Cheap rings . . . (no, not the four of them on the back of the car, THOSE sure aren't cheap!)
What may be happening is that since Audi knows the block is substantially more expensive than the
rings and the labor to replace them, they decided to use less wear-resistant rings instead of
super-duper never burns a drop of oil rings which would make the block wear out first.
One or the other will wear out - I prefer replacing rings to replacing engine blocks.
Same system is used on airplane engines - barrels are chromed internally, the rings wear, not the
cylinders, and it is FAR cheaper to replace pistons and rings than jugs. Airplane engines do burn
more oil than car engines, but that's because the clearances are looser to compensate for expansion
at wide open throttle and the vagaries of air cooling.
(Note that some aircraft cylinders are nitrided instead of chromed, a few are just plain steel with
nothing special done, these are the cheapest and don't last as long.)
We can give Audi the benefit of the doubt, and say they were planning for long-term ownership, or we
can also say it was obvious that the bean counters and team doorhandle spec'ed the rings. Your choice.
Best Regards,
Mike Arman
90V8Q
