Barry Bingham

I posted a while back about my concerns following the initial "long
life" service of my wife's UK-based A4. After the oil change and just
20miles, the oil was as black as before and there was more of it.

I've now been back to the garage and insisted that they again change the
oil foc - which they agreed to probably because of the other minor
faults arising from the service.

They told me. as others did in responding to my last post, that oil goes
black very quickly in a diesel - even in just 20miles. So this time I
insisted on reading the dipstick before a wheel was turned after the
refill. I found that there was now less oil in the sump but it was still
black. The technician told me:

1. The oil is black because of the residue which is never fully drained
from the sump, which in turn colours the rest as soon as the engine is run.
2. That to obtain a clean dipstick without flushing (which Audi do not
recommend) would require up to 10 refills with short runs inbetween to
circulate the oil properly.
3. That the oil is anyway good for 50,000 miles - Audi are just being
super-cautious when they say variable, 20-30,000. (What do American
owners make of that one....!?!?)

When I got home (20 miles again, the level was still lower (about
halfway between min and max) and as black as ever.

Anyone out there with a recent TDi using the synthetic wunder-oil who
has ever seen a clean dipstick???

Another credibility check on (main official Audi) dealer info: I was
also told that the seatbelt warning light (which used to flash until the
seatbelt was worn and which ceased functioning several months ago)
should never have functioned: it is only meant to be operational in the
USA and Canada. Any thoughts from UK owners?

Richard Goulding

"Barry Bingham" <simca75_nospam@operamail.com> wrote in message
news:1100376292.18320.0@despina.uk.clara.net...
> I posted a while back about my concerns following the initial "long
> life" service of my wife's UK-based A4. After the oil change and just
> 20miles, the oil was as black as before and there was more of it.
>
> I've now been back to the garage and insisted that they again change the
> oil foc - which they agreed to probably because of the other minor
> faults arising from the service.
>
> They told me. as others did in responding to my last post, that oil goes
> black very quickly in a diesel - even in just 20miles. So this time I
> insisted on reading the dipstick before a wheel was turned after the
> refill. I found that there was now less oil in the sump but it was still
> black. The technician told me:
>
> 1. The oil is black because of the residue which is never fully drained
> from the sump, which in turn colours the rest as soon as the engine is
run.
> 2. That to obtain a clean dipstick without flushing (which Audi do not
> recommend) would require up to 10 refills with short runs inbetween to
> circulate the oil properly.
> 3. That the oil is anyway good for 50,000 miles - Audi are just being
> super-cautious when they say variable, 20-30,000. (What do American
> owners make of that one....!?!?)
>
> When I got home (20 miles again, the level was still lower (about
> halfway between min and max) and as black as ever.
>
> Anyone out there with a recent TDi using the synthetic wunder-oil who
> has ever seen a clean dipstick???
>
> Another credibility check on (main official Audi) dealer info: I was
> also told that the seatbelt warning light (which used to flash until the
> seatbelt was worn and which ceased functioning several months ago)
> should never have functioned: it is only meant to be operational in the
> USA and Canada. Any thoughts from UK owners?

My A4 in the UK seat belt warning has never worked. I assumed it was not
activated in the ecu.

Richard

Richard Goulding

"Barry Bingham" <simca75_nospam@operamail.com> wrote in message
news:1100376292.18320.0@despina.uk.clara.net...
> I posted a while back about my concerns following the initial "long
> life" service of my wife's UK-based A4. After the oil change and just
> 20miles, the oil was as black as before and there was more of it.
>
> I've now been back to the garage and insisted that they again change the
> oil foc - which they agreed to probably because of the other minor
> faults arising from the service.
>
> They told me. as others did in responding to my last post, that oil goes
> black very quickly in a diesel - even in just 20miles. So this time I
> insisted on reading the dipstick before a wheel was turned after the
> refill. I found that there was now less oil in the sump but it was still
> black. The technician told me:
>
> 1. The oil is black because of the residue which is never fully drained
> from the sump, which in turn colours the rest as soon as the engine is
run.
> 2. That to obtain a clean dipstick without flushing (which Audi do not
> recommend) would require up to 10 refills with short runs inbetween to
> circulate the oil properly.
> 3. That the oil is anyway good for 50,000 miles - Audi are just being
> super-cautious when they say variable, 20-30,000. (What do American
> owners make of that one....!?!?)
>
> When I got home (20 miles again, the level was still lower (about
> halfway between min and max) and as black as ever.
>
> Anyone out there with a recent TDi using the synthetic wunder-oil who
> has ever seen a clean dipstick???
>
> Another credibility check on (main official Audi) dealer info: I was
> also told that the seatbelt warning light (which used to flash until the
> seatbelt was worn and which ceased functioning several months ago)
> should never have functioned: it is only meant to be operational in the
> USA and Canada. Any thoughts from UK owners?

My A4 in the UK seat belt warning has never worked. I assumed it was not
activated in the ecu.

