shwndh

I've been having this issue for a while but oil is running down the back of my engin and dripping on the exhaust pipes giving me this lovely smell all around and in the car. In addition to that, I see oil trails from the filler cap glazed on the engine cover (BTW I have a 98.5 2.8 A4 qm).

I replaced a valve that's supposed to let excess pressure out of the block/crank about 3 months ago. It was clogged letting air out but I still noticed the oil residue around the cap after a long drive. However, the buring oil smell went away for a few months, but now it's back. I believe this is from the cam tensioner gasket/valve cover gaskets because it's somewhere on the back side of the engine on the pass side.

Anyone have any idea what could be clogged?

ModifiedA4

PCV system again would be my guess.

por911

078-103-224-R ,Description on bill:hose
There is another short hose(crank case breather) at the back side of the block, but that you can easily clean that out with kerosene.

RKA

as the crankcase pressure rises. It could be an issue with one of the valve cover gaskets, or the cam tensioner gaskets. I'd do two things. First, check the PCV valve to see if it's clogged again. If it is, replace it again, and keep an eye on it to see if it happens again. If it's not clogged, then track down the leak, and fix it. Hopefully it shouldn't recur unless the PCV valve becomes clogged again.

shwndh

the PVC valve/air pump thing I replaced and the Breather hose? Do they both do the same thing? And I assume that both hoses are easy to remove and clean?

RKA

The valve is inline with those breather hoses...just directing which way the air can flow.

shwndh

Thanx. I'll just have to check everyting from the back to the valve.

por911

RKA is right. The hose that the pcv sits in, is a long snake like hose that by now is as brittle and fragile as an egg shell. Mine broke just trying to slip it out of the holder. Its not cheap either, $80, but its a bargain compared to replacing cam , cam tensioner, and crank seals.

shwndh

do this little check: there are two ends - the end with the Y (I'll call the top) and the end with the single port. On the end with the Y, there's a big port and a little port. Plug the big port and blow air thru the bottom port. Air should be able to escape through the little port on the Y end with a little pressure. If not, it's clogged.

That was the only difference I found when I compared my old one to a new one. But if it's clogged again. I'm wondering what is causing it to get clogged so easily.