realOOOOestate

Just kidding, I was not serious on thinking they fixed themselves. I wanted to see if anyone has any insight for me on this situation.

2001 C5 A6 2.7t with 90k
Aux H20 pump, h20 pump, TB, Cam Tensioner Seals, and a few odds and ends new.

Started the car one morning and blue smoke was pouring out the pipes. Turned off and trailered to my mechanic. Runs through the engine and I was not firing on Cyl # 2 and 5 per Vag. Replaced plugs and no codes anymore but still have smoke.

Compression test went good, no oil leaks that we could see and no head gasket issues.

On the lift he takes off the drivers side intercooler piping from turbo and it dumped oil out of there....crap..... Passenger side did not. So we think that is the root of the problem....the most expensive thing to do...pull the engine and replace turbos.

After really thinking if I need to spend $5k on this seeing how the whole car only books for around 9 or 10k I call him up and give the go on pulling the engine. He decides to start it up again and look at something else real quick since the engine will be out. No smoke. Keeps it running, shuts down, removes piping and no oil.

The past few days he has been putting some miles on it and once it had smoke on start up but one he got on it it cleared out. Currently is running fine, no codes (other than seat belt) and after each trip (including railing on the highway to get some good spooling) pull off piping and no oil.


Any ideas? Could the turbo have froze up or something filling with oil and dumping into the piping and then correct itself? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

quickaudi:STFA

you need to replace your PCV valve and spider hose.

mpower99

2nd that.... caused by a frozen breather hose / PCV

okaudiman

Curious to see what you have found??? I have a 01 A6 2.7T w/ very similar problem. I had a oil burning smell, no codes no drivability problems. I put my car on my lift and POORED oil out of drivers side intercooler pipe and found oil all over the center section of my drivers side turbo. My assumption was new turbos $$$.
I put the car back together and started getting prices. After 200+ miles of driving, and 6-7 days of cursing Audi for my new $5K investment oportunity needed on my 60K mile car.

I put the car back on the rack and pulled the entire front subframe to get at what I thought was a 'bad' drivers side turbo. I decided to re-check my intercooler pipe and it was dry as could be. The inside of the turbo was clean w/o excess oil residue. WHAT THE ???? Turbos are either good or they are really bad really quick....no in between.

I kept looking and found that there was an oil trail down the back of the drivers side head onto the exhaust manifold. Running off of the header onto the turbo. Valve cover/cam adjuster seal duh..(wished I would have looked @ AudiWorld before I removed the subframe).

So this is my theory.... If I am crazy, someone please correct me (like I need to ask). The majority of the oil was pooling on top of the now flared out rubber hose coming from the turbo leading to the intercooler. Combined w/ a somewhat loose hose clamp and a oil saturated rubber hose. I'm thinking oil was entering there, w/ a little help (Venturi principle), and collecting in the pipe over time as the tubing makes a 90 going up towards the intercooler.

I replaced the Valve covers/cam adjuster seals and all seemes to be fine after 1k miles.

I'll continue to keep my eye on it.

What have you found on your A6????

For every Audi sold there is an elated DRIVER and a very happy $ervice Tech!

okaudiman

OK..next time I will read more before I rant.

Breather hose / PCV makes sense. It was freeken cold....now its not and no more oil in pipe.

quickaudi:STFA

not entirely sure your turbos were at fault for that.