Low oil level...burning oil? Please help!
 

Hey guys hows it going?

First of, here are my other posts if you want to know all the history of my baby!

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2857554

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2857743

So here it is: Ive had problems with my coolant level, leaks, etc. To make a long story short. I ended up doing my timing belt + water pump + new coolant reservoir.

Since then, I didnt have any problems except kind of a sluggish feeling as if the transmission wasnt in the right gear at times... (Now I use the manual mode often which helps a lot) Also, I still see white smoke coming out of the exhaust... But I figured it was not problem because where im from (canada) its freezing cold outside and pretty much all the cars have white smoke. (even tho it seems like I have more but maybe im just paranoid)

Anyways, last night I was coming home and the Minimum oil level light came on. I wasnt far from home.

So today, I went to checkout the car and the light is not coming on! I didnt went for a long drive, actually I pretty much stayed in my parking area but still isnt it weird that the light doesnt come on?

I tried to measure the oil level with the dipstick but I don't seem to see any oil on it... which is telling me that the oil level is very low.

What do you think I should do? Just go buy oil and refill the car? But its not normal to lose oil right?
Plus, it doesnt seem like its coming from a leak...

My guess is im burning the oil through the exhaust which is causing the white smoke even tho I would have thought it would come out as black smoke if its oil not white smoke...

Hope i'm clear! Please help! Much appreciated.
have a good one :)

BTW it's a 04 3.0 Quattro A6

Well, does your exhaust smell like burnt oil or other sulfur/egg-like smell? If not, you're probably not burning oil.

I'd check for leaks thoroughly. Remove the belly pan or bottom engine cover and park it over night to see any drips etc.

yeah, you should fill it with oil until the level is back up properly.

Do the above and post back.

First, fill it up with oil to the proper level.
Go ahead and drop the belly pan to check for oil leaks, but your oil leaks could be from cam covers/seals or the rear main seal…and they occur under load on the highway because your PCV system is frozen/clogged with mung and sludge and cause positive pressure in the crankcase rather than a vacuum…the positive pressure forces out oil while you drive, sometimes through seals and sometimes through crankcase ventilation…your engine simply burns the oil.

What exactly is the oil consumption in km/liter (since you're in Canada, eh?).

Lately my 3.0L with 125k on it has been burning almost a quart per thousand miles. Seems pretty high.

Canada eh? Almost made it. The light may not have been on due to the oil pooling overnight in what i can assume was a freezing son-of-a-b#$%^!!????? It was finally above 0 Fahrenheit here in Minnesota last night, (-680C??? or whatever you canucks use for scale now) but with a 30mph (380,000km/h?? or something like that) howler of wind coming from that frozen chunk of chew-spitting-hockey-hooligan filled snow-a-cane you call Canada, the oil could be thickening up. My thought is a leisurly meander around the gas pumps at the arena won't get your oil up to temps where it would be moving around your vehicle as designed. So, like a tasty poutine, it could sluggishly be staying down there keeping the low oil sensor from going off like Ty Domi on Donald Brasheer. Or maybe it's clinging to the plastic sensor like Theo Fluery in front of the crease on a power play. Tough to say. If you are truly that low on oil, you need to fill that up quicker than a Felix Potvin kick save, my friend. I am just assuming you can't see the oil through the 8 layers of coonskin and seal meat you have to be wearing out in this weather!

When the weather warms to a balmy 180 Kelvin around August 27th you could get a Fluke multimeter or similar and check power to the sensor via the wiring connector there. You will have to act faster than a Gretzky snap shot though, as the temps will be back into the -700,00 Joules range by weeks end. Then it's back to making up another winter sport. I'll be working on my conversion charts for the numerical data above, though i'm sure i'm within a hectare or three...

Best. Reply. To. A. Canadian. Yet.

Yes, but 800 miles per quart is generally the industry standard/limit. Lousy limit IMHO.
That being said, what viscosity are you using?
One year many years ago I was driving a 77 280Z Datsun….switched to Mobil 1 before they had 30 wt and went through a quart in 50 miles!!!! Glad I was checking my dipstick at the gas station.
Anyway, went back to 30wt and no problem…when I got into Amsoil I used 15W-40 weight and no problem.

So…if the oil usage suddenly started, look for a PCV system problem and probably leaks rather than oil consumption.

Fair disclosure…lifetime Amsoil dealer.

Mean Girls.

hahaha great reply! thanks