Matt Daniels

I was able to get the majority of my timing belt done this weekend - the main purpose was to fix an oil leak, which I knew was coming from behind the timing covers and assumed was the front crank seal.

Well after getting the timing belt back on, but before I put the covers on, I decided to run the engine for a bit to check for leaks (I also replaced my radiator).

Looks like its still leaking oil - as best I can tell is coming from right behind the idler pully - there appears to be a seam between the engine block and what ever it is that the pully mounts to.

Here is a picture - the arrow points to the area that is leaking - but the shadow makes it hard to see the actual seam that is leaking.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/4/oilleak.jpg">

Obviously, since the whole point of this was to fix this oil leak, I don't want to put everything back together until I have that fixed.

Any ideas of what it is that's leaking and how do I fix it? Does that front part bolt off the engine with a gasket behind it? If so, what part do I need to buy?

Thanks.

boxerfan

Unless things have started to come loose your oil pump may have issues. Iirc my new one ran me $260 CDN.

ddg=shinebox racing

Looks like the gasket between the oil pump and the block is leaking, or the aluminum pump housing is cracked and leaking.
If it was the main seal, the oil would leak out under the crank pulley and get all over the oil pan.

AudiSport4000

Make sure all lower timing cover bolts are snug, as they protrude into oil passages.

The seal between the oil pump and block may have failed too. I have yet to see a 5cyl oil pump fail.

Tony Hoffman-4000Q

As mentioned, there are only three places that the oil can leak there. One is the bolts, one is the front crank seal, and the other is the gasket behind the oil pump/front cover. Otherwise, you may have a cracked oil pump, but I have a hard time imagining that. I know I've never seen a bad one, although I also know anything is possible.

Is the leak actually coming from in between the aluminum front housing and the block itself? If so, you may want to pull the aluminum housing and replace the paper gasket (usually green) that goes in between it and the block. However, I'd double check the torque on the bolts first.

If for some reason, it ends up being a bad oil pump, let me know. I have a parts car that wasn't leaking a drop when it was totaled.

Tony

Matt Daniels

Shortish version:

Back in '96 I fell in love with the Audi A4 and discovered a website called JET's A4 Pages - a very amateurish website even by 1996 standards. Since I was just starting out as a website designer at a major ad agency, I couldn't stand the poor graphics on the A4 site any more. I downloaded them, "fixed" them and sent them back to the owner of the site - Jason Teller - aka JET.

We soon began working on a redesign of the site, then another, and another, and so on. Soon it became A4.org and by then Neil McGarry and Johannes were part of the team. A4.org turned into AudiWorld.com in late 1999. When Johannes created the current forum software he manually created the account for us four. I became #4 - I think JET is #2, Neil is #3, Johannes is #1.

I used to be "well known" around here, but I left AudiWorld at the end of 2000 and mostly just lurk now. The Rocky Mountain forum is the only one I regularly contribute to any more.

If you look at the content of AudiWorld prior to 2001, you'll see that I wrote quite a few articles for the website. I still contribute photography and the occasional article, plus I've still worked with JET on all the subsequent redesigns since I left. We switched over to this current "brown" design at my house this past winter.

BTW, I'm also the webmaster for the Audi Club's website - although for the past year or so I just make updates to it whenever its requested.

Matt Daniels

but if I remember correctly the bolts to the lower cover are fairly short and I don't think would go into the engine block to tighten the seam.

Since taking that photo I've double checked the bolts (snug by hand - I don't have the torque specs) and found one other bolt that was covered in oil and I missed. So I believe I've snugged all of those 10mm bolts.

On another note - can someone post a photo of what the idler pully bolt looks like? Mine was really skinny, noticably thinner than the hole on the pully. But it seemed to work - but I do wonder if the wrong bolt has been installed on my car. I noticed the hole in the pully was threaded, but my bolt only threaded into the block.

StaleAle

If you have to remove the whole thing make sure you go to the Toyota dealership, give them 25$ and get the black gasket seal for there engines....... You will be so happy that you did. RTV just doesn't compare.

ddg=shinebox racing

Then I think I joined in 2001?
I know the history pretty well, so you're one of the "orginal 4". I know Neil (neilm) a little bit, he was my instructor at Las Vegas in Apr '06
I can't find another forum (I've tried them all), that has the 4000/coupe content I crave!
The only thing I can't get here or anywhere, is how to set up a coupe for track days, the only guys with tons of knowlege are old school VW guys!
There's one guy on 034 that runs his coupe in SCCA (east coast), there's a couple of guys in NASA that run old VW's (So Cal), and there are some brothers (Blethen?) that run a coupe in New Hampshire, but I haven't heard from then in years!

Tony Hoffman-4000Q

The first time I did a TB on a 5-cyl (boy does that take me back) I thought the same thing. Turns out the bolt isn't what centers the pulley, and no worry.

Tony Hoffman