Replacing leaky oil seals

[zrider91r]

I just saw the video on Blauparts.com about having to take the front bumper off to replace the driver side cam tensioner seal and valley seal.
I was wondering if you could replace them without having to take the bumper off..
I am debating on doing timing belt and serpentine belt ATM, and if I decide to do them I WILL be removing the front bumper to make it easy.

[airjawed]

Yes...it can be done. The reason for removing everything has to do with the cam tensioner... and camshaft seals. You can raise the cam tensioner in place sometimes by hand and some people have used zip ties or the special tool from bluaparts etc.

I personally don't believe that most people have leaks from the camshaft seal or tensioner. From what I've seen the leaks come from the valve cover gaskets themselves and the cam caps(end caps that mate with the head). The bearing caps are metal on metal so apply sealant there and replace the valve cover gasket itself with some sealant in the corners(which then become continues with the sealant applied to the caps). This way you do not need to remove the camshafts themselves.

If you are doing a timing belt job then just go ahead and take at all apart.

If you look at the engine layout the valve cover gasket itself is what leaks because that is the lowest point and where the oil collects on the inside of the valve cover.... the tensioners and other seals are all higher up physically.

[Taloras]

Yes...it can be done. The reason for removing everything has to do with the cam tensioner... and camshaft seals. You can raise the cam tensioner in place sometimes by hand and some people have used zip ties or the special tool from bluaparts etc.

I personally don't believe that most people have leaks from the camshaft seal or tensioner. From what I've seen the leaks come from the valve cover gaskets themselves and the cam caps(end caps that mate with the head). The caps are metal on metal so apply sealant there and replace the valve cover gasket itself with some sealant in the corners(which then become continues with the sealant applied to the caps). This way you do not need to remove the camshafts themselves.

If you are doing a timing belt job then just go ahead and take at all apart.

If you look at the engine layout the valve cover gasket itself is what leaks because that is the lowest point and where the oil collects on the inside of the valve cover.... the tensioners and other seals are all higher up physically.

+1 on this. I had a decent amount of oil leaking on to my exhaust manifolds and downpipes, which was being sucked in to the nearby cabin air filter and making the HVAC blow nice and smokey. New cam caps and valve cover gaskets this past weekend, and now it's all gone.

[zrider91r]

Ok well I ordered the Blauparts gasket kit, so I am probably going to do everything. Where is the cheapest place to get a timing belt, and probably a serpentine belt as well.

[airjawed]

While doing the timing belt you might as well do the water pump and the pulleys that are in there. You will find kits that contain the whole set of replacements....also the thermostat is easier to reach at this point so do that as well.

When it comes time to refill the coolant I used G12 which was available from the VW dealership...mix 1 gallon with 1 gallon distilled water(available at drug stores). System takes just about 2 gallons total.

Take your time with the timing belt...make real sure it is on correctly or else you will bend valves and damage cylinders.

I got all my parts locally. I see quite a few S4's around so the local Napa parts had what I needed. I wouldn't go cheap on the timing belt since it is catastrophic if it fails.

[airjawed]

Oh...and watch the torque on the valve cover gaskets.. it only takes 7-9 ft/lbs if I remember correctly. Also don't overdo the sealant part. Allow sealant to fix and torque the cover down evenly...and then let engine heat cycle without boosting. This will allow things to seal properly.

[zrider91r]

the water pump was just done right before i bought the car (im going to check the papers to see if the timing belt was done as well)
and i am aware of the low torque, ive belt numerous atvand Mc engines so i assumed this was just like 6 of them all jammed together haha

[///BlueS4]

Its there any way to change the can cap seals with out pulling off the valve covers again?

[Taloras]

Its there any way to change the can cap seals with out pulling off the valve covers again?

Lightly hammer a flathead in to the side of the cap and you can pry it out. Clean up the inside surface with a rag, and the new ones can be pressed in by hand without too much trouble.

[///BlueS4]

Lightly hammer a flathead in to the side of the cap and you can pry it out. Clean up the inside surface with a rag, and the new ones can be pressed in by hand without too much trouble.

NICE!!! I was hopeing i wasnt going to have to take it apart again just for those caps. When i ordered my gaskets i didnt think i needed them so i didnt bother with it.

[Monty23]

Does anyone have a pic of a fully seated cam plug. I would like to know if the plug I just replaced is fully seated before I put everything back together.

[///BlueS4]

I have a question about the cam seal, is that a cap that goes over it to keep dirt and what not out of it? Ive been looking online for a new cam seal and the only one i found was http://www.purems.com/Products/026103085DEKCam-Seal and i wasnt sure if thats the right one i need to buy to fix that oil leak im having.

[zrider91r]

well, today i am going to tear her down and prepare everything for when the gaskets get here... should be fun! First major Maint. on the S4!
Anything else I should do while i am in there? (other than belts of course)

[airjawed]

The valve cover itself has a gasket going around the perimeter and also around the spark plug holes. Then you also have places on the ends of the camshafts that either have a half moon plug, a cam seal or a cam cap.

