3.0T Oil Analysis thoughts

Planning to keep my car for quite a while yet, and I’m considering going for 034 or IE Stage I, so I figured I’d start monitoring oil quality and degradation. The coolant remark doesn’t surprise me; every one of my VW group cars, except for the Cayman, has been a coolant burner. This car has had a coolant scent after running at times, but I’ve been pretty vigilant about it and haven’t found any evidence of external leakage. I don’t think that slight mixing with oil would cause any odor, so there’s probably something else going on as well. I know this engine tends to have the leaking into the vacuum system issue that can ruin it, but I haven’t seen anything that indicates that’s happening with mine yet. Any thoughts on things I should be looking out for, beyond what I’m already doing?

That sounds like a good plan. Have you considered checking the oil regularly for any signs of coolant contamination? It could help catch any issues early.

I’ve had issues with coolant smell too, and it turned out to be a leaky water pump. Maybe check that area?

IDK if you’ve looked into it, but sometimes a simple thermostat issue can cause coolant to burn off. Have you replaced yours recently?

Also, make sure to monitor the coolant level too. If it’s dropping unexpectedly, that’s a red flag.

Have you thought about getting an oil analysis done? That could give you more insight into what’s happening internally.