Audi glowplug oil leak - 2008 Audi A5 Coupe

I will try to help. Plugging in your truck may set the P012f code in my opinion because this code is set when there is a 12 to 14 degree between antifreeze and oil temperature. However this is a problem under TSB 09-8-3 which recommends you replace the oil cooler, check the egr cooler and flush the cooling system which does not even address using a block heater. Concerns over burnt oil and oil overheating damage.

P341 is cam sensor, P460 and P463 pertain to fuel level sensors and having more fuel than tank should hold. Tank readings having excessive resistance and do not agree with other components. Suspect wiring or connections.

I will put in a comment about glowplug performance and using a block heater. While warming the block will do some good, the actual atomization of the diesel fuel is from the heat of the glowplugs and compression. Water temperature not so much.

The glowplug works on a series. The power module connects to the glowplug timer which regulates the pulses of power to the glowplugs. The duration of each pulse is affected by both outside and block temperature.

I check my glowplugs with a set of battery jumper cables. You put one cable fixed on the casing so as not to nick the threads of the glowplug. Then touch the other end to the top terminal of the glowplug. BE CAREFUL You can melt a glowplug or blow up a battery if you overdo it. Testing is a matter of comparision. Sometimes you can buy 1 new glowplug to see how it should look when hit with power and then see if the other glowplugs are much darker when hit with power. The dark glowplugs are worn or worn out.

Remember when you hear the timer cycle and the lights in the vehicle blink in unision. That is all the power your glowplugs are going to get. So if they do not glow quickly on your test, it will affect atomization of the fuel for starting.

Hope this helps, there may be glowplug testers that were invented after I retired.

black oil ,= rear main seal
red oil =torque converter oil seal leak
if the black oil is outside of the housing = rocker cover gasket leak or oil pressure sender leak
red oil outside of the housing = transmission oil cooler lines leak

Sounds like you have destroyed the engine from lack of lubrication.

If this is a Diesel engine, the glowplugs would be in a position like a sparkplug. You can replace them as you wish, or replace only the bad one. To determine if a glowplug is bad, you would remove it as you do a sparkplug on a gas engine.

With several of the glowplugs removed, you would place a battery jumper cable on one end of the glowplug, while being careful not to damage its threads. That cable would be connected to the NEG battery cable. The remaining cable would be placed on the Positive(+) terminal of the battery and then you would briefly tough the POS cable to the top of the glowplug.

Do this briefly. You can melt the part. But you need to see if the glowplug will glow. Often the problem with glowplugs is the Timer box. This is the box from where the wires come from to go to the glowplugs.

If you have a glowplug staying dark, or failing to glow well, then it is a bad glowplug. Each should glow the same. That is why you check several at a time to tell what is normal.

I work on Ford diesels and do not know what plastic covers you may have. So just follow the wires that are not on the fuel injectors and that is all you can possibly do.

Hello, If this is an Automatic with trans cooling lines, check the Dipstick for water droplets. It is possible to get antifreeze in the trans if the Radiator is leaking between the upper and lower chambers.

But for the most part, it sounds like the water is getting back into the heads. You also should check the Glowplug timer and the glowplugs to see if they have discoloration. The bad cylinders will taint the color of the glowplug. Glowplugs show running conditions just like sparkplugs do.

You will see bubbles in the Radiator tank when the engine runs. There are stop leak products but you have too much compression in a Diesel for them to work. About the best you can do is look at the Glowplugs and hope that all the problems are on one side of the engine. Then you only have to pull 1 head instead of 2.

The oil pressure sender unit is located on the oil filter housing.These do tend to leak at times. The warning light for this switch is a red oil can and a buzzer. Replace the switch. If warning light still comes on, have the oil pressure checked. The oil level sender warning light is an orange oil can with oil level under it. This sender is fitted on the bottom of the oil sump and can leak past the seal. If warning light comes on, check oil level. If ok, check for damage to wiring under vehicle. Senders do some times become faulty.

audi oil leaks are usually valve cover gaskets. oil run off causes smoke on exhaust downpipes.while vacuum hoses do tend to dry rot with time it may also be the secondary air injection pump (if cold ) or waste gate for turbo.try to use a long hose,put one end on your ear use the other to locate sound. extending mirror and light may help too. missing at idle could mean time for tune up or coil pack failing. good luck

There is a relay which will make a `clunk` noise under the bonnet.
It can be heard a few seconds after the glow plug light on your dashboard goes out.
I would suggest that this is the problem. You may have to buy a new one. Very easy to do.
Quite cheap as well.

Hi Venz

You should check that you are getting power to your glowplug busbar. (thats the alloy bar that connects the power to all the glowplugs).

1.Get a circuit tester and connect the clip to negative earth -
2.Get someone to turn the ignition key to "on" while you hold the tester on the busbar. It should light up for around six seconds I think.
3. If this happens all good than the next step is to check that the glow plugs are turning off correctly while your driving or operating the vehicle.

Also remove and inspect the glowplugs they should be just a nice brown/carbon colour...
They should have no chips out of them or damage of any kind.

These 4D56 engines have a glowplug timer that almost always stuffs out. Then they cause the glowplugs to stay on almost the whole time while driving which stuffs them quickly...

Let me no how you get on
I have a few easy ways to fix this problem!!!

Jules

head gasket!