Oil consumption: 1qt per 4500 miles. Concern or no?

McGuillicuddy

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Location
Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon (5MT)
No other symptoms. No major leaks. No significant smoke of any color. Car is a bit stinky at idle but I don't think it's out of the ordinary for an ALH (is it?).

Car is driven 80-90% highway, although I do drive it a pretty spiritedly most of the time.
 

Prairieview

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2017
Location
Too close to Sturgis 'ithole
TDI
Two 2000 Beetles, 2002 Jetta, 2002 gas avh Jetta, fleet of older 1.6 turbo and non's
No, it is a major biohazard.

Please have it in front of the crusher tomorrow morning by 08:00.
There will be a warrant out for you if you do not meet the deadline.

Seriously, why do people ask questions like this?
 

STDOUBT

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Location
Portland, effing Oregon
TDI
dos jettas
Seriously, why do people ask questions like this?

Because some of these cars "burn no oil" and remain at fill spec between 10k mile oil changes? Because the idea that burning oil could indicate a brewing engine failure is not unreasonable?
 

[486]

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Location
MN
TDI
02 golf ALH
most major manufacturers' spec is 1qt/500 miles before they'll do anything about it
 

ToxicDoc

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Mar 1, 2018
Location
Virginia, US
TDI
2001 Jetta, S7, .216
No, it is a major biohazard.

Please have it in front of the crusher tomorrow morning by 08:00.
There will be a warrant out for you if you do not meet the deadline.

Seriously, why do people ask questions like this?

A little harsh, don't you think? It was a simple question.
 

Tdijarhead

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Location
Lawrenceville PA
TDI
2003 TDI Jetta Daughters Car, 2001 TDI Beetle, Wife’s car, 2005 Golf TDI Mine, all 5 spds
Check the back of your engine you may not be burning so much as leaking it. The valve covers on the alh are notorious for leakage, especially from the rear coating the back of the engine.
 

mk3

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Wisconsin, USA
TDI
03 Jetta GLS 5-speed
mine has 300k+ miles on it with original, untouched turbo. in the last couple of years I've noticed the oil goes low between oil changes. I probably should watch a little more often now. This is a big contrast with gasser VWs that I had in the past which always needed topping.

I think it is a moderate concern. I'd worry about the seals in the turbo so perhaps search around for advice on how to check it. Best I can think of is to take sound shield off the bottom and then open the air intake connection to see if oil spills out (on mine there is no volume of oil, but there are drips).
 

Genesis

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 26, 2003
Location
Sevier County TN
TDI
'03 Jetta Wagon
Mine used to consume near-zero oil over a 10k mile interval.

Now it does consume some. A small amount leaks (back of the valve cover-to-head area, as with many) and since the gasket is not replaceable on the cover I've done some RTVing there, but it still does leak a small amount. The rest is likely going down the valve guides since when I pull the lower charge air pipe there's only an oily film and no build-up in there.

Since the cam and visible surface of the lifters looked fine at last timing belt interval I left it alone. Next time around (engine has ~250k on it) I'll likely pull the head and have it reconditioned, along with doing the oil pump drive since a failure there can be catastrophic. If the turbo continues to bypass almost no oil and still has no problematic play in the shaft I'll leave it alone. I might also buy a replacement valve cover (so as to get a new, and non-leaking gasket.)
 

~TDIguy~

Veteran Member
Joined
May 4, 2017
Location
Romulus Ny
TDI
2005 Jetta Sedan
That sounds like alot cause i run 10k mile changes with no top ups! 175k miles with stage 4. But hey if the other guys say your cool roll with it, mine is a bew, the ALH may be different ive never owned one of them.... Oh btw maybe you need some better oil, I am an amsoil dealer..............;):)
 

McGuillicuddy

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Location
Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon (5MT)
Thanks everybody for responding (except that one guy). I should mention that I am using Rotella T6 5W40 and use a 10K km (6250miles I guess) oil change interval. I haven't sent it in for a UOA but I might do that soon. I also have not yet checked the intake for oil so I will do that ASAP.
 

