re: re: oil usage

["Grant Lenahan" <glenahan@notes.cc.bellcore.com>]

Howdy Elliot,

Absolutely.  I have stated categorically, about a million times, that audi 
engines
traditionally use oil.  Every single one I know of (dozens) uses some oil.
 The manual agrees.  Dealer and specialist techs agree. 

The I-5 used oil seepage to lubricate the valve guides, by design.
In fact, any engine needs to use some oil to lubricate the rings.  Most people
don't noitice it as usage because the oil is replaced by distillates, gasoline, 
sludde,
etc., and never gets burned off.  You need oil well above 100 degC for 30+ 
minutes to
remove that junk.

I didn't  "seem to suggest", I went *way* out on that limb.

Newer designs *may* use less, since audi had some legal troubles over oil
usage in the 80s (slow drain -> no oil -> failure -> lawsuit).  But my "new" '95
A6Q indicates that they're right on track (1 qt/750 during break-in, very low 
usage,
about 0.5/4000, now).

Grant