Audi S5 Update: Piston Damage From LSPI (Low Speed Pre-Ignition)

[@punclizme]

This channel, besides being great examples of mechanics, is a fantastic example of customer service applicable anywhere you got customers. Dont promise what you cant deliver, keep to your word, communicate clearly and be honest even in bad situations. Love it!

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Wow, thank you!

[@briankay5384]

@@DavesAutoCenterCenterville. Your photography and camera quality is Top Notch. Great work fellas !

[@landgrenade]

Endless lessons to be had here. Never stop learning, treat people with dignity and respect, good self criticism, etc.

[@waynecastleman1363]

I started using Shell Premium in my Audi and have been using Castrol full senthetic . I'm not sure if premium is enough in my 2013 A4 with about 70.000 miles

[@supersayianjim2]

Scotty kilmer pales in comparison

[@paulocapelas2881]

I've learned more about engines in 14 minutes than in the last 15 years of scrolling on KZbin. Thanks Dave

[@makantahi3731]

wrong scrolling

[@joelsantana9588]

Firstly i want to say im a big fan of your work. I am a workshop boss in the Netherlands. It is always a pleasure to watch your work and insight of things. 18 years working as a mechanic im learning everyday day and man i am happy to find a channel that teaches. Keep up the work.

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Good to hear from you in the Netherlands 👍.

[@thisdayage7997]

🫡🇺🇸🦅❤️

[@joskd8491]

I'm from the Netherlands too. What brand do you work for in the shop?

[@marcelforrel]

Oranje boveeeeen

[@Gianncarlo0216]

Netherland also workshop owner 👌🏽

[@milanlupac]

Please consider changing the rocker arms - if he has the old ones (part number 06M) they can lead to a catastrophic failure. There are new revised ones (part number 0P2).

[@dieseldes6578]

Exactly this.

[@86j]

These rocker arms need to be done. Known issue on these EA839 engines (early builds). It would be a shame to miss these while the engine is out.

[@kl3271]

Looks like there were little rocker arm bearings being pulled out with the piston ring parts. Definitely a situation.

[@vegbacca]

Yup

[@bretsimpson9890]

Agreed from Scotland

[@jamesbrummett9530]

I have been a long time believer in a 60 second idle warm up and easy driving for the first 2 miles))) It is nice to hear Dave Confirm this.

[@stephensingletary8374]

Same, I've told the missus multiple times, but she still cranks the key and sets off immediately...

[@josh7191-j6b]

absolutely yes....especially in the winter...and also if the car stays parked and not turned on for long periods...👍👍

[@danielbryant1539]

I have done this for as long as I've been driving. Unless it's winter or it's set for a while. Then I let the engine warm for 5 to 10 min. Depending on how cold it is. And still drive easy for a couple miles. To warm up the transmission and differential. I've done it so much. That my wife started doing the same thing. It's worked well for so long. Can't see any reason to change the process.

[@MURRYCHOOCK]

As a surgeon, I can confirm this is exemplary work ethics. Impressive.

[@jamespinkney5199]

This man needs his own Engine University geez I'm addicted to watching his channel

[@mitchellduggan236]

As an mechanical engineer and backyard mechanic, I really appreciate your attention to detail, diagnostic steps, and the multiple solutions you give the customers. Love the Condition, Cause, Correction, Confirm advice in the Lambo engine failure video; basically the scientific method applied to cars. Keep up the great work!

[@jamber007]

Both these engines were made in the same factory.

[@24theMoney]

There was never a followup video for that Lambo engine.

[@elmirazizov6316]

I'am blown away by the fact that how much respect this man puts into his work. Those who work with him you guys so lucky.

[@cycleguy666]

Good work Dave and crew. Yep , I was a VW Audi tech for 30 years!! And being German, I never understood the reasoning, especially from a service point of view!! Timing chains and pensioners were another situation. You might want to put a timing set in there too!! Howdy from my Virginia retirement home!! Cheers Y'all 🍻 Rick. 🤠

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Hi Rick! Hope retirement is serving you well

[@Nudnik1]

A German American here . Mechanic since 1979. Worked on all equipment diesels heavy equipment marine trucks cars motorcycle.. I think Germany lost WW2 and getting revenge by selling POS cars to dopey rich people. I have older Deutz and had Maico 490 . From 1980s were still good. I work on Liebherr cranes and Krupp . Mercedes diesel still excellent.

[@up2924]

Totally agree here. Must replace the timing chains tensions and guides if you have it out.

[@zsoltlaczko9562]

​@@Nudnik1Mercedes Diesel excelent...???😂😂😂

[@Nudnik1]

@@zsoltlaczko9562 old commercial om422 are

[@zakuraayame5091]

please take a sample of that oil if still possible; send it to Lake Speed Jr to see what the shop actually put in it!

[@ms3862]

Oil analysis is cheap and easy to do

[@bryanspanjer3213]

Not a bad idea

[@Plumbtired]

There’s one more thing that can cause or at least contribute to LSPI. Dave didn’t say it on camera probably to save the client embarrassment. You must put premium fuel in an Audi and it should be from a top tier station. Not Mo’s Flow and Go. Any other octane grade besides premium will cause pre ignition even with octane additives.

[@rafmatt1607]

Sure, but why did only one piston, at least on that bank, show damage?

[@MyerShift7]

​@@rafmatt1607sure, then why would LSPI only be one piston and cylinder bank? You can use the exact same reasoning to discredit yourself

[@malitwat2874]

​Maybe it is the cylinder with the highest compression of them?​@@rafmatt1607

[@bobman717]

Many places sell 91 as their 'premium' which isnt enough for these german luxury cars. Also worth noting Dave's shop is high in elevation so no doubt the customer lives and drives in it too.

