Sanity check..how long for oil to burn off..

A8 All/ S8 All
#1

Replaced the driver side cover this sat after I replaced pass side 2 weeks ago. It started smoking ALOT, as in i could see the smoke coming out the hood/fender joint at a drive thru.
Replaced it and it is MUCH less.
I have been on 6 30+min drives, it it still smokey enough that it will stink up the cabin fairly quickly.
way way less than before but…after 3 hours total driving still hasnt burnt off???

Going to spray it down at the car wash but I am afraid something else may be leaking onto the manifolds still…

the smoke looks like it is still originating from the driver rear part…could it just be a bunch of oil caked onto the isolite heat shielding of the manifolds?
Or could it be a ne leak from the covers?
I am reading about the oil filter housing to block gasket…but I dont think this is in the line of dripping onto the manifold where the majority of the smoke originates from…

So…do i just drive for a week and it should clear up you think??

#2

spray what down…the engine?

#3

indeed, make sure engine is cool, spray a degreased on it, rinse off with medium pressure. The way any other engine is washed.
Figure the degreased and water woudl make their way down the old leak path of the oil too.
Did do a 40 min drive today and appeared to be much less smoke than even yesterday…maybe we are finally burning off the remainders…
Its cold out…ill jsut keep driving for now and monitor…if the smoking continues going down i know it was jsut old residue!

#4

This should end well…

#5

Without a sorce oil should burn off pretty quickly. 6 drives times with over 30 min should have been more then enough to burn off any oil that was lingering. if your still getting oil smell and light amounts of smoke the leak it self could have gotten less intese. I see this often on valve cover jobs.

It can take a few times for the valve cover gasket to seal really well. A few drive cycles will help heat cycle the motor and gaskets enough to help them seal. Also its not a bad idea to go out and re check the valve cover bolts after a few drive cycles. The valve cover bolts and intake bolts like to back out after a few drive cycles

#6

I was going through the same thing. First replaced the valve cover gaskets, which resolved large leaks dropping to the ground and smoke from drops on the exhaust. I then had oil drops from the font of the engine (no smoke) which was resolved by replacing the oil filter housing gaskets. I now have a small amount of smoke intermittently and burnt oil smell that I’ve traced to the camshaft guide frame leaking. It’s what the valve cover is attached to and would produce drops that fall on the exhaust. There’s a thread over on the S6 forum where I’ve been advised that I shouldn’t attempt to remove the guide frame with the engine in the car. Will eventually have to pull the engine to change the seals.

#7

as of Wed i have noticed no smoke or smell! Im assuming there was a ton just baked onto the heat wrpping of the manifolds. good to have a stink free car again