First of all: 1998 Audi A4 B5 Quattro 5 spd. 180,xxx miles. No CEL's, used to run like a top. Recently involved in a front end collision, got it fixed at one of two Audi certified shops in NC. My catalytic converter has snapped off of the turbo, and now this:

So I woke up this morning to take my mom to the airport so she could fly up to Columbus and see her mom for the holidays. I get about a mile down the road and the Low Oil light comes on. I swing into the nearest gas station, check their oil selection (figuring it would just need oil since I've had the same thing happen with my mom's A6). They don't have synthetic, so I drive another mile down the road and stop by Advance AutoParts. Pick up 6 quarts of Syntec and a K&N filter, intending to do an oil change later today. Drop a quart into the engine, get 200 feet and the Low Oil light comes on again. I pop the hood, and oil is squirting out of the driver side of my engine. When the engine is turned off there is no leak, but when it's on there is a "pfffft pfffft pfffft" noise and I can see oil landing everywhere, I just can't see where it's coming from. My wiring harness is covered, it's splattering on my coolant tank, my windshield washer tank, etc... Called Leith Audi and explained the issue, they say it could be as simple as an oil feed line or as bad as a gasket that's just completely gone. HELP ME PLEASE!!! I had to leave my baby in the parking lot and don't really have the money to get it towed to a shop and have them look at it/fix it. I'm mechanically inclined, and can work on the car at my parents' house. Please help!

 

pics would help.

 

My guess is the oil cooler that's between the block and the oil filter. Possibly just one of the gaskets for it, or possibly the cooler itself.

 

Also, can anybody suggest a test pipe? As long as I'm getting into the exhaust to do the cat I might as well go all in. I'm not sure if NC is an emissions strict state, but the guys I talked to at the local VW/Audi tuning shop said that a test pipe will pass visual inspection since most shops don't expect a cat to come directly off of the turbo.

 

Sorry about pics, my digi is missing since I moved into my new place. I'll see if i can get any with my crackberry.

I know it's tough to diagnose or even give suggestions just based on what I've posted, but thanks to everyone who's helping!

 

I agree with DragQueen, the oil cooler is right there and a common cause of leaks. You filter, oil feed for turbo, oil pressure, and oil temp, plus coolant lines are all on it. Most likely to be a gasket tho.

 

What kind of gasket could it be? i need to be on the road by friday at the latest.

 

Well there's a metal one that goes against the block, and a rubber o-ring type one that goes in between the assembly and the cooler itself. More likely to be the rubber one.

 

Okay, so the tow truck will be here in 80~ minutes. I'll be taking pictures of the engine bay and try to get some of the oil cooler, etc. I'll get them posted asap. If anybody has any other suggestions, I'm always open. Thanks once again to everybody!

 

Shameless self-bump. Anybody have any more ideas? I took some pictures with my crackberry, but I can't get any good angles until I take apart the engine bay, and it's currently 35 with a windchill of 25.