[@Plumbtired]

@@rafmatt1607 I don’t have a clue. Maybe that’s the rear cylinder where the most heat is. Ask Dave. Ok maybe I do have a clue but I’m a 43 year back yard mechanic. Not a professional mechanic.

[@davidg3517]

Thanks for clearly explaining how LSPI occurs.

[@Blu.86-te1pr]

You’re the only guy on KZbin who gets LSPI EXACTLY right. If I could add, non SP rated oil can lower the octane of the atomized fuel to the point it’s unstable at the higher, boosted compression ratios and operating temps of modern engines. GF-7/SQ is launching March 1 of next year. Most of the changes are specifically around LSPI with a smaller focus on fuel efficiency. The OEMs drove most of the LSPI changes. Warranty costs are a real b****!!

[@dealershiptechtruth]

Except his recommendation on oil excluded the Audi specific requirements. This was an ignorant ass video. . The engine died from the tune. Not oil.

[@mechsuit80]

@@dealershiptechtruth Did you watch the full video? You could be right, it might just be the tune, if he has one, but we don't even know what oil was used in his last oil change. So incorrect oil cannot be yet ruled out as the culprit.

[@pavolklepac935]

@@mechsuit80 the issue is that Dave is oversimplifying it and his reasoning lacks a lot... I think there is no way LSPI can alone cause such damage... Dave is a showman.... exact technics lacks a lot...good only for no engineers who have no chance to judge it...

[@robbyyant6213]

@@pavolklepac935 This failure was also compounded by the fact that this year model engine had piston design issues where there was an inherent weak spot in the ring lands, that was quickly fixed that same year during a later production run. All the talk about SP rated oils is BS. It was caused by the tune acting on a weak piston. Nothing Dave was saying is a remedy for this situation. The problem that mechanics that work on a wide range of cars seem to always have is that they always tend to over generalize a problem. The failure in the video isn't a common problem with these engines, with the exception of certain runs from the 2018 model years. These engines are known to be very reliable and don't require some mystery magic sauce to keep them running, just VW/Audi approved oils that the owner should have been using anyway. The problem this owner faced was more of bad luck with the specific run of S5 he purchased having the weak piston. Vag Technic does a substantially better job at explaining the real problem, but he also works on these cars A LOT more than a generalized mechanic shop.

[@danielrose-tt7os]

According to Bureau of Labor statistics only the top 10% of mechanics make 77,000. I can remember 20 years ago how trade schools were pumping out that "you will be making 100K 3 years after graduation" propaganda. There is a channel here on KZbin run by a guy complaining how 150K (Canadian) was not enough to keep him happy. I have a best friend that went from mechanic (we worked side by side) in the late 90's (with BMW) to Service Manager at the same BMW Dealership (the Dealership changed hands several times) This mechanic to Service Manager move is extremely rare. More rare than a female mechanic. I asked my buddy about these high paychecks (I asked about the 150K claim the channel stated 70 was common) I asked if any of his techs or any of the techs in the city he works in were making these high paychecks, his reply was "no or I would go back to wrenching" Dave's claim about making 80K at his shop after tech school and 3 years hands on experience is possible, for the rare mechanic. It will more likely take a man 10-15 years to get in to the top 10% of earners. My example about my Service Manager buddy was to show that I accept that rare things do happen. Around the lunch table before a shop meeting I threw out the question "would you encourage your son to be an auto mechanic"? There were 30 techs in the room and not one "Yes" answer.

[@BIGTONY2132001]

I'm in the 43rd year of being a mechanic and I've seen the good and the bad techs, As far as I can see I've got to say you're pretty lucky with the techs you have working for, very thorough and not afraid to these kind of jobs!! Great job guys!!!!

[@munter10]

There’s a reason Dave’s techs are not afraid of taking on these jobs… they are very well trained and have a very supportive boss. I worked 40 years as a mechanic and the status quo was the boss was a prick and lying to customers, and the other techs were secretive about their mechanical and electrical knowledge and were very reluctant to share info they may have learned on courses or on the job. I’m retired now but so glad to be away from the trade…I love fixing cars and bikes, but I don’t like the business side of it. I’m in New Zealand by the way.

[@BIGTONY2132001]

@@munter10 I agree 100%, you know it's not the job it's the people you work with! I'm about to retire soon, can't wait. USA here Illinois 30 miles south of Chicago.

[@JetFire9]

@@munter10Hard to hide knowledge when it’s all over the internet. You don’t need to depend on some low life mechanic next to you to tell you how to do things. Just google it.

[@Giuzepp8_5]

This is a common problem with 2.3L Ecoboost motors in focus RS's, its talked a lot about on the forums. Awesome explanation and advise to avoid this issue, Thank you!

[@darrellbroomhall7020]

Integrity and honestly, you have it and it is so rare.

[@GhostSniper67]

He should definitely replace the timing chain and tensioners while the engine is out. The only exception would be if it had extremely low miles.

[@MadScientist267]

Be easier to replace the car with something that isn't an overpriced overengineered shop filler.

[@martinmoffitt4702]

@@MadScientist267 what will this thing be worth after he dumps 25 k into it....sounded like a prime candidate for some kind of insurance mishap

[@lostalx]

​@MadScientist267 Japanese V8s are way better than any of these German cars. The only exception is SLS AMG, which is impossible to find.

[@MadScientist267]

@@lostalx Rollin yota... indeed

[@aygwm]

Bad idea to put used guides back in

[@CheongFooPeng]

I am shop owner from Malaysia dealing with Peugeot n Citroen cars diagnostic and repair. Peugeot 1.6 direct injection turbo common issue here.can't explained how this happened to the customer when ever the customer asked. Learn today from u another knowledge gain from u. Hope that a shop like your here

[@lp-640]

Which Peugeot Citroen shop do you operate in Malaysia?

