Superb Oil Consumption

[Ade515]

Greetings one and all.

Firstly I am new to this forum, but have been a happy Skoda owner for the last 5/6 years.

My car -Superb 2011 1.8 TSI has been and still is, more than reliable, when I purchased it new from the dealership.

I do all of my own maintenance, and use the correct parts and Fluids..

I have noticed that the oil consumption in my car has gone from zero to what I would call excessive - 1 Lt every 300 miles.

Now, I have build engines and run classics for more years than I can mention, and High oil consumption is always combined with something else.

Plumes of Smoke, Oil patches when parked, lack of performance.  I get NONE of this.  It starts runs, and goes like a train (without the steam and smoke).

It is getting through nearly a teaspoon a mile, where is all the oil going?  The car has only done 70,000 miles.  When I had a blown Turbo on a previous car it used less oil than that, and you could not see me after I passed you.

Any suggestions?  PCV valve ? I cant believe its rings. Where is the oil going?  

[rayx]

Sorry to say that, but you have to start to believe the pistons and rings are that... allowed maximum per VAG manufacturer is 0,5l per 1000km/621miles, so it seems you just achieved it, then only new pistons inc. rings + new rods will fix it. Internet is full of that, whole second generation of EA888 engines is in risk ...

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/413114-18tsi-oil-consumption/#comment-4725053

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/414246-18-tsi-high-oil-consumption/

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/419089-yeti-burning-oil-should-pistons-and-rods-be-replaced-as-well-as-piston-rings/

 

Look at the spark plugs and all will be clear to you.

 

 

Edited 15 March, 2017 by rayx

[Ade515]

Thanks for that. I'll take the plugs out and have a look, I would assume that if the rings have gone then there would be oil (black as your hat) deposits on the plugs.

The reason that I haven't dived into the engine, is that there is no plumes of smoke, regardless of how hard I drive it.

I'll do a compression test at the same time and re post.

[rayx]

Yes, plugs will be surely black, lot of soot/carbon on electrodes, oil in threads.

 

Concerning compression test, it can be a bit tricky, must be neither under nor above specs (11-14bar at 30Celsius for oil, minimum 7bar, allowed difference  between cylinders 3bar, take out the fuse for Motronic J271 at E-box in engine space (should be fuse Nr.F10-SB10 at B-space, upper part of E-Box))

 

The thing is, that scraper ring is full of carbon therefore it doesn´t work as it should, until the two upper rings are blocked at grooves too, compression will be OK or even bit higher than specified. Therefore the condition of spark plugs is enough to tell what is the problem. All plugs should look approx. the same, if you see big differencies between them, it will show which cylinder/head is in the worst condition.

 

Hope this helps, if you can post detail photo of plugs, I am sure it will be helpful to all.

Edited 15 March, 2017 by rayx

[James@RRG_Skoda_Rochdale]

Take the plugs out, you'll probably find that they're caked in oil. The direct injection technology as used in these engines has a horrible habit of burning the oil in the cylinder with the fuel and hiding the symptoms.

[Ade515]

Well I took out the plugs - caked with oil they were not.  Three were loose though.

I also tool off the PCV/oil separator plastic thing on top of the engine.  I could not see anything obvious, I poked the valve bit and all seemed well, but there was evidence of oil coming through the front pipe to the inlet manifold.  I have ordered a new one - £30 worth a punt.   I am certainly not going to be spending £2500 on new pistons etc.  That Buys you an awful lot of oil. 

[Ade515]

I took out the plugs and nothing was untoward, other than three were loose.  Gave the plugs a scrape and popped them back in.

I also took of the PCV / oil separator thingy, nothing obvious there, the springy valve thing looked OK, and sprang back wheb I poked it.  There was evidenve of oil comming out of teh front pipe, into the inlet manifold.  I have ordered a new PCV/oil separator-£30 worth a punt.

[rayx]

Let us know if new PCV will solve issue of "1 Lt every 300 miles".

 

I see you open same topic at https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/426100-superb-oil-consumption/

[Ade515]

Will do.

Yes I posted the question in the wrong location, and don't know how to delete it, it seems to have a life of its own.

[rayx]

Well, admins should join it in one, believe the Superb section is better one.

