old audi / synthetic oil question...

[JanDebL at aol.com]

My understanding from talking to a number lubrication engineers ( I believe 
they call themselves Tribologists ) is that synthetic oil doesn't actually 
cause the leak, however since it flows much better than petroleum oil, any 
existing leak will be magnified.  I put Mobile 1 in a 74 Porsche that I once 
had and it took me 2 years to get rid of all the nagging oil drips.  Luckily 
they were all accessible without pulling the engine. 
With a high mileage engine, you may more vulnerable to leaks than with a 
lower mileage engine but the benefits of higher fuel mileage, better cold 
starting in cold climates, etc., still may offset the disadvantages.  Also, 
Audi engines are not known as oil leakers as Porsche engines are.  Try and 
get more opinions, I'd hate to have you change the oil and then need to pull 
the engine to change the C/S seals.
Jan Lahtonen