KyleMillione

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Location
Yaphank, New York
TDI
02 Jetta, 03 Jetta
I’d check the back of the valve cover as well. The “built in gasket” in the valve cover becomes built in plastic in short order, then leaks all down the back of the block.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
How many kilometers on the engine? As these engines wear they tend to lose a little oil through the valve guides and seals when the car sits. They burn it off when you start up, usually making a puff of blue smoke.

A quart in 4,500 miles isn't ideal, but it's not terrible, especially if you have over 250K miles on the car. All my TDIs, except for the brand new ones, have used a little oil between changes. But I agree to look for leaks. That may be what you smell.
 

eddieleephd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2012
Location
Battle Ground, Wa
TDI
2002 jetta Wagon
How fast are you driving it to use that much oil. Oil consumption is often relative to speed and how hard you drive it.
I had a Nova that would burn a quart every 1500mi at 65-70, however, it used a quart every tank running 75-80.

My ALH might burn, vent through pcv a quart per 10,000 mi interval. I usually don't run over 75 and 65-70 on average leaning towards 75, occasionally 80-90, or so to pass, or maybe just because
I would guess at an 80 average it might increase a bit.
 

McGuillicuddy

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2013
Location
Canada
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon (5MT)
How many kilometers on the engine? As these engines wear they tend to lose a little oil through the valve guides and seals when the car sits. They burn it off when you start up, usually making a puff of blue smoke.

A quart in 4,500 miles isn't ideal, but it's not terrible, especially if you have over 250K miles on the car. All my TDIs, except for the brand new ones, have used a little oil between changes. But I agree to look for leaks. That may be what you smell.
My car only has 136K kms on it (85K miles). I drive the car daily (75miles round trip, all highway) but it obviously spend a lot of time sitting unused in its past until I bought it earlier this year. It was literally owned by a little old lady and her husband (until he died - which I can see from the service records when the name changed from his to hers :().
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
At that mileage your oil use should be close to zero. I have about the same miles on the replacement engine in my wagon (factory long block) and I may use about a half liter in 10,000 miles. And I tend to run at 80+ on the highway.

You may be losing oil through the turbo. If the turbo isn't boosting properly because of a corroded actuator or stuck vanes, it can push oil through the turbo and into the engine.

I'd run a boost log and see if your requested and actual boost match. If not, I'm betting you either need a new actuator on the turbo, have a boost leak (maybe a broken intercooler) or stuck turbo vanes.
 

CleverUserName

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Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
T6 is known to show more usage due to its high volatility. You can try a synthetic diesel 10w30 or 15w40 if your climate allows and see if your consumption improves to rule out the oil itself as the cause.
 

Technician!

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2011
Location
Jackson, Michigan
TDI
None, currently
No, it is a major biohazard.

Please have it in front of the crusher tomorrow morning by 08:00.
There will be a warrant out for you if you do not meet the deadline.

Seriously, why do people ask questions like this?
Chill, dude!!

X3 on the oil brand. I used Rotella initially in my 97 Passat. Lost a qt every 2000 miles. Switched to Mobil1, reduced this somewhat. Switched to Delo and almost eliminated the oil consumption. ***?

Honest question to be asked. Some are more easily frustrated than others.
 

GoFaster

Moderator at Large
Joined
Jun 16, 1999
Location
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
Little old lady driver might not have run it in hard enough to seat the rings properly, and since this was not done early on, now it will never happen.

At 1 litre per 7500 km it's not worth worrying about - a minor nuisance. As long as the oil consumption remains steady then things are stable inside the engine.

My 96 Passat used about 1 litre per 10,000 km when I got it with 95,000 km on it, and it used about 1 litre per 10,000 km when I sold it with 462,000 km on it.
 
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