil consumption problems, the exhaust tips will be black and an oily residue will appear inside the exhaust along with carbon build up too. This is what mine had despite cleaning them every week.
The new engine hasn't used a single drop between oil changes in the last 16 month.