[@brianpulliam9828]

Dave I never tire of watching your videos and how much you appreciate your employees and even talk them up on camera. Everyone deserves a boss like you that instructs and praises.

[@bentleyjarrard885]

Good to hear your endorsement of Amsoil products. I use it in everything. Have never had a failure of a lubricated, internal engine component in a total of 700,000 miles spread between 3 vehicles.

[@samrodian919]

Alex at Legit Street Cars is an Amsoil fan and also one of their distributors in Chicago. Go to his channel and order from him and you get a big discount! ( I'm nothing to do with either businesses, as I live in the UK, but am a subscriber to both Dave, and Alex)

[@bentleyjarrard885]

@@samrodian919 Thanks. I'm actually a preferred customer and get fairly good discounts ordering direct from Amsoil.

[@ADUSN]

Fresh oil is more important than brand of oil, but I will say amsoil is good. I'm very partial to pennzoil platinum

[@roofcamper3473]

must be 3 Toyotas :D

[@bentleyjarrard885]

@@roofcamper3473 Actually No, 2005 Ram 5.9 Cummins Diesel, 1995 E320 Wagon, 2010 C300. While Japanese cars are reliable, there is NO driving experience and I have no interest in them.

[@wysetech2000]

I'm a retired tech with over 50 years in the trade. I still try to keep up with the latest as much as I can. I will enjoy cars until my dying day. I have heard of low speed pre ignition in direct injected vehicles but didn't know exactly what causes it. Your explanation was what I wanted to know. We also likely agree that somehow the public would find a way to ruin an engine made from industrial diamonds. I had customers ask me how a failure happened on their car and sometimes I had to say that I didn't know exactly. Looks like someone filled your engine with spray foam. LoL.

[@rickbatey1548]

I was greatly impressed by your Tech, Alejandro, before you showed his tool box. He is efficient, thorough, and well trained. Not to mention making a good salary as well. Keep up the good work!

[@martinmoffitt4702]

I'm sure he's earning every penny Hard, dirty, tiring work!

[@Dansyoung]

Rather than $50,000 in student debt you have $50,000 in tools. But the thing that’s not talked about is how this engine may cost $30,000 to replace, this repair may cost $20,000 to do, and all it takes is one pinched o-ring, one missed knick in the cylinder wall, one bad spray pattern injector, one piece of metal he couldn’t see, and either the whole job has to be done again or he will be screamed at by the boss as they then have to make it right. Guess who gets to do the repair again for free if there is one thing he misses, didn’t catch, was unable to see etc.

[@bryanspanjer3213]

@@Dansyoung you're not wrong. As an experienced auto tech, I've seen these things occur. All I can say is, taking it apart the second time goes much faster. Live and learn. Alejandro has a relatively small box considered a beginner box. That cannot even come close to housing all the tools needed by an auto tech today. My box is Twice the size, it is still considered medium

[@cyberbaz2005]

What I like most about Dave is he lets the Auto Manufacturers know where they failed their customers like a disappointed elder. Exactly what they deserve.

[@adamapsitis6325]

The best example of doing it right I've seen in a long time.

[@Generichumanzie]

You know you’re old school when you busy out the molasses comparison lol

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

😂

[@hhn2002]

Todays oil is more like water and acetone 😂

[@mrjv750li]

Slow as molasses

[@Sunspot-19]

Hey now, leave Dave's Mole Asses outta this! 😉

[@JetFire9]

@@hhn2002Yep. 0w-20 is like water.

[@ToyotatechDK]

As an Audi enthusiast i can only agree on the stupidity behind the decission to place the cam-gear/chain in the back. BMW does it as well now. Supposedly the bell housing absorbs the "noise" of the chain drive. Love your work guys. Greetings from Denmark

[@choochoothelilsavage9573]

Great advice. Always warm up your car. Especially a performance car.

[@jasonf2977]

What you were saying at around 250-3 minutes hit home. I believe in my work and believe that I can tear down any engine and fix or diagnose it. I'm 23 with passion and a dream, went to trade school. Made 30k my first year out on track to make 50 and I still fell like my level of work deserves more. I applaud Alejandro and hope to follow in his path swiftly

[@user-gc6jk3ww1s]

This should be the top comment. $80k within 5 years is incredibly unlikely unless you put in 60+ hours a week. At that point you might as well make minimum wage because your quality of life suffers just as much as living in poverty. Gen Z is realizing this in addition to other economic factors and opting out...

[@williamghiatis6739]

Dave, make sure you update the rockers and lifters. B9 platform has major issues with the lifters. I'm also wondering if the car is tuned.

[@dieseldes6578]

Exactly this. Check the rockers! Bearings fall out of them.

[@stevenmcinally4420]

Mmm. Been doing these a long time. Not prone to . Cam follower failure. Unless of course. It's run out of oil. Several times.

[@williamghiatis6739]

@@stevenmcinally4420 You can tell that to the multiple customers that have had rocker failure. VAG quietly updated the rockers as the small needle bearings were failing. Causing camshaft damage. B9 early production 17-19 had issues. We do them all the time.

[@Mads1690]

I was thinking there would have been roller bearings in the oil pan from the rockers

[@KharakTube-gq8ou]

@@williamghiatis6739 The rocker arm failure for early B9s is pretty well known at this point. It is also considered a pretty rare failure in the Audi community. They can fail, but not often. Do you really see these frequently in person?

[@SPMech1]

I worked in a dealership that was bought out by another dealership.......they started having bulk motor oil delivered into a tank. We had NO IDEA what oil we were being made to put into cars. At the time the corvettes were coming with Mobil 1. They made us use the bulk oil they were buying............I left there in a hurry ! ! ! ! !

