Another oil leak after valve cover and tensioner gasket replacement

[Mani]

I am seeing yet another leak now... I got my valve cover and tensioner gaskets replaced on Friday... now I am seeing another one ..Please see the pictures and help me understand where it is coming from...I see it leaking from all 4 joints :-(

thanks in advance...

[AZUltra]

Are you referring to the dirty area around your injectors?

Have you removed the injectors recently?

[lookaught]

Yep that is blowby past the injectors. You can get new o-rings to fix the problem, though I don't know where to get them. I sent my injectors to be cleaned and checked and the shop put in new filters and o-rings as part of the service.

I am unsure if off the shelf o-rings are designed to contact fuel...

If I were you though, I would pull them out, clean the manifold with brake cleaner, and then monitor to see how quickly the oil returns. In all likelyhood the leak is extraordinarily slow and can be ignored.

[old guy]

You can get replacement "O" rings very cheap from AutoZone. Just ask for a Sorenson Kit part number 800-9212. I don't know what it is for but it comes with 8 "O" rings that are the correct size for the Audi injectors. The kit even includes an installation tool. If I recall the kit was around $4 or $5. The whole job can be accomplished in one hour. Clean the gunk before you remove the injectors and you don't have to worry about getting dirt in the manifold.

[Mani]

thanks so much guys... I will try the autozone fix if the leak is real bad after cleaning it...

[Mani]

Are you referring to the dirty area around your injectors?

Have you removed the injectors recently?

Yes... I am referring to the dirty area around the injectors... I see this leak around all 4 injectors...

[Mani]

Yep that is blowby past the injectors. You can get new o-rings to fix the problem, though I don't know where to get them. I sent my injectors to be cleaned and checked and the shop put in new filters and o-rings as part of the service.

I am unsure if off the shelf o-rings are designed to contact fuel...

If I were you though, I would pull them out, clean the manifold with brake cleaner, and then monitor to see how quickly the oil returns. In all likelyhood the leak is extraordinarily slow and can be ignored.

I cleaned the area around the leak ... I am gonna monitor it to see how bad the leak is.... hopefully this is small enough to ignore for now...

[[email protected]]

To be honest, those don't look like very small leaks. I've driven my car 95k miles in the 4.5 years I've owned it and never seen any leak around the injector seats. But like everyone else said, it's a really easy fix.

[maclem8223]

035 906 149 A This is the actual part number. I ordered some genuineaudiparts.com awhile back. Very cheap and easy fix...

[jackyaudi]

Correct me guys if I am wrong, but for this much oil to go through there, I would think the intake manifold has quiet a large amount of oil coming from the Turbo/Intercooler all the way to the throttle body then to where the injectors are. I know a small amount is OK, but this does not seem like a small amount. Last time I removed the throttle body for cleaning, I saw only very few traces of oil inside the intake mani itself.

[Mani]

Is it necessary to remove the injectors when replacing valve cover and tensioner gasket? I did not see this injector leak before we replaced the gaskets....

[lookaught]

No you do not need to remove them to change the VC gasket, etc.

Small leaks over time make large messes. IMO the leaks aren't horrific. If you want to fix it, just buy the autozone kit, pull them out, replace, clean everything, and put it out of your mind. For $5, that would be my route.

Don't be concerned with the turbo, this is normal stuff. The oil comes via the crankcase vent system, it is an emissions plumbing that routes atomized oil back into the intake so that it is burned and exhausted through the cat as opposed to venting to the atmosphere. The oil is normal... if the turbo was failing you'd see or smell smoke.

[Mani]

No you do not need to remove them to change the VC gasket, etc.

Small leaks over time make large messes. IMO the leaks aren't horrific. If you want to fix it, just buy the autozone kit, pull them out, replace, clean everything, and put it out of your mind. For $5, that would be my route.

Don't be concerned with the turbo, this is normal stuff. The oil comes via the crankcase vent system, it is an emissions plumbing that routes atomized oil back into the intake so that it is burned and exhausted through the cat as opposed to venting to the atmosphere. The oil is normal... if the turbo was failing you'd see or smell smoke.

wow! thanks man... very good information :)

[jackyaudi]

I say remove the hose going into the Throtle Body and check how much oil you have there. If there is large amounts of oil, you know something is not right.