[Rooted]

^^^ Who changed the spark plugs last or are these the originals,

are you not tempted to pop new ones in now, and what was the gap on the plugs that are in?

Edited 20 March, 2017 by Awayoffski

[Ade515]

I am not a lover of changing Spark plugs willy nilly, especially as they are now £14 each.

I had my last car do 118000 miles (when I sold it) on the original set, and it never missed a beat.

I must confess that although I put back the originals after cleaning them, I have bought a new set.  I haven't decided whether to put them in yet, I will wait until the PCV valve arrives.

It runs too well at the moment  -  if it ain't broke don't fix it! 

[john999boy]

9 minutes ago, rayx said:

Well, admins should join it in one, believe the Superb section is better one.

 

[Rooted]

Willy Nilly new plugs are cheap @ £14,  Base Engines at £3,500 are not, and those seem to be rather commonly required with the engines in question.   Or in this thread, ones that can be Oil Users and even Excessive Oil Users, duds as some know them, Lemons, 

but not as VW (Skoda, Audi or SEAT) would accept obviously.

 

Plug Gap checking is free, and loose spark plugs can mean there was spark plugs that could overheat and premature demise of Ignition Coils.

Its all just Servicing & Maintenance, or DIY maintenance after all.

Edited 20 March, 2017 by Awayoffski

[rayx]

Well, EA888 engines have specifed new plugs every 90 000km/ 55923miles / 6years. But in case engine eats that much oil, there is really a high risk of melting the plugs leading to serious engine damage. See last post from same engine at Octavia, nothing nice ... https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/266114-18tsi-and-20tsi-engine-failures/?do=findComment&comment=4836242

 

By the way, OEM plugs for these engines 06H905601A are NGK PFR7S8EG, I would stick with it instead of Bosch or Beru.

http://www.hstuning.com/blog/uncategorized/explaining-the-spark-plug-options-for-the-fsi-tsi-engines/

 

[James@RRG_Skoda_Rochdale]

Have you got any pictures of the plugs you removed?

[peterposh]

£14 , wow , it's many years since I had a petrol engine and that was a motorbike

[Ade515]

Sorry I did not take any pictures of the Spark Plugs, As I have purchased a set (makes me week) I will post a picture for completeness.

Although all of them were fine not sooted up, or burnt away. 

Can anyone explain to me why one would need to change a spark plug.  I appreciate if they are carbonized up, or burnt away, one might want to change them, but this would be a bit of a folly, as there would be underlying causes of carbon, or burning that should be addressed.

[James@RRG_Skoda_Rochdale]

The spark process erodes the 2 points on which it arcs over and increases the air gap making the spark weaker over time. 

[Ade515]

Ok. So, if the gap has increased by being eroded, why not just close up the plug gap, and if the Gap has not increased, is there any other reason to change the plugs, other than the plug mnfs (and Garage, if they change them), extracting £60 plus labour of you?   

[Rooted]

Look at the new plugs that come pre set but can be carefully adjusted.

As to eroded spark plugs, the type you have you really are best to replace.

 

Some Dealerships replace during a service without additional labour charges just the plugs are extra, and some Skoda Dealerships want £100 plus including spark plugs.

I thought you were a DIY type of person and you have had the plugs out, did you measure the gap before replacing, and what were they, 

and what should they be?

 

Check the Pre-set new ones are all correct before putting in.

[peterposh]

Like everything, they wear out

[Ade515]

I did have the plugs out, and they looked fine.  The gap was a bit shy of 35 thou.  Did not see any signs of the electrode burnt away, so back in they went!  Running fine, nice idle, no missing, and good acceleration(for a 1.8 Skoda superb - it ain't no Ferrari).

As I've said, at great personal expense I have purchased some new ones, I will fit these at the W/E.  I'll give the old ones a photo shoot and post the pics.  

[Rooted]

 

So now 3 spark plugs are not loose.  35 thou!

 

Is it still an excessive oil user that needs some attention?

[Ade515]

Yes, three were, as I would describe "Finger Tight". But I fail to see why this would have an effect on oil consumption.

And I agree It is Hoovering the oil, hence my initial question, "where is all the oil going"

I do not see smoke, and my driveway is drip free.