[@Sixpointtwoliter]

GM still uses Mobil 1 as their Dexos rated oil. I use Supercar in my Blackwing

[@pigg20021]

​@@mitchellwilson8463 I can tell you with absolute certainty, VW / AUDI OEM oil is Castrol. If you don't use Castrol, make sure the Oil rating is A3/B3, A3/B4. If you don't see this on the bottle, stay away unless it's an emergency. If the bottle doesn't say European on it anywhere, chances are you have an incompatible product.

[@3029dz]

Old European formula is the death elixir for Direct injection. Hi calcium just like in diesel oil causes spark knock on Direct injection.

[@adamvanburen]

@@pigg20021 VW/Audi OEM oil hasn't been castrol for the past 4 or so years. They have been using Mobil for all 0w30, 0w40, 5w40, and 10w60 since. i work for audi

[@DrewFixIt]

I only use Castrol Edge A3/B4 in my Audi … it’s not even expensive so I’m not sure why people deviate from OEM spec? Cheers Drew

[@SG975-u4b]

Dave, just FYI, Millennium Technologies and one or two other places can redo nikasil and other plated bores. Not sure if they can do car blocks but they’ve done several motocross cylinders for me with great results. Also, thank you for your work and your channel. It’s been a great education and serves as a great example for how to treat customers and your people.

[@robbyyant6213]

This wasn't a Nikasil bore. These engines are iron sleeved. There was a fair bit of incorrect information in this video.

[@victormartinsarmiento5298]

Yes, that why I will follow you forever, your videos should be become in a book or books to see ahead, God bless you 🙏

[@ZAGAN-OZ]

Wish all shops worked like this.

[@BobbyC777x]

Thanks for the follow-up - that's what everybody wanted to see! I'd be curious what people think the "quote" will be. Dave is the best!

[@mikeholmstrom1899]

Engine designers moving the starter motor to under the intake manifold on V engines also is kind of crazy, adding a lot of stuff to remove for a simple starter repair.

[@Antagraber]

In Moscow, where I currently live, I learned to thorughly warm our car before moving them. I've a remote crank up for both our Escalade and Explorer. Sometimes we get really cold here, so it is risky not to do it. Thank you very much for your videos.

[@Payt-y5d]

What do people there think of the UKR conflict and the Russian boss?

[@jys8569]

I believe H2 motors in Germany specializes in honing and rebuilding nikasil engines. The bmw S65 and S85 engines have nikasil cylinder walls and they have a special process to bring the silicone to the surface.

[@vertigoacid]

Yeah, Sreten (M539) had great success with them

[@blipco5]

Yes, nikasil can be restored. Probably ain’t cheap.

[@jys8569]

@blipco5 lol the video involved tearing apart the bottom end and replacing the piston. Cheap left the chat a long time ago.

[@thiswillprobhrt]

Still a specialized process, but its Alusil on the S85 and S65. Nikasil was used on the older engines during the 90’s.

[@MetalcoreOverAnything]

Much love from Bosnia, Dave. Love your videos and your character, super calming, chill, knowledgable guy. You and a few other guys on youtube made me want to pick up repairing and servicing my own stuff.

[@MendicantBias1]

Part of the issue is the shifting strategy of modern transmissions. They often lug the engine at low RPMs, which is the perfect condition for LSPI.

[@robertcambareri1028]

Yes, I have noticed this on numerous friends cars. I tell them to gently press on accelerator pedal to get trans to drop down a gear. I drive a 5 Speed manual so I'm in control, not a computer.

[@TheGreenS4Channel]

this is why i floor my RS5

[@2strokeFORever]

Yupp 100%

[@ADUSN]

​@@robertcambareri1028manual owners try not to mention they drive a manual challenge(impossible)

[@pavolklepac935]

I think the LSPI is kind of myth as excuse for other issues - problems between seat and steering whell...

[@ayrtonm7907]

Excellent explanation thanks. So many guys saying that they know better than the manufacturer suggesting the recommended oil viscosity 0W20 is too “thin” for this engine. The AE839 engine is different to many engines out there and now we know why it needs thinner oil…

[@turbobanana]

A few insights from the factory side of things on those 3.0 turbo engines: Audi moved the chains to the back side of their blocks years ago for packaging reasons. They could make the blocks like 2 inches shorter by moving them to the back internally. The Audi spec for the oil on those engines is 0W-20 weight full synthetic with a VW508-00 certification. Not sure what that translates to in an API rating off the top of my head, but it's a certification that many oil manufacturers will have somewhere on the bottle.

[@miceinoz1181]

BMW also put the timing set on the back of some engines (2.0L diesel comes to mind) as they considered the timing set to be maintenance free at the time. A pity the quality of the parts was so poor that they failed much earlier than desired. I do not own any direct injection petrol engines, nor do I have any desire to (of course all my diesels are direct injection, but they are a different story because of the EGR rubbish).

[@MyerShift7]

They aren't supercharged anymore?

[@brucebrowne5022]

@@MyerShift7 Changed from supercharged to turbocharged 4 or 5 years ago, probably for cost savings and/or emissions(?) I believe the horsepower and torque numbers stayed about the same. The "3.0 T" designation typically confused non-Audi people when it was supercharged...

[@TheAcethunder32]

I love how well you treat your techs. Wish more automotive employers were like you.

[@livingsnake3903]

lol the 50k mark after college was the norm 6 years ago, it’s 80k now and 80k today still feels like 50k after all expenses.

[@Unbleachd]

Income has feeling?

[@ryen49]

@@Unbleachd give it some more critical thinking....you are almost there....

[@Unbleachd]

@@ryen49 no as a flat rate tech the last 12 years I disagree. I’ve lived below my means and stayed out of debt 90% of those years. I have no idea what you people are talking about.

[@martinmoffitt4702]

no matter what you are making it's NOT easy work, working as a mechanic anywhere for anyone!

[@md1028]

Well looking at guys toolbox he prob spent more than some did on a college degree lol.

