When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I recently found out older Audi models had oil consumption problems. For instance, some people suggested using a hard break-in method for B8 S4 models so that the piston rings would properly seat.
Is this still a problem with modern Audis? A hard breaking in method does not seem reasonable to me on a new car.
I recently found out older Audi models had oil consumption problems. For instance, some people suggested using a hard break-in method for B8 S4 models so that the piston rings would properly seat.
Is this still a problem with modern Audis? A hard breaking in method does not seem reasonable to me on a new car.
Seems to be as a couple people on the forum have reported that they lost anywhere between 1/2 to 3/4 of a quart before reaching 10K miles
There was another thread on this subject (engine breakin) created just yesterday, with activity just a few minutes ago. No need to re-have the same discussion in two places, let's continue it there. As for your oil consumption question yes, new Audis consume a small amount of oil between changes and some owners carry an extra quart in the trunk just in case. However it is nowhere near the level of consumption that affected the early B8 2.0t engine. We're talking about less than a quart per 10,000 miles.
I don't follow break-in period - just a ploy from manufacturers legal team to put it in the users manual especially on performance-oriented cars if there are issues with the assembly of the parts I want to know now, versus after 50K miles/4 years.
S/RS cars are meant to be driven, not babied. We have babies that need babying. We don't keep our cars forever like we keep our children. A lot of us won't be driving the same vehicle in 10 years.
Zoom Zoom.
I followed the MFG break in procedure. No oil consumption issues. I'm operating on the assumption that the team of engineers who designed the engine probably know better than some internet forums and a snowmobile mechanic.
I followed the MFG break in procedure. No oil consumption issues. I'm operating on the assumption that the team of engineers who designed the engine probably know better than some internet forums and a snowmobile mechanic.
The engineers do know better than the marketing and legal teams.
That's why the engines are already broken-in at the factory.
But, the legal teams aren't engineers, and they have a different needs.
Now, it is a good idea to properly break-in and "bed" the new brakes.
And, to give the new tires a few heat and cool down rounds to optimize them.
As for the engine, it's ready to go from the day owners and test drivers can get their butts in the driver's seat.
The differences in modern engine materials quality, chemistry, and durability, along with amazing build tolerances, are astounding advanced.
I'll counter your comment by saying that the engineers do know better than the internet forums, and their members, who keep spreading archaic information about "break-in", using information and methods from ages ago, when engine construction methods were not as advanced as they have been over the past couple of decades. The old school archaic "break in" information is as useless as the "change you oil every 3000 miles" mantra.
Imagine that. Internet warriors telling everyone how they will ruin their engines if they don't change their fully synthetic oil every 3000 miles.
Your comment admonishes and then glorifies the very same internet information providers.
Why, it's almost as if they have no idea what synthetic oil actually is, and why it's greatly superior to traditional oils. They don't.
Even back in the 1970's and 80's, standard oil change intervals were more like 5000 miles for regular/typical driving, with a recommendation to change every 3000 miles with "heavy use" and/or in "dusty and dirty" areas, and
the vast majority of drivers didn't drive with those conditions.
But, the quick oil change business took that and ran with it, and did a grand job at convincing the general public that they "HAD TO" and "MUST" change their oil every 3000 miles or else, disaster!
That general public still pushes and promotes that marketing idea, with sage like comments of, "It's cheap insurance".
Sure it is. Throwing away perfectly good oil as if oil grew in cans and money reproduces while sitting in your pocket. LOL!
If you want to go with anecdotal evidence, I haven't done an old school break-in since my first BMW in 2003, a 325i sport MT with an inline-6 engine.
That was followed by and Audi A4, BMW 135i, BMW 335i, BMW 340i, and now my S4.
Prior to that BMW I had two new cars and I did follow engine break-in on those two.
The first one, a 1990 2.0 turbo, developed a seized turbo but no major oil burning and loss, and the second one also no oil burning or loss.
From the 2003 BMW on, 6 cars with no engine break-in, and not one with oil burning or loss.
Of course, YMMV.
I've actually spoken to folks in the industry and they confirmed that the break in is still beneficial, not just for piston rings, but also valve seats, and the transmission as well. So you go ahead and believe whatever helps you sleep at night and I'll just go ahead and follow what the manufacturer suggests until an actual Audi engine designer comes on here with actual hard evidence and says otherwise. Seriously. No internet forum is smarter than the team that designed our cars.
Last edited by Bobby Kinstle; 04-25-2019 at 05:55 AM.
The factory recommended engine break-in procedure is described in the owner's manual, page 80 for my car.
The internet has debated about this type of procedure vs. a hard break-in since the beginning of cars and it will likely continue to do so until the end of them.
However, literally nobody who is just hanging out here on the internet has gone out and bought two brand new identical Audi S4s (or any car for that matter), broke one in via the procedure in the manual and the other via a hard break-in, and then driven them follow-the-leader style on identical roads/conditions for the next 50,000 miles before disassembling both down to the block and pistons to compare wear notes. Nobody has done that, but yet hundreds of people on forums everywhere claim they are internet armchair experts on this subject because they have exactly one or two data points for breaking in a car in one way and had/didn't have problems, and they believe their own personal experience is representative of "best practice" and should be treated as gospel. That is just not the case.
The fact is this: engine failures due to improper break-in are very rare, in part because modern manufacturing is extremely precise and modern lubrication/oils etc are very effective. Very few people experience them and those who do rarely share their experiences because they are just looking to move on with their lives. You are therefore likely never going to get a scientific answer to this question, especially one specific to this car and especially not here on the internet.
I personally chose to break in my car using the procedure described in the manual and I haven't experienced any problems with my engine or transmission or oil consumption in the 26,000 miles / 2 years I've owned it. That statement should be interpreted a data point for you to take or leave, not a definitive answer as like I said I haven't bought two of these and compared side by side. I am certain that the conditions I drive in are very different than others on this forum so it would be impossible to compare our experiences directly unless 9,000 miles of someone else's ownership experience were compressed into a 7 week road rip of cross-country spirited winter driving through snowy mountain roads in Colorado Wyoming and Utah with a top box on the roof and four people in the car, but I am guessing I am one of only a handful of owners who has done that on this platform and so my engine has been put through a slightly different experience than just about everyone else.
11-18-2016, 07:08 AM
B9 Engine Break-in Method?
