Rear Cam Adjuster Seal

**A4_Mike** · 12-11-2008 12:25 PM

So I got my safety and emissions inspection done last week at my local Audi dealership. My car had a pending recall on the timing belt so they inspected it to make sure everything looked fine (the car is just shy of 75k miles). I purchased a full timing belt kit from ECS Tuning a couple of months back and I intend to work on that in the next couple of weeks. While performing the recall, the technician supposedly found an oil leak that appears to be coming from the 'rear cam adjuster seal'. The service manager sat down with me and explained that this is a "Category 3" oil leak and it has the potential to drip on the clutch - which of course can complicate the problem even more. I was quite surprised when he was explaining all of this to me since I replaced my valve cover gasket earlier this year and did not see anything out of the ordinary. My father, who has rebuilt engines and has worked on cars his entire life, did not see anything out of the ordinary either when we performed the service. The dealership quoted me $950.00 for the cam adjuster seal and valve cover gasket. Considering that a cam adjuster seal is $4.99 from Pure Motorsport, my intentions are to perform the service with my father.

So with all of that background story, does anyone have any photographs as to where this seal is located? Or do you all think this is just hot air all together? There are no clear oil leaks from our observations. I just put the car through an entire treatment of Auto-Rx if that matters and I change the oil religiously every 4500-5000 miles with 5W40 fully synthetic oil and large Mahle oil filter.

I forgot to add: One thing the service manager did tell me (I informed him of how I do all the vehicle's service myself) was that replacing the seal requires a special Audi tool and therefore strongly urged to consider to allow them [the dealership] to perform the service. Having worked on several German cars, both my father and I know how the Germans are - they like to make sure certain things are a pain in the rear end for DIY'ers by requiring speciality tools (e.g. transmission plug for 1.8T 5 speeds).

Regardless, any insightful information would be greatly appreciated.

**Condo** · 12-11-2008 01:13 PM

You can still do it yourself. I've seen the "special" tool on ebay for about $30. Just search for Audi cam tool.

**A4_Mike** · 12-11-2008 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by Condo

You can still do it yourself. I've seen the "special" tool on ebay for about $30. Just search for Audi cam tool.

This tool?

I am waiting for my Bentley manual to install on my PC so I can not confirm at the moment.

**Condo** · 12-11-2008 01:31 PM

Yeah, that's the one you need.

**A4 TSCHUSS** · 12-11-2008 01:34 PM

It is a metal gasket under the tensioner and there is a rubber half moon shaped seal that goes under the tensioner as well in a groove in the head.

**A4 TSCHUSS** · 12-11-2008 01:40 PM

You can see that little cut out right where I am holding the blue rubber seal. That rubber deal goes in that cut out or there is a little bit different type of seal also which is in the head (the white you can see way in the cutout). You will most likely order that little half moon though. Then the tensioner gasket is a flat metal gasket directly under the tensioner which is right above that half moon cutout.

**A4natomical** · 12-11-2008 01:42 PM

im probably going to have to source one of these tools. :/
can someone tell me exactly what it does?

**A4_Mike** · 12-11-2008 01:48 PM

I was intending to order this seal? Is that the right one?

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Condo and A4 TSCHUSS.

**A4 TSCHUSS** · 12-11-2008 01:50 PM

Yes that is right, that is both of the seals, the blue half moon I was holding and the flat metal one that goes under the tensioner.

**A4_Mike** · 12-11-2008 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by A4 TSCHUSS

Yes that is right, that is both of the seals, the blue half moon I was holding and the flat metal one that goes under the tensioner.

Sounds good. Thanks again!

**A4Avant02** · 12-11-2008 02:22 PM

I got the Matra 3366 tool from Samstag Tools for $19.99.

http://www.samstagsales.com/vwaudi2.htm#watercoolers

**lookaught** · 12-11-2008 02:56 PM

There is an excellent writeup about how to fix this leak on passatworld.com. It's been linked from here before. STFA for the link.

**Mike@PureMS** · 12-11-2008 03:15 PM

Right seal, right tool!
The tool simply compresses the timing chain adjuster to give you the slack you need to get the gasket in and out. Be sure not to overtighten the tool. Doing so can make it almost impossible to get back out.

**orttauq** · 12-11-2008 10:48 PM

It's funny that that's referred to as a tool. It comes on a new cam adjuster to keep the piston compressed. And someones making a killing selling those for $25 a piece :P