[@justchillin654]

My first Audi had 200k miles. Only quit driving it because I hit a deer and insurance totaled it. On my 2nd one right now. Service them like you're suppose to and change your own oil. You'll realize they are well built. Albeit complicated. But well built none the less.

[@PheonixFarss]

I guarantee you this happened because of 1.) bad oil and poor service intervals 2.) bad fuel 3.) tuning by previous owner while he had bad oil and bad fuel.

[@roderickroderick7216]

Previous owner most likely tuned the car. When the new owner bough it he was most likely unaware of it and put the wrong fuel in it. Email the popular tuning companies to confirm if there is or isn't a 93 oct or E40 tune on it. Which would for sure cause pre-ignition and engine failure as described if the new owner did not put the proper fuel grade in it.

[@gregorymalchuk272]

Do these "tunes" simply ignore the knock sensor data?

[@davethedogdude]

@@gregorymalchuk272 at least one did or at least kept the timing advanced when it should not have, although it was revised and is perhaps better now. The company that made it even made a video showing the stock tune changing the timing to avoid said knock, trying to suggest the issue with their tune was based on the cars OEM tune trying to make sure it wasn't going to blow itself to bits.

[@robbyyant6213]

These engines require at least 91 octane from the factory. Wrong fuel shouldn't have been an issue unless you're suggesting he may have needed 100+ octane race fuel.

[@davethedogdude]

​@@robbyyant6213 a 93 tune with 91 fuel = knocking and hopefully timing reduction to compensate. If the tune didn't do that...

[@youtoob1234567]

Dave, I've been out of the business for 10 years. Still do plenty of work at home in my own shop for myself and others, but if I were local, I would come work for you in a heartbeat!

[@Jdmess9]

Great to hear Dave talk about oils. I do my own changes because shops got annoyed with me asking for the spec. You wanna make sure your heart gets the correct blood type, right?

[@Dynasty1k]

Damn I wish more owners/managers/supervisors were like you and your team. Such a great atmosphere. Would make so many more employees enjoy their work and their life more!

[@Fira_435]

If you want to know more about the factory defects like camshaft rollers and cracked pistons on Audi engines then I would advice to check VAG technic on YT. These guys has even made cutom tools to service these engines and they are fixing what Audi dealer was not able to do.

[@tap2262]

VAG Technic in the UK is indeed an excellent resource for people operating and maintaining Audi S and RS models. They aren’t perfect, but they also don’t claim to be and this speaks volumes about their level of proficiency. Some of their B9 S4 and S5 content goes into considerable detail regarding engine internals and the associated failures. Other comments have mentioned the impact of fuel-specific performance tunes, rocker arm bearing failures and the downstream damage to the catalytic converters on theses engines. Dave‘s team should view these immediately and proceed with great caution. I tend to think that this level of carnage might reoccur if the underlying nature of the fault that lead to this failure isn’t properly diagnosed and corrected.

[@hanibalmoon794]

Professionalism at the highest standard. Impressive, Dave.

[@Rat_29-r73]

Love watching from the uk.

[@hottrodder11982]

If you hit the throttle on a boosted engine when it is cold you are just asking for trouble. I've had my 2018 Audi S5 for 77,000 miles and its been great. No engine issues. 10W30 Synthetic oil (European) every 5000 miles. Good Vid Dave

[@tomthebattleaxe]

Will you be doing anything to the oil pump, passages, crank bearings etc. metal in the pan usually means metal all over.

[@michiganmudduckradio7849]

This is also why installing spark plugs with a torque wrench to spec is VERY important on DI. They are clocked specifically to the injector to that torque value.

[@raycollington4310]

Do these engines suffer the rocker roller debacle where the needle rollers end up in the sump?

[@aaronjudt1487]

its unfortunate that many major news companies (looking at you, CBC) advocate for "start and drive" behaviours, especially in the winter, all in the name of "warming up your engine is bad because emissions". As a BMW tech for the last 20 years, Ive advocated for well over a decade to WARM UP THE DAMN ENGINES because we've seen so much of this kind of failure (along with rod bearing issues). Ive spent the last couple years advocating the importance of the SP oils in helping negate the affects of LSPI and we've seen a marked drop in issues like this. Its great to see such an awesome "laymans" description of how LSPI happens, so thanks Dave! This has been forwarded to all my techs as required viewing! Cheers!

[@eddiereichel9354]

It will never cease to amaze me how cheap people can be. Oil is cheaper than metal.

[@elmayimbe_the_amateur_mechanic]

As a mobile mechanic who does a lot of oil changes if I had a penny for everytime I said that to a customer. The 1.8/2.0T Audi/VW's drink oil. The 2.0 holds like 5 to 5.5qts. Every single one I do has 2 to 4qts at the most come out.

[@alexg9727]

tell me youve never owned a German car without telling me

[@alexg9727]

VW biggest oil burners of any cars

[@alexg9727]

And yes this is just a fancy plastic VW

[@alexg9727]

Some of them will burn like 1 QT every 1000km and the dealership will tell you its normal

[@Slugg-O]

Thanks, Dave. I learned something important about modern engines, rings, and why they require low viscosity oil. I'm old school and find it hard to change my stubborn ways. I tend to think heavy oil provides more cushion between parts, but never considered the fact that rings are lighter than they once were and how piston cooling needs a low vis oil. Super job!

