cstarky15

I've recently noticed small drops of oil on my garage floor. I haven't been able to get it under it to inspect but it looks like it is coming from the back of the engine.

Anyone have any ideas of what abd where I should be looking?

Mister Bally

Remove the bottom engine cover to confirm if the oil is indeed coming from the back of the engine or another location.

MP4.2+6.0

Predictable on an S8 these days, esp. 2007. Check back of valve covers for leakage. If you can't see there, stick your hand in at the back and feel for oil--engine off and cool. Plus what Mister Bally said as far as using the bottom cover/belly pan as the simplest old tech diagnostic tool--tends to show most any fluid leak pretty directly below where it is coming from.

cstarky15

Sorry that it has taken me this long but I have been busy and haven't been on in a long time. So I was able to get under the car and it looks like it might be coming from the oil pan.

What are everyones thoughts, and am I going to have to pull the engine to fix?

Passenger side looking up
Front of engine from passenger underside

MP4.2+6.0

I struggled to see exactly what it might be and in one or two cases exactly what was in pic. Got a general starting sense though.

Next step is clean it up to then recheck. Clean up pan area as much as possible and as high up as possible. Also check back of valve covers for leaks there since it will run down; clean that up too. Run for a while and then recheck. Maybe leave belly pan off and drive it a day or two and then inspect very carefully.

If leak is at sealed edge of lowest oil pan area (the black stamped metal), should be straightforward. Valve covers way above won't be a big surprise either; could be a combination of leaks too. Small chance it may involve that oil sensor in bottom corner of pan.

The nightmare scenario is if it is leaking between the lower pan casting (what the black metal pan bolts to) and the block above it. That is a full engine pull; another member dealt with it on an S8 and posted a bunch of pictures in last year or so. Situation started here I think. Pray; pic's are scary... https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-...2877646/page2/ More here: https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-...-leak-2878183/

cstarky15

Yeah I know the pictures aren't the best.
I noticed that the pan was the wettest but there was dry oil a little higher up but only a few inches. If it was the gasket would it just drip out or could it spray? I'll get it cleaned up and see what I can find.

helajames

I am looking forward to seeing what you find, I am having the same problem, the leaking oil is getting on the exaust and I am sick of smelling it

Jack88

There are many things that leak oil, James. His problem may not be yours. Only thing for it is to have a look topside with some light to try to see if it's coming from somewhere up there, like the valve cover gaskets, then take off the belly pan and have a look from below.

helajames

Car Came with no Pan,


see oil on the back edge of the stamped steel pan that is above the crossmember. not too worried about a small leak, it is the oil getting on the exhaust that i am trying to solve.

the burning oil smoke only appears on the passenger side after it runs after sitting for a day or two. i have already replaced the valve cover gasket, when i took the cover off it was covered in rev sealant so someone has tried to solve this already.

with the new gasket it appeared to woed for a while but is back.

Any thoughts?

MP4.2+6.0

What motor do you have? S8 like where this thread started? If an early one, one side had a subpar valve cover set up that they ended up superseding. You can't even get a gasket for that side without buying a new valve cover, though people end around that by modding the other side gasket a bit. But if S8 and still leaking, a suspect especially with exhaust smell burn off since lower rear valve corner often lines up to hot exhaust below.