Finally beat my oil leak!!!
11-27-2003, 09:11 AM
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Finally beat my oil leak!!!
Just thought I'd wish everyone a happy turkey day and share my good news. I worked far too hard, but I'm finally able to love my car once again. My oil leak, which had been the bane of my exsistance for the past 10k miles, has finally gone away! A slight recap for anyone who cares.
Week1 - I noticed I bought a car with a rager large oil leak problem, thus explaining the burning oil I had been smelling ooccasionally (yes, I know, thats what I get for buying a car sight unseen, I have many other gripes about the description of this car, but have no one to blame but myself). Got discouraged, but still took the car to the track, at the track I met a local Audi tech and he was really impressed with the car. I told him about the leak and that I needed to come get an oil pan gasket tomorrow, which he told me, they didn't have (as he told me about the wonderful white silicone). That weekend, I replaced the lower oil pan gasket. Didn't work...
Week 2 - Somewhat disheartened but not discouraged, I came to the conclusion based on what I had been told/read/seen that it was probably the upper pan gasket, so I go at it. And as anyone who has done this knows, the upper pan gasket is a HUGE PITA. About half way, I notice that it didn't really seem to be coming from the upper pan area, and stopped, began looking around and called the Audi tech. Much to my surprise, he suggested that it may be the VCGs and camshaft adjuster seals. Put the car back together, still leaking...
Week 3 - I replace the VCGs and camshaft adjuster seals. Still leaks, noticing a pattern here?
Week 4 - I rip the car apart, to try and get an idea of wtf is leaking. I look take off the crank pulley, and with much hesitation, order a front main seal.
Week 5 - front main seal is installed. The seal folds when it is being put in. Car still leaks, may have damaged the seal installing it so....
Week 6 - install second front main seal, and guess what.... still leaks.
Week 7 - amid a mirriad of frustration, and an impending move to the much colder WNY climate (and lack of a garage) I decide that I have ONE last chance to get this thing fixed, I order up camshaft seals, and the gasket that goes behind the plate that attaches to the block where the crankshaft comes out. Unfortunately, it really didn't look like any of these were the culprit and I was as confused as ever. It simply did not seem like enough oil was coming down the block to cause what I was seeing....
It comes apart one last time. I replace the camshaft seals. I JBWeld the holes in the block (previous owner had them covered with silicone) and I removed the front plate and put a new gasket on. I also had to replace the lower pan seal once again.
Yesterday, when packing up the truck to move, I took a peak, and pretty much expecting to see an oil soaked lower pan, I amazingly saw one that was clean. I immediately just told myself that it was dumb luck, and water had recently washed it off.... yesterday, after 800 miles of driving, I kneeled down in a pile of gas and gum, and much to my amazement, the pan was still dry. I simply can not explain my excitement about overcoming this oil leak. While not entirely sure what exactly was leaking, the result is the same. So much time wasted... I have now replaced every single seal/gasket in the front of the engine, and most of them in the rear, at least I shouldn't have to worry about that for quite some time.....
Ahhhhh
On to my next project, the non-working cruise control.
Week1 - I noticed I bought a car with a rager large oil leak problem, thus explaining the burning oil I had been smelling ooccasionally (yes, I know, thats what I get for buying a car sight unseen, I have many other gripes about the description of this car, but have no one to blame but myself). Got discouraged, but still took the car to the track, at the track I met a local Audi tech and he was really impressed with the car. I told him about the leak and that I needed to come get an oil pan gasket tomorrow, which he told me, they didn't have (as he told me about the wonderful white silicone). That weekend, I replaced the lower oil pan gasket. Didn't work...
Week 2 - Somewhat disheartened but not discouraged, I came to the conclusion based on what I had been told/read/seen that it was probably the upper pan gasket, so I go at it. And as anyone who has done this knows, the upper pan gasket is a HUGE PITA. About half way, I notice that it didn't really seem to be coming from the upper pan area, and stopped, began looking around and called the Audi tech. Much to my surprise, he suggested that it may be the VCGs and camshaft adjuster seals. Put the car back together, still leaking...
Week 3 - I replace the VCGs and camshaft adjuster seals. Still leaks, noticing a pattern here?
Week 4 - I rip the car apart, to try and get an idea of wtf is leaking. I look take off the crank pulley, and with much hesitation, order a front main seal.
Week 5 - front main seal is installed. The seal folds when it is being put in. Car still leaks, may have damaged the seal installing it so....
Week 6 - install second front main seal, and guess what.... still leaks.
Week 7 - amid a mirriad of frustration, and an impending move to the much colder WNY climate (and lack of a garage) I decide that I have ONE last chance to get this thing fixed, I order up camshaft seals, and the gasket that goes behind the plate that attaches to the block where the crankshaft comes out. Unfortunately, it really didn't look like any of these were the culprit and I was as confused as ever. It simply did not seem like enough oil was coming down the block to cause what I was seeing....
It comes apart one last time. I replace the camshaft seals. I JBWeld the holes in the block (previous owner had them covered with silicone) and I removed the front plate and put a new gasket on. I also had to replace the lower pan seal once again.
Yesterday, when packing up the truck to move, I took a peak, and pretty much expecting to see an oil soaked lower pan, I amazingly saw one that was clean. I immediately just told myself that it was dumb luck, and water had recently washed it off.... yesterday, after 800 miles of driving, I kneeled down in a pile of gas and gum, and much to my amazement, the pan was still dry. I simply can not explain my excitement about overcoming this oil leak. While not entirely sure what exactly was leaking, the result is the same. So much time wasted... I have now replaced every single seal/gasket in the front of the engine, and most of them in the rear, at least I shouldn't have to worry about that for quite some time.....
Ahhhhh
On to my next project, the non-working cruise control.
11-27-2003, 09:28 AM
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Those holes...
somebody has posted something about holes on a 2.8, unfortunately, my memory is fading, an I can't recall details...but when you mentioned that, it was vaguely familiar (with respect to an oil leak). The JB weld was a good solution...however, I believe JB Weld won't hold for very long, if the surface it was applied to wasn't thoroughly cleaned. Oil prevents JB Weld from bonding to the surface properly IIRC. Rob Andrews might be able to help you...not sure if he was the one that posted about holes on the block, or perhaps he might recall the post I seem to think I remember??
12-29-2003, 07:48 PM
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Re: Finally beat my oil leak!!!
To: SCd Walter
Thanks for the post..sorry about all of the trouble you went through. I live in WNY and have a couple of questions about my A4 and was wondering if you could help me answer them. My email address is jbings4@yahoo.com .....Please contact me at your earliest convienance. Thanks for you time.
Jay
Thanks for the post..sorry about all of the trouble you went through. I live in WNY and have a couple of questions about my A4 and was wondering if you could help me answer them. My email address is jbings4@yahoo.com .....Please contact me at your earliest convienance. Thanks for you time.
Jay
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