[@singular9]

I own a honda 2.0 turbo and this is the stuff that keeps me up at night. The motor, from a metalurgy perspective in overbuilt, the K series is a tank. BUT, being turbo charged it does keep me up. These types of engines have common issues that cannot be fixed. 1) Fuel Dilution. Fuel in the oil will definitely cause LSPI, and its because of the high chamber pressure squeezing some of the fuel past the rings. 2) 8+ gear transmissions. Having so many gears, most consumers will lug the engine (high load low RPM) on highways and such going up hill, where the transmission wont down shift to higher RPM. 3) Carbon build up. Because there is no port injection, the PCV system will dump the excess air (mixed with fuel and oil) into the intake tract past the turbo, and right on to the valves. Consumers MUST DO THE FOLLOWING as soon as they buy the car to help mitigate some of these issues. 1) Change the oil more frequently - 4-5k mile oil changes are a MUST, none of this 10k+ mile oil changes. My honda maintenance minder pushes this out to 11-15k sometimes. No thanks. 2) Install a catch can to catch the PCV gunk to prevent a lot of deposits on the valves, which helps the valves seat properly. 3) Using quality oil. None of this 0w20 stuff. 0W30 in the winter if you live in cold climates. 5w30 or higher (0w40) for warmer or hot climates. API SP and Ilsac GF6A Gen 3. 4) ALWAYS let your engine warm up, even in the summer months, let the engine idle for a minute or two at least. 5) Do not get into boost or mash the throttle when the engine oil hasn't been ran for at least 5 minutes. In 0C air temps, it takes engine oil 25-30 minutes to get to operating temperatures. The coolant temp gauge IS NOT A GOOD INDICATOR. 6) Don't lug the engine. When going up hill or needing to accelerate, try to manually shift into lower gears to keep the RPM above 2000 RPM. 7) Do oil analysis ever once in a while and keep track of how well the oil is doing. 8) Stay away from ECO modes unless idling or light cruising. 9) Use chevron techron fuel system cleaner to clean the injectors every 10k miles. Don't use any of the other ones as they contain heavy metals that can cause damage or issues. 10) Keep an eye on your coolant levels, you never know when you might be leaking. Cooling a turbo charged engine is by far one of the most important things to do. Cough, BMW. Keep up the good work Dave.

[@georgeburns7251]

Great comment. So true

[@edwardclark8808]

Very good customer check list. Please add very good top tier gasoline to your list.

[@ADUSN]

Great write up. Fuel quality is a big factor as well.

[@4drturbo85]

Good info. Agree with everything except oil weight. Run the oil weight it says on the oil cap and what it says in the manual. Also liquiMoly makes a great fuel additive for direct injected motors called Di-Jectron.

[@edwardclark8808]

@@4drturbo85 Believe it or not, the Japanese Honda owner's manual for the K20C1 engine mentions that 5w-30 oil and 0w-20 oil can be used. Only that the USA Honda owner's manual mentions 0w-20 oil is for emissions as the engine heats up quicker for the average people. The Japan-spec and USA-spec engines are built in the same engine factory in Ohio. Also, customer surveys from showed that customers didn't like going back to the dealerships for service which led to 10k or one year oil service changes (which is nonsense).

[@azenoverse]

I just found this channel and this is only the third video I’ve seen from you but man the demonstration and explanation is just top tier. The amount of knowledge you’re able to give out and somehow still make it understandable to someone like me with the most basic foundational understanding is amazing. Thanks and keep up the great content! Also shoutout to Alejandro I can tell he’ll be a master mechanic in no time!

[@marksdon8234]

Love u sir Dave ❤❤❤❤ Love from Sylhet Bangladesh, 🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩🇧🇩🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Hello Bangladesh! Thanks for watching

[@munozinni]

4:46 Hola señor Dave!!! Gracias for teaching us the importance of using the right oil and those letters and numbers have a lot of importance to lubricate properly the engine…Gracias for sharing your wisdom with all of us your followers 😅

[@roderickroderick7216]

It's not oil, It's software. Email the major tuning companies and determine what fuel it is tuned for or ask them to assist in reverting to stock. APR 034 Motorsports IE Integrated Engineering Unitronic

[@thelaserj6987]

IE already observed this on a stock b9. Not a tuning issue. IE contacted Audi but nothing came about.

[@roderickroderick7216]

@@thelaserj6987 This was when IE was destroying massive amounts of engines. They tried to pass the buck onto Audi. It was 100% IE's problem.

[@roderickroderick7216]

Even if the tune is perfect, if it requires 93 OCT or even E40... and you put in 87..... bye bye...

[@robbyyant6213]

@@roderickroderick7216 Stock engines require 91. If you're putting anything less than 91 in a high compression ration turbo engine, stock or tuned, you only have yourself to blame for failures.

[@roderickroderick7216]

@@robbyyant6213 Agreed.. And if you have a tune for 94 and "you're putting anything less than 94 in a high compression ration turbo engine, stock or tuned, you only have yourself to blame for failures."

[@kdieterle8]

I'm at the point, as an audi owner and had one of these and a w12 I worked on personally, they did this as a "racing standard". Their idea is run it hard, drop it out, put new one in, repair and repeat. No prevention possible for these timing guides, it's a when not if. Love getting to see my favorite brand up on the lift! Always something to learn.

[@chuckfinley3542]

I have seen a number of young bucks with similar Audis start the motor cold & then punch it, because the girls expect nothing less.

[@TireSlayer55]

uh lol. girls don't "expect" idiotic behavior from men, not sure where you got that idea. do better.

[@markoverton5858]

Awesome diagnostic on that S5, they truly are high spec engines, when I had a rs4 I would not move until it moved the water temp reading 👍,

[@iBackshift]

One biblical thing I see Dave do all the time is he consoles the customer. "Friend, be of good comfort" Here is the best I can do for you in this situation.

[@juicebox22a]

A Believer, leading by example. Good man.

[@HBSuccess]

A friend everyone wishes they had… but by example a friend everyone now realizes THEY could be to others.

[@TireSlayer55]

you jeebus people sure do find a way to make *everything* about jeebus don't you 😂

[@iBackshift]

@@TireSlayer55 Keep up the good work, yer helping us followers move up the line more. Mat 5.10-12 Bles'd are you when people make fun of you and hurt you because of me".

