General Site Questions   General Audi Questions   Engine Features   Performance   Engine Maintenance I have a lot of valve noise, especially when I first start the engine. It goes away after long drives but tends to stay during stop and go driving. Should I worry? My engine loses more than a quart of oil every 1000 miles. My dealer says this is normal -- is it? The V6 engine uses low-tension piston rings, which give the engine better efficiency but let a bit more oil through than you might expect. Since this was a conscious design decision, most mechanics will tell you 'don't worry, they all do that.' Maybe it should, but there are limits. Early V6 engines, generally the ones made before 1994, had leaky seals everywhere. Since the engine has a large cover under it, oil leaks tend to go unnoticed unless they're massive, so you should check for oil leaks first. Look for oil leaks at the valve cover gaskets, the head gaskets, the valley pan gasket, the rear main seal, the upper and lower oil pan gaskets, the camshaft oil seals, and the front crankshaft oil seal. If you are sure that your oil is burning, then you may have defective rings or bad valve stem oil seals. Several early V6 engines had defective rings that did not seal properly, which would result in high oil consumption. This is bad for the catalytic converters, so it's something you should have checked. I have loud valve noise, all the time. What's the problem? I have loud valve noise after the car has been idling for a few minutes. What can I do about it? When should I change my timing belt? Is the V6 an interference engine? I've heard that the V6 leaks oil. Is this a big problem? Should I worry? Safety Features   Accessories   What is...   Audi 80/90 Specific   Audi 100/A6 Specific   Audi Coupe Specific   Audi Cabriolet Specific   Audi A4 Specific

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