Komaha

My A6 is 2004 3.0 with 88,000 km.
All started with rough idle in the morning when car is cold. It would idle rough for about 30 sec and then everything normal. Then I got "check Engine" light. Got to mechanic, code shows misfire 5th cylinder. Tells me its ignition coil. Fine, change it. Almost a week past, got check engine again. Spark in 5th cyl was taking a swim in oil. Mechanic tells me its valve cover gasket, but he could do it only next week. So I went to dealer, telling them to change valve cover gasket. They changed it and rocker seal as well. So, two weeks after, I got check engine again. So I come home opening 5th cyl and spark is in the oil again. Opening 6th cyl. and that one to. So I got one new spark for the 6th and put it in. Next day, took it to a dealer again and now they telling me that they couldn't find any sign of oil in there. Good thing, I had an old spark in seal bag with me. They had the car for the whole day, then they called me and told me that coolant is damping into my oil. I was surprised with that one, cause I have checked oil and it was black like its suppose to be, not white, not foamy nothing. Other then that, they said everything is fine, you can pick up the car and in a week come back we will check again for oil in sparks and that coolant leak!
Exactly one week from Thursday to Thursday and I'm getting rough idle again for about 30 sec and check engine light again.
Any suggestions guys what else it might be? Since dealer couldn't find the problem.

jschick

you need to remove the plugs, and clean the spark plug hole and wires/coils very good.
I had a similar issue but it was my own fault, I degreased my engine and water got in my plug holes causing missing. when I pulled my plugs to check my miss I also found I was getting oil in 2. I cleaned and in 2 days I kept getting missing again and finally cleaned everything real good with carb cleaner let it dry, reassemble with new valve cover gaskets and it's been fine now for over a month and no more oil leaking, the only way oil can get in their is from a bad valve cover gasket. antifreeze/water can get in from spillage or other leak but I don't see how water/antifreeze could get in the plug hole unless it is spilled in their. now if you have a bad head gasket water will get in the crank case and you should see the milky oil on the dipstick, but not in the plug holes.

Just Me

i'm confused. Is the oil int he cylinder, or surrounding the exterior of the plug in the deep, dark hollow leading to it?

G

Komaha

Thank you jschick for your reply. Seams like I have some more issues there, cause the problem keeps comming back even after plugs and area were cleaned by dealer.

Sorry, I had to be more specific. Oil is around the spark plugs and around the area where the sparks are sitting.
Thank you guys

westjohnc@yahoo.com

I see that your oil in the spark plug hole problem was years ago, but didn't see any conclusion. I just changes plugs in my S4 and found oil in the holes. Note that the coils are bolted down over the plugs so it shouldn't come in from the engine (and no oil leaks anyway). Can it push in from inside the engine somehow? Very strange.

4Driver4

Valve cover gasket. Very, very common.

Prospeeder

So you said they replaced the valve cover gasket but it sounds like they didnt clean the oil from the plug hole. So when you inspected it after there was still oil and it worried you. Thats what im getting out of your post anyway.

4Driver4

Threaded view is your friend. Original post is old. The post just added, and the one you should be responding to is:

"I just changes plugs in my S4 and found oil in the holes. Note that the coils are bolted down over the plugs so it shouldn't come in from the engine (and no oil leaks anyway). Can it push in from inside the engine somehow? Very strange."

Instead you accidentally responded to my post, from which you should be getting nothing of the sort. Find the post you want to respond to, then hit the quote and reply button.

Komaha

Yes, I should of post the conclusion. There were two problems, one was the valve gasket that was replaced but then the head leak was discovered. Coolant was dripping slowly into the cylinder when the engine would cool down. After opening sparks at least two spark shafts and sparks itself were wet. The fix was with the special Stop Leak fluid, I don't remember exact name of it, but apparently this is the only fluid that would work on our cars in the system. Other fluids will block the whole system. It has some particles of some metal that I pored into the coolant system. Followed exact instructions, next day in the morning and after that I didn't hear any misfires. People at this forum where saying its good for 50+ thousand, enough time to prepare for a rebuild or new engine.

westjohnc@yahoo.com

Thanks for that. I assume my problem was valve cover gasket, but it's good to know about these other issues.