[Mani]

I say remove the hose going into the Throtle Body and check how much oil you have there. If there is large amounts of oil, you know something is not right.

OK, will check it first thing tomorrow morning... thanks.

[[email protected]]

If those leaks weren't there before you replaced the gaskets, just on Friday, you might want to pull off the throttle body hose and see what's going on. That's pretty horrific for one day.

[Mani]

If those leaks weren't there before you replaced the gaskets, just on Friday, you might want to pull off the throttle body hose and see what's going on. That's pretty horrific for one day.

yes.. thats what concerns me... the injector area was clean before the gaskets were replaced...now I see it around all 4...

[jackyaudi]

With these cars, I learned one thing: Expect the worse, and hope for the best.

[Mani]

With these cars, I learned one thing: Expect the worse, and hope for the best.

I bought this 05 USP couple of weeks ago after selling my 03 CVT... within last 2 weeks I had to do the following

1. replaced tie-rod on one side.
2. replaced valve cover and tensioner gaskets to fix leaks..
3. replaced tires... there were splitting ... had 90% tread left ....
4. Now looking at this leak...
... I am sure there is many more to come..
03 CVT didn't have any leaks whatsoever... the only reason for getting rid of that one was.... obviously CVT!

[[email protected]]

Since that's after one day, you REALLY need to look into it. I'd try to avoid driving until you figure it out.

[Mani]

Since that's after one day, you REALLY need to look into it. I'd try to avoid driving until you figure it out.

I am away from home and not driving it now...I will take care of it on Monday.. thanks.

[ultrasport69022]

i just did this last week. what ever u do dont buy the O rings from the stealership they charged me 8$ an O ring!!!! but besides from that it was very easy and took less than an hour

[Mani]

I pulled the hose out and checked for oil inside... I see very little oil in there.... I cleaned the area around the injectors with brake cleaner and been driving around. I don't see the leak after driving around 30 miles... I will continue to monitor...

I also got it checked by at an Indy shop and he said it is just dirt and doesn't see any oil leak... he asked to me bring it to him if there is fuel smell..

Thanks guys.

[trueno429]

Little oil is normal from blow-by, the shit around your O-rings definitley is not dirt, get new O-rings like everyone mentioned

[Mani]

Little oil is normal from blow-by, the shit around your O-rings definitley is not dirt, get new O-rings like everyone mentioned

OK thanks, I will get the O-rings replaced coming weekend... I don't drive much during weekdays... about 10 miles a day to work... hope it is ok to drive until then..

[old guy]

OK thanks, I will get the O-rings replaced coming weekend... I don't drive much during weekdays... about 10 miles a day to work... hope it is ok to drive until then..

Drive it all you want and don't worry about it. I can assure you that it was there before you replaced your VCG, you just didn't notice it. Over time the oil seeps past the injector seals and the dirt, dust and debris sticks to it. Change the "O" rings at your leisure.

[Mani]

Drive it all you want and don't worry about it. I can assure you that it was there before you replaced your VCG, you just didn't notice it. Over time the oil seeps past the injector seals and the dirt, dust and debris sticks to it. Change the "O" rings at your leisure.

old guy... thanks very much... that's exactly what I think now... I cleaned the area around the injectors using brake cleaner couple of days ago and been driving around ...200 miles down.........guess what... no hint of oil leak there... I will continue to monitor and replace the O-rings if it starts to leak again.....

Thanks to all you guys for the help.

[[email protected]]

Drive it all you want and don't worry about it. I can assure you that it was there before you replaced your VCG, you just didn't notice it. Over time the oil seeps past the injector seals and the dirt, dust and debris sticks to it. Change the "O" rings at your leisure.

Well shit, he seemed pretty confident that wasn't there before...which would be a problem. I guess there's just too much dirt for one day though.

[Mani]

Well shit, he seemed pretty confident that wasn't there before...which would be a problem. I guess there's just too much dirt for one day though.

yah I agree... looked too much for just one day.. and it wasn't there before... it should have happened when valve cover and tensioner gasket were replaced... I am pleasantly surprised to see no leak after cleaning... :)