Chulsoo

My engine oil comsumption is driving me crazy!! The dealer has told me they can't find anything wrong w/ the engine and advised me to find a replacement. I've read that the BMW M3 has a oil consumption problem as well and has issued a Service bulletin advising to use Castrol Formula R 10w60 motor oil.
This is what I've done so far, but no results...
replaced...
Headgaskets, valve stem seals, oil cooler ring,
new lower pan gasket, new lower pan.
Have 113,000 miles been using Amsoil 10w40. I add 1 quart every 500 miles. Car is a 96 Audi A4 2.8
NO Smoke what so ever!

moribundman

The older S62 engine has a few design flaws, as far as I know? I don't think the 10W-60 will solve your problem. If your engine needs an oil thicker than xW-50, then something is definitly wrong. The Amsoil's specs look very good for a 10W-40.

From some of the parts you had replaced I gather your car was leaking oil?

JWG

Additionally, have you pulled the plugs to "read" them. Spark plugs can tell you a lot about how and what your engine burns.

Also, try this: clean the soot from the inside of your exhaust pipes after every tank load of gas (approximately 300 miles for most of us). See if the soot returns quickly; lots of soot may indicate that you are burning oil.

I would also regularly drop my engine's underside cover to look for leaks on the cover.

The engine may leak from a point where it does not drop on the cover, but rather flys to the ground and the underside of the car. You could take your car to a detail shop to have them steam clean the underside of the car. Thereafter, look at the (now clean) underside very closely on an almost daily basis to see if you can detect a leak.

If nothing else, take a sample of oil to a lab and get an oil analysis.

MikTip

Your oil consumption is probably due to worn valve guide seals? ;O)