[@robertmills794]

Having been in many similar engines,.. they're a bit of a nightmare and I'll avoid them in the future, but, if you're in there replace all the timing components, guides, chains, tensioners and possibly the wheels (cogs, sprockets, whatever you want to call them). While it's apart replace anything else that's known to fail on those, like the oil control O rings in the valley that require a removal of the exhaust and turbos later,.. oh,.. and clean those injectors while they're out or replace them all. Good on you Dave for being a bright light of reality in a world not know for it's clarity and honesty.

[@ruebzrandomreactionz3488]

His first mistake was buying a used Audi RS5 with 75,000 miles on it. I wasn’t a tech but I worked for Audi as a detailer and boy did I see some shit come in. That alone made be stay far and clear from those cars including Volkswagen.

[@superdave19855]

Your loss. Most Audi owners are idiots and don't work on their own stuff. Same for a lot of average VW owners. VAG MQB is a good platform - you just have to take care of the maintenance, like with most brands. Unfortunately, VAG, like a lot of manufactures, made these DI engines overly complex, leading to various issues like this video shows.

[@MyerShift7]

​@@superdave19855bull. You people always use the "maintenance" excuse. That doesn't fix the fact that VAG products are very weakly designed and engineered. Maintenance doesn't prevent the inherit problems of these cars nor prevent unexpected failures. As the owner of a brand new MKV back in 2008, ask me how I know. Especially when every service and oil change was being done at the dealership while under warranty. No, your "Made in Germany" vs Mexico excuse doesn't fly either. VW pushed me to Honda which lead me to Toyota.

[@superdave19855]

@@MyerShift7 Well your first mistake was buying a MK5. Those were the 1st generation of VAG's DI engines that had several issues - timing chain tensioners, cam followers, etc. You are wrong. VAG actually issued a TSB regarding oil specs to be used b/c many dealerships were not using the correct API spec oil, leading to various issues. Your comment about weakly designed is bunk too. The 2.0L, 1.8T, and VR6 are some of the most reliable engines ever made by any manufacturer - especially the 2.0L. It's on par with Honda's D16/B20 series in terms of bulletproof-ness.

[@Angl0sax0nknight]

I absolutely hated working on Audis more than Jaguars. The engineering is ridiculous. VW aren’t as bad some of their engines are rather interesting. But any Audi with over 40k is a nightmare. Compared to a BMW which get way over 100k. Especially the In-line 6s.

[@robbyyant6213]

@@superdave19855 Yep, people think their 2.0 from the early 2010s is representative of all VW/Audis. Those engines did burn oil but the issue is largely non-existent now. I love it when "mechanics" try to spout the same nonsense about these cars but always reference the cars and years that everyone knows were problematic. My take is, if you've only owned VW/Audis with first generation components, you probably don't have anything valuable to add to the conversation. These 3.0s and 2.0s are solid engines, but it's because they worked past their teething years.

[@FCF27]

I really wish all mechanics would learn from your shop! Truly aspirational. God bless you guys 🇺🇸

[@lo1234-w9r]

Piston damage caused by excessive oil behind the compression rings? Controversial, I would think that oil would have quite the opposite effect by quenching rapid combustion.

[@colonialjim9154]

My wife bought a 2022 Audi s5 a couple years ago new. I told her buy a Lexus. She don’t listen. Fun car but scares the hell outta me. Love the channel!

[@fred1642]

Hello from the Netherlands

[@GB-vn1tf]

Here to see the result of the first episode. Excellent workmanship all round.

[@AlonzoJohnson-l4m]

Dave rocks ❤

[@Jasn_Chvz]

I know nothing about cars outside changing my own oil. But I can’t get enough of these videos. Fascinating stuff to watch masters work.

[@jtg2737]

Hello from TEXAS!

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Hello there!

[@bailboyy]

Dave you are the king of your work! Once again, incredible and impressive!! I grew up watching lots of documentaries as a young lad and now as a tech I watch your channel. It is the best documentary level content for our trade, on the planet right now. Thank you for everything and blessings to you from Arizona 🔥

[@dano4530]

What I've learned is, don't buy an Audi, buy a 1975 Chevy that you can work on...LOL

[@VineV-Dutch]

And fix it like MacGyver. With a paperclip and some chewing gum.

[@JerZeyFiveOh]

Respectfully saying that’s not the answer, those engines are built with precision with certain alloy metals that Dave mentioned. It’s a highly likely a cheap product was used and accelerated the destruction of this engine. If cheap products are going to be used buy a 90’s Japanese vehicle.

[@sc3ku]

like a Cosworth Vega? quality stuff from GM! 😉 what a dark time, in the middle of the malaise era! Gets you a 165hp Corvette

[@Ball.Daily11]

Sure, but it will be much less fun. If an Audi buyer was looking for dirt cheap maintenance and simplicity we would lol drive Toyotas.

[@paull3179]

Our family car in 1978 brand new 5 litre chevy had less than a third of the power of my 14 year old Audi and would overheat if I ran it at 80mph. The Audi can hit almost 200 and it is 99% original even the wipers and the battery. The chevy $10 shocks were gone in a year and many other things started going on the brand new car with hardly any miles as it was only driven on weekends.

[@MarioMartinez-lj7og]

I e worked in a shop and was a service advisor and became a shop manager. I wall shops were as professional and hinest as this guy!

[@captain052A]

PLEASE CORRECT. Multi viscosity new generation engine oils are actually thinner when cold and thicker when hot. For example. 5W40 oil. Oil viscosity 5 (W:Winter) is thinner. And 40 is oil viscosity at operating temp of engine which is thicker. Thinner oil when cold is to help the oil get pumped up quicker to lubricate during cold dry start.