Richard

Chris Bartram

Barry Bingham wrote:
> I posted a while back about my concerns following the initial "long
> life" service of my wife's UK-based A4. After the oil change and just
> 20miles, the oil was as black as before and there was more of it.
>
> I've now been back to the garage and insisted that they again change the
> oil foc - which they agreed to probably because of the other minor
> faults arising from the service.
>
> They told me. as others did in responding to my last post, that oil goes
> black very quickly in a diesel - even in just 20miles. So this time I
> insisted on reading the dipstick before a wheel was turned after the
> refill. I found that there was now less oil in the sump but it was still
> black. The technician told me:
>
> 1. The oil is black because of the residue which is never fully drained
> from the sump, which in turn colours the rest as soon as the engine is run.
> 2. That to obtain a clean dipstick without flushing (which Audi do not
> recommend) would require up to 10 refills with short runs inbetween to
> circulate the oil properly.
> 3. That the oil is anyway good for 50,000 miles - Audi are just being
> super-cautious when they say variable, 20-30,000. (What do American
> owners make of that one....!?!?)
>
> When I got home (20 miles again, the level was still lower (about
> halfway between min and max) and as black as ever.
>
> Anyone out there with a recent TDi using the synthetic wunder-oil who
> has ever seen a clean dipstick???
>
> Another credibility check on (main official Audi) dealer info: I was
> also told that the seatbelt warning light (which used to flash until the
> seatbelt was worn and which ceased functioning several months ago)
> should never have functioned: it is only meant to be operational in the
> USA and Canada. Any thoughts from UK owners?
My A3 TDi has the longlife oil. It was black straight after the service.
My Seat TDi was the same with normal oil, and I used to cahnge it myself
halfway between services (ie at 5000 intervals).

Chris Bartram

Barry Bingham wrote:
> I posted a while back about my concerns following the initial "long
> life" service of my wife's UK-based A4. After the oil change and just
> 20miles, the oil was as black as before and there was more of it.
>
> I've now been back to the garage and insisted that they again change the
> oil foc - which they agreed to probably because of the other minor
> faults arising from the service.
>
> They told me. as others did in responding to my last post, that oil goes
> black very quickly in a diesel - even in just 20miles. So this time I
> insisted on reading the dipstick before a wheel was turned after the
> refill. I found that there was now less oil in the sump but it was still
> black. The technician told me:
>
> 1. The oil is black because of the residue which is never fully drained
> from the sump, which in turn colours the rest as soon as the engine is run.
> 2. That to obtain a clean dipstick without flushing (which Audi do not
> recommend) would require up to 10 refills with short runs inbetween to
> circulate the oil properly.
> 3. That the oil is anyway good for 50,000 miles - Audi are just being
> super-cautious when they say variable, 20-30,000. (What do American
> owners make of that one....!?!?)
>
> When I got home (20 miles again, the level was still lower (about
> halfway between min and max) and as black as ever.
>
> Anyone out there with a recent TDi using the synthetic wunder-oil who
> has ever seen a clean dipstick???
>
> Another credibility check on (main official Audi) dealer info: I was
> also told that the seatbelt warning light (which used to flash until the
> seatbelt was worn and which ceased functioning several months ago)
> should never have functioned: it is only meant to be operational in the
> USA and Canada. Any thoughts from UK owners?
My A3 TDi has the longlife oil. It was black straight after the service.
My Seat TDi was the same with normal oil, and I used to cahnge it myself
halfway between services (ie at 5000 intervals).

Chris Bartram

Barry Bingham wrote:
> I posted a while back about my concerns following the initial "long
> life" service of my wife's UK-based A4. After the oil change and just
> 20miles, the oil was as black as before and there was more of it.
>
> I've now been back to the garage and insisted that they again change the
> oil foc - which they agreed to probably because of the other minor
> faults arising from the service.
>
> They told me. as others did in responding to my last post, that oil goes
> black very quickly in a diesel - even in just 20miles. So this time I
> insisted on reading the dipstick before a wheel was turned after the
> refill. I found that there was now less oil in the sump but it was still
> black. The technician told me:
>
> 1. The oil is black because of the residue which is never fully drained
> from the sump, which in turn colours the rest as soon as the engine is run.
> 2. That to obtain a clean dipstick without flushing (which Audi do not
> recommend) would require up to 10 refills with short runs inbetween to
> circulate the oil properly.
> 3. That the oil is anyway good for 50,000 miles - Audi are just being
> super-cautious when they say variable, 20-30,000. (What do American
> owners make of that one....!?!?)
>
> When I got home (20 miles again, the level was still lower (about
> halfway between min and max) and as black as ever.
>
> Anyone out there with a recent TDi using the synthetic wunder-oil who
> has ever seen a clean dipstick???
>
> Another credibility check on (main official Audi) dealer info: I was
> also told that the seatbelt warning light (which used to flash until the
> seatbelt was worn and which ceased functioning several months ago)
> should never have functioned: it is only meant to be operational in the
> USA and Canada. Any thoughts from UK owners?
My A3 TDi has the longlife oil. It was black straight after the service.
My Seat TDi was the same with normal oil, and I used to cahnge it myself
halfway between services (ie at 5000 intervals).