This is the cam cap:

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_S4-...Gasket/ES3181/

I have no idea what is leaking on your engine but most of the time the leak is simply from the valve cover gasket and cam cap since these are the places that are lowest places on the heads. Take a look at some DIY to get an idea of what is where and hopefully that will clue you into what is leaking for you.

If you are getting a lot of smoke then it more likely is from the valve cover gasket and the cam cap since this leads to oil dripping onto exhaust manifold. If it is leaking but not making smoke and just getting the bottom of your engine oily then you may be looking at the cam tensioner seal and cam seals as a source of a leak.

[///BlueS4]

The valve cover itself has a gasket going around the perimeter and also around the spark plug holes. Then you also have places on the ends of the camshafts that either have a half moon plug, a cam seal or a cam cap.

This is the cam cap:

http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B5_S4-...Gasket/ES3181/

I have no idea what is leaking on your engine but most of the time the leak is simply from the valve cover gasket and cam cap since these are the places that are lowest places on the heads. Take a look at some DIY to get an idea of what is where and hopefully that will clue you into what is leaking for you.

If you are getting a lot of smoke then it more likely is from the valve cover gasket and the cam cap since this leads to oil dripping onto exhaust manifold. If it is leaking but not making smoke and just getting the bottom of your engine oily then you may be looking at the cam tensioner seal and cam seals as a source of a leak.

Yesterday i moved the coolant resivor over and felt back there by that cap and felt oil all over so im sure thats whats leacking on to my exhaust manifold. thanks alot for the link for the caps. i looked on a few websites including ECSTuning and couldnt find them. I kept entering in Camshaft cap and nothing came up. Thanks again im going to order those today.

[zrider91r]

well the front end is off! found out both belts are new so that was a bonus!

[ECS Tuning-Audi]

Yesterday i moved the coolant resivor over and felt back there by that cap and felt oil all over so im sure thats whats leacking on to my exhaust manifold. thanks alot for the link for the caps. i looked on a few websites including ECSTuning and couldnt find them. I kept entering in Camshaft cap and nothing came up. Thanks again im going to order those today.

Thanks for the support!

Best way to find parts is to go under your vehicle and use the provided drop downs on the side. Unless you have a manufacturer part number or an ES number searching just a few words sometimes doesn't get many hits. It also might be worded differently so it may not come up at all.

Feel free to shoot me a PM if you ever need help finding something!

Jason

[///BlueS4]

Thanks for the support!

Best way to find parts is to go under your vehicle and use the provided drop downs on the side. Unless you have a manufacturer part number or an ES number searching just a few words sometimes doesn't get many hits. It also might be worded differently so it may not come up at all.

Feel free to shoot me a PM if you ever need help finding something!

Jason

Thanks for the info to Jason, i will for sure hit you up in the future if i cant find what im looking for.

[BlingOnMyWrist]

Good writeup here if you haven't found one: http://www.audiworld.com/tech/eng52.shtml

[airjawed]

Wanted to add one last thing: If you are leaking from higher up you should also consider that perhaps you are having some issue with the venting of the valve covers. If pressure builds it will cause oil to leak out.

[///BlueS4]

Wanted to add one last thing: If you are leaking from higher up you should also consider that perhaps you are having some issue with the venting of the valve covers. If pressure builds it will cause oil to leak out.

What could be clogged and not letting the oil vent a little, the PVC valve? When i do a oil change i only use maybe a quarter of a bottle of oil that i would have to add in that leacked out and that is within a 4-5k oil change with Mobile 1 full synthetic. Not sure if that is a lot of oil im going thru but from what i can see that cap seal is the only thing that is leaking more so on the drivers side, passenger side isnt to bad.

[Taloras]

I remember reading somewhere that our somewhat inadequate factory PCV systems are the most likely culprit for our frequent seal/gasket failures, as they clog and increase crankcase pressure, putting extra strain on things like the valve cover gaskets. It makes a certain amount of sense :P

[airjawed]

What could be clogged and not letting the oil vent a little, the PVC valve? When i do a oil change i only use maybe a quarter of a bottle of oil that i would have to add in that leacked out and that is within a 4-5k oil change with Mobile 1 full synthetic. Not sure if that is a lot of oil im going thru but from what i can see that cap seal is the only thing that is leaking more so on the drivers side, passenger side isnt to bad.

This is a writeup on it done by Blauparts:

http://www.blauparts.com/audi/audi_b...ase_hose.shtml

[///BlueS4]

This is a writeup on it done by Blauparts:

http://www.blauparts.com/audi/audi_b...ase_hose.shtml

Diffently makes sence. i remember a few months ago i took one of those connectors of for that PVC/spider hose and it was pretty gunked up in there. Im going to get me a new one or use that write up i seen to make a new one for the ride.