[@TassieLorenzo]

That's impossible. All oils get thinner with heat. 0W, 5W etc is a cold cranking viscosity, meaning it is relatively thinner when cold than a straight SAE 20 (for example), but it's still far, far, far thicker than when it's hot. 🙂

[@AdrianWyrzykowski]

i got the same engine in my sq5 ... they are incredible motors but these stories are not great to hear - thank u for the great explanation and teardown!

[@MrGGPRI]

Audi/VW attempted to build diesel-type, low-rpm gasoline engines to increase mileage; this was done by designing an undersquare engine with a long stroke to produce more low-rpm power which encourages engine lugging. In 2018 Valvoline was the first to address the LSPI problem producing an oil with a special additive and labeled it SN+. If an oil without SN+ is not used, the claim is engine damage is a possibility; so how many oil/lube stations use these very specific oils-- likely not many. Just another defective design just waiting to grenade causing massive expenditures by a trusting public.

[@BigBearBjorna]

You get a servicemanual with your car that says which oil you should use. oil isn't oil unfortunately.

[@georgeanddaddecker7563]

Quick lube = stripped oil pan drain plug threads and improper oil level.

[@MrSwissNZ]

they put the timing chains on the back to help stop engine harmonics. enjoying the videos from NZ

[@leonardhirtle3645]

German revenge for losing WW2.

[@jevgeniardassov]

Best comment so far.

[@MrLeonardWhite]

I've always though that too. Just never said it😅

[@ohsofilthy6877]

🤣🤣

[@MrSamPhoenix]

L😂L

[@betterbeavailable]

Let's forget new Toyota Tundra engines are breaking down like nothing else.

[@billdagoe7371]

I love Dave's videos. You learn a lot while being thoroughly entertained.

[@sigma427]

The engine looks to be the 3.0L turbo not the 3.0L supercharged.

[@ivancliff2514]

It is. It’s the EA839.

[@saberstrikez]

I wish I had gone into this trade and wish i could work with and speak to Dave. What a great personality and amazingly great and honest person. Love the channel and content! Great team and keep up the amazing work!

[@daveaver]

Timing chain in rear (?) Mercy.

[@waynestewart2024]

This is a great explanation of DI Motors. I learned a lot watching this.

[@farmdwg]

if these GDI engines have issues, why are manufactures using these types of engines? Is there a benefit of GDIs?

[@thiswillprobhrt]

Emissions and fuel economy are the main reasons for GDI and the recent changes in ring tech. GDI can also run higher compression and/or boost and provide more power than port injection. Not sure if it’s worth it for the consumer though. I have one GDI car and that’s enough.

[@TassieLorenzo]

GDI engines are more efficient and can obtain better MPGs (they also make more power for a given displacement too). Under CAFE, MPGs are all important. Under WLTP in Europe, minimising CO2/km (direct related to MPG or L/100km) is similarly all important. Auto makers who don't meet the CAFE MPG or WLTP CO2/km targets attract severe fines. Chrysler was being fined >$200m p/a for all the V8 Chargers and Challengers, hence now phasing the Hemi V8 out in favour of the more efficient Hurricane inline-six turbo.

[@StaticJaFilms]

Dave always makes me want to switch professions to being a mechanic, such an amazing practical teacher. 👏

[@hgg2577]

Greetings from Germany

[@DavesAutoCenterCenterville]

Welcome!

[@stephenbraddy9925]

I have an Audi 3.0T engine and it is pretty weird. I'm always scared of braking it. These cars are cool but they are unusual. Nice work Dave and team, as usual. Sounds like a cool customer too.

[@GodzilarOG7337]

Stepping out on a limb here but I have this car (Audi S5) with this AE839 engine and it’s a terrific car and it’s high tech, not to mention it’s wicked fast even stock. The car isn’t the problem, once again it’s people the problem. People put these shit popcorn tunes so they can squeeze more power yet fail to do proper research on the car. You said it yourself, you put the wrong oil, drive like a maniac out of the gate, and don’t do proper maintenance, I don’t know of many engines today that will tolerate that kind of abuse. If you want high performance then buy an RS5 or RS6 and stop being broke. These aren’t your dad’s big V8, these are sophisticated engines that offer great fuel economy and that need the best fuel, proper warm up times not to mention the correct fluids to work correctly as intended. If you want to crazy horsepower figures, buy a skyline GtR. Lastly, this is why I do shit myself, you’d be surprised how much you can do yourself with the right tools and KZbin. Buy OE parts, the workshop manual and do all the routine maintenance. No way dealerships will put the same amount of love in your car like you can.

[@SurnaturalM]

I drive an Audi RS6 Avant 2018, and I always wait 2 full minutes for it to be warm and only use premium gasoline. I have it since it's new. I always used the oil that is recommended and changed it at 8k km. Never had any problems with it. I don't get why someone would be neglectful with a car like that. It's not a Chevy Cruise. And even, whatever car you have, if you need it to go to work every day all year round, you have to maintain it properly. I don't use the Audi in winter here, I have an old police charger for that purpose. Even if I didn't pay much for it, I take great care of it. The temperature goes down to -45⁰C where I live. I never had any problems starting it because it's well maintained. I also let it warm before driving it. I just wake up 30 minutes early. It's not that hard. Your Nissan is magnificent. I wish we could buy them easily here.

[@patrickcaudill2939]

Excellent information🙏👍🏼 Car owner is lucky to have you in his corner. Think the 3 litre Duramax also has it’s timing belt in the rear

[@isaactrujillo76]

Alejandro is like damn, my girlfriend watches this show! 😂

[@theundergroundlairofthesqu9261]

I thought the look on his face was, "when am I getting that raise to $80K you speak of?"

[@isaactrujillo76]

@@theundergroundlairofthesqu9261 😂😂😂

[@AlonzoJohnson-l4m]

Hi from AL