Plenty of metal particles on oil filter

[TheContrarian]

2019 SQ5 bought used from a VW dealer in March 2023 with 27k kms or 17k miles. I used to camera to verify that it had new style rockers before purchase. Oil was also changed by the dealer at the time of purchase but I don't have documentation because they still owned it at the time. I presume they used 0w-20 508 spec as they were a VW dealer and would have the correct oil (although it never seemed tinted green).

Changed the oil today using the traditional from the bottom method (removing the drain plug). The oil filter to my surprise was covered in metal sparkles. I can't really comment on the oil drain pan I used because it was dirty to begin with, but I didn't find any large bits of metal.

Car is now at 37k kms or 23k miles. The oil change interval was 10k kms or 6200 miles, of which 70% was highway miles. I just got back from a 2500 mile road trip across the US midwest. I was driving 85 mph across the rolling prairie of South Dakota with a roof top box and the engine was working hard. I hit 110C or 230F oil temps on a couple occasions on a long uphill stretch. My oil level was full before the trip, but afterwards the level had fallen to midway between min and max, so I consumed at least 0.5L of oil on the trip, maybe slightly more.

Thoughts on this? The amount of build up in some of the pleats was concerning. It's not just a few metal specks, its thousands of tiny specks. I didn't capture a sample for analysis as I didn't think I had an issue until pulling the oil filter which I did after draining the pan. The 4 year warranty has expired.

BTW the oil was refilled with 0w-30 vw 504 spec, the same as I use in my RS3.

[S4'ed]

What is the engine build-date on the decal on the silver metal pipe, located on the front of the engine, about half-way down. It is visible from the top, with a flashlight. The decal on the pipe has the engine serial number and the build date. Build date is in Euro format, DD.MM.YY

[TheContrarian]

What is the engine build-date on the decal on the silver metal pipe, located on the front of the engine, about half-way down. It is visible from the top, with a flashlight. The decal on the pipe has the engine serial number and the build date. Build date is in Euro format, DD.MM.YY

January 2019 engine build and June 2019 vehicle build, although I have already visually verified the rocker arms are not the old style.

BTW are the photos visible? I can see them on my PC but not when viewing on phone.

[DiscoDan]

Send the oil off for analysis

[383vett]

I've opened up hundreds of oil filters over the years (racer). You don't need an oil analysis. Your motor is in trouble. Rebuild, replace or sell.

[Hostile]

BTW the oil was refilled with 0w-30 vw 504 spec, the same as I use in my RS3.

Why are you using the wrong oil?

[TheContrarian]

So after searching high and low I have found several other 3.0T owners who have reported this issue. One owner had the engine opened up and found wear on the cam sprockets (from the timing chain) which are sintered aluminum. After replacing the cam sprockets and moving to 5w30, the issue disappeared. I am running w30 oil now and monitoring the issue, will do an oil analysis and change in 3 months.

[burnman]

I’m not sure why people are hitting the panic alarm here?

Everything you described, the oil temp and the slight oil use is normal in my 2018 SQ5 with 90000 km, using VW508 0W20. I’ve never disassembled an oil filter in my life of doing oil changes and never will!! I’m sure I have the old rocker arms in mine, everything sounds and runs normal.

If anything and everything worries you about your Audi’s reliability, then buy a Toyota.

[S4'ed]

TheContrarian: Take a magnet and see if the metal particles in the filter are magnetic, If not, they certainly could be the aluminum sprockets. Can you post links concerning wear of the sprockets?

[TheContrarian]

TheContrarian: Take a magnet and see if the metal particles in the filter are magnetic, If not, they certainly could be the aluminum sprockets. Can you post links concerning wear of the sprockets?

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...-Flakes-In-Oil

Discussion and pics of the cam sprockets

[TheContrarian]

On a recent VAG Technik video (youtube) the mechanics discussed this metal dust on the oil filter phenomenon. They confirmed it is the timing chain wearing the cam sprockets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIHATDhwwUs

22:00 mark for discussion.

The mechanics didn't seem overly concerned and said it would not harm anything. Not sure why Audi wouldn't do something to address this issue as to not cause unnecessary concern among owners, but here we are.

[KGB_123_99]

There was a recall for something similar but only on the newer models.

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...2V753-7687.pdf


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[S4'ed]

The above recall is only for 2.0 4-cylinder engines built in Mexico. It has nothing-to-do with cam sprocket or rocker arm bearing issues of the EA839 3.0 and 2.9 V6 engines.

[TheContrarian]

I thought I'd update this thread some 18 months later, engine is still running fine.

I completed an oil change yesterday, the 2nd since my OP. Engine now has 34k miles and the last change duration was 10 months & 5800 miles. I have been using 0-30w VW504 since I first noticed the metal in the filter. The oil filter still has some metal flecks, but it is perhaps only half as bad as the original filter. So the trend is better but I really can't say why, maybe the oil is helping or the engine/cam gears are more fully worn in now.

One concerning thing was how much the old oil reeked of gasoline and the white residue under the oil fill cap. We do not idle the car to warm it up.

It has been near 0F for weeks and the engine just won't warm up enough to burn off condensation & fuel that has made it past the rings on most in-town driving. My wife drives the car 15 minutes to work and says that it only registers an oil temp of 45c when she arrives. I've even driven the car on the highway for 30 minutes and the oil only makes it to 70c. The engine seems overcooled for a cold environment.