S8 CHECK ENGINE OIL DIFFICULT DIPSTICK
 

Hello, Audi says that in the S8 i have to look the oil level when i stop the engine ( temperature service ) and wait 2 minutes.

Here in Spain i go with Castrol 5w30 and when i check the dipstick after waiting 2 minutes, it is very difficult for me to check the oil level because it is like wáter in hot the oil. I not see the oil.

When i bought the car, Audi dealer change oil and filter, i just done 2.000 Kms ( 1.200 Milles ) and i want to know the oil consume if it have the engine.

My question is, when cold engine i see perfectly the level in the dipstick.

Can S8 owners say me if the cold dipstick level and 2 minutes after engine stop ( temperature service ) is the same level ????

I think that it will be not the same level, a little bite higher in hot compared with cold level.

Thank you for your responses!!!!.

Kind Regards

EISENMANN

What is "(Temperature Service)"?

Temperature Service is in when the engine oil is warm. We say in Spain as temperature service of the engine oil.

Sorry for my bad english!!!

EISENMANN

I tend to check it after the engine has cooled somewhat; otherwise, like you, I find the oil too clear to read while hot. The level also goes up a bit as the oil apparently continues to drain.

I was taught you park on level ground, shut off the engine and wait at least 5 minutes before checking the oil level.

I check mine cold or near cold (on flat ground) and always have with all Audis That is how I do it after an oil change anyway so it is apples to apples--initial start, check, then final check the next day or so after after a drive. Yes, I also have checked it hot, in which case my simple version is do it at the gas station after getting the gas pump going and maybe wiping the windshield. That makes it about 5 minutes; I can typically read it with the 0W40 Mobil 1 I usually run. My W12 still burns virtually no oil so I don't sweat it much--less than ¼ quart on the last 9100 mile change interval I ran to just after the service light came on.

5W30 is a bit thin, especially for a warmer climate. 0W40 is recommended. Level is about 3 mm higher when engine is cold.

At least my A8 user manual states ONLY TO USE 5W30 Longlife 504.00 oil for W12 engine, no other oil is allowed to use, except for emergency fill up.

This was written in both my Finnish bought W12 2005/6 and my current Austrian bought 2008 W12, so i suppose it applies to all W12 engines all around the world. The book even says that 504.00 oil MUST be used, even if having 15.000km fixed service interval, and it states this specifically for the W12.

The W12 requires LL2 (504.00) oil only, no other options. On V8 you can use lower quality oil, IF it's a pre 2007. FSI engines also require the 504.00 oil.

The 504.00 oil is required partly cause the complex timing chain system (4 chains) in these engines, and partly because very tight tolerances in bottom end bearings. Another part is of course the long-life system.

5W30 is used because of the tolrerances in the bearings etc in the engine. 0W40 will be a bit thick, and might cause problems over time with too high oil pressure and faults in lubrication.

I'm sure it won't blow the engine in 10-50 or 100.000km, but it won't surely do any good for the longevity for the engine to use wrong oil.

You can BTW buy recommended Castrol FST 5W30 504.00/507.00 oil from germany for 153€/20L can delivered to most of europe. :)

You have btw. a VERY clean engine, if the oil is hard to see 2000km after oil change. :)

And check the oil as said like 5min after stopping, or with a cold engine.

In my W12 it's hard to get the right level, even if the car is cold and has stood for days. When i first popped the stick today, the level was just at the plastic end (under min). I cleaned the stick, put it in again, and whoop, it was halfway between min/max.

Same thing happens on hot engine too.

Of course I always check the oil level when the car is leveled.

Thank's for the responses. 5w30 is because VW 504. volvopentaman, what it means i have a clean engine ?. And what is BTW ?

Regards

EISENMANN

Audi USA D3 A8 Oil Specs (including W12 and S8)
 

Net, not really on a variety of elements specific to USA spec D3's above where marked that I marked w/ font changes But, we are probably mostly dealing with geographic differences.

First, the "original spec" on the W12. From my perspective, it is 503.01 in 0W30 (not 5W-30). Source: W12 SSP 921403--for U.S. market, p. 3. See screen shot below.

Then as far as I know, 503.01 got superseded to 504. But meantime, W12 SSP did say 0W30. Underneath, I think the USA may also not use the 504 spec for gasoline motors because of some fuel differences. Ethanol crap? On Audis in USA you find the 504/507 specs typically for (only) the TDI's.

Next, Audi USA says 502.00 for any of the relevant motors once you get to 2006. Whether port injection or FSI. Source 2006 Audi A8 USA owners manual, which covers both 4.2 and W12. It says specifically, 502.00 in 5W40, or if that is not available, 5W30 or 0W40 as long as it is still 502.00. I don't have one for 2006, but attached is the fluid guide capacity chart and guide for 2007 for all North America Audis published by VWoA. Regardless of motor (W12, 4.2 FSI or S8, it says 502.00, 5W40 preferred or otherwise 5W30 or 0W40. In 2005 (which I don't particularly trust), USA manual said the old API SJ spec, in 0W30 as original fill, and can be 5W30 or 5W40 if it has the necessary SJ or equivalent spec. Newer Audi material on the website says 502 spec from 2005 forward in 5W40, and references 5W30 and 0W40 as backups/alternates: http://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/a...l-Brochure.pdf

So, how do I resolve all this on mine? Easy, typically Mobil 1 OW-40. It meets 502.00, but also if you dig into history when spec was still current it also said 503.01. One of only a super few in the U.S. that did. Or... Castrol Syntec Euro Formula 0W30. Now sold as Castrol Syntec Edge European Formula. That went back to the original 503.01 spec too, as well as 502.00. Among Castrol oils, one of the few we can get here from Europe. Easily found on Amazon at $8.50 U.S. per quart; I have bought it down to about $6 on various sales. Also available in 0W40 now and also sourced from Europe. $27 for 5 quarts on Amazon! They also now sell 5W40, which is labeled 502.00 compliant. That one is made in U.S. and marked as such; Same $27 for 5 quarts. I have also run the 0W30 in Castrol per the W12 original 503.01 spec, but only when I know I will do a lot of miles in winter. 5W30 in a 502 oil is hard to find in the USA for what its worth. A lot of people (and some posters in the past) seem to lock on a brand--like a Mobil 1--and then think all viscosities including their 0W30 or 5W30 meet the same specs. Not true, especially for Mobil 1 sold in the USA in those two viscosities (not compliant to 502.00) vs 0W40 (is compliant to 502.00). Full recent list for USA 502.00 oils here: http://www.audiusa.com/content/dam/a...e-Bulletin.pdf

As a shortcut, I also look for the BMW Longlife spec on the label. Invariably if it has that, it seems to cross right back to these same Audi compliant oils. Handy too since the Mini S spec is 5W30 in a Longlife, hence I just keep the Castrol 0W30 on hand for that.

Finally, if I were in Finland I would just be running 0W30 myself all year. In Spain, I guess it would be more geography dependent like it can be in the U.S., at least in winter.

To an earlier question FWIW (for what it's worth...): BTW = by the way. :)