hunterp27

All, my S8 has sprung a leak at the seal for the bottom oil pan. I received a quote for repairing it at a local shop. Their quote was $258.00 not including the oil change that obviously has to be done simultaneously. As I understand it, there isn't a gasket for this application. Ostensibly it's a VWG product that is used to make this seal. Has anyone done this repair for their car? It cannot be a difficult job to do from what I can see. My questions would be:
1. which sealant should be used?
2. how is it applied? Liberally? Sparsely? drying time? and so on......
3. Is it as simple as draining the oil, removing all the bolts holding the pan, cleaning and drying everything and then applying the sealant and bolting back together?
I look forward to any replies that might be helpful and thanks in advance.

mishar

Did you try to tighten those bolts a bit? That might help.

Mister Bally

Every owner of a D3 that wants to do their own repairs should invest in the service manual which lists materials needed.

Also the Ross-Tech diagnostic interface. But you knew that as well.

MP4.2+6.0

I did it twice on my 2000 A6 4.2 due to some internal engine issues I was tracking down. Simple to do, and along the lines you are expecting--drain oil and pull pan basically. The 4.2 pan had no gasket either. Audi sells the sealant, which by smell and labelling is basically your typical silicone RTV type sealant. You clean both surfaces with something like brake cleaner on a rag, then apply sealant to the pan sealing edge fairly carefully and pretty thinly--avoids making mess when you tighten bolts up. Better on pan than block (technically the second part of the oil gallery that is also used to bolt the main bearings down) to avoid sealant getting into the bolt holes. I tightened bolts, still had it very slightly ooze out, did the oil fill and got it restarted and warm. Then I came back (optionally) with a basic utility knife to trim of the excess at the edges.

Net easy; zero leaks thereafter. Just common sense with no real tricks.

hunterp27

Or.............I could just ask here !!!

hunterp27

Thank you very much......this is exactly what I expected to hear. Off to the Audi dealer to buy the sealant and get started on this today.

aTOMic

(Three Stooges Voice: "Oh, a wise guy, eh?")

Really it is easier to ask here; you'll get instant, accurate responses and some stuff not even covered in the manual. For instance, many don't know that the sealant most dealer techs use is actually Betty Crocker aerosol Frosting-in-a-can. Once contacted by the elastomeric polypeptides in synthetic oil, the molecules form a bond nearly as flexible as iron, and with the tensile strength of ceramic! I know this because I wrote most of Audi's Technical Litterachure.

Remember this quote from Abraham Lincoln: "If it's on the internet, it is true".

Be sure not to use the search, too. Because you are undoubtedly the first to have any given problem.

Welcome to the board and excuse me for yankin' your chain!
-Tom

PS You WILL have to buy the VCDS; don't get me (us) started!
Good luck with the car!!

hunterp27

All, I am about 75% complete on this oil pan leak fix......I do however have a question that I am fairly certain that will be specific to the V10 S8 owners but could apply to others as well. Everything has gone swimmingly thus far with one small exception. Hopefully, there will be some advice before I get to the reassembly late tonight or tomorrow. By the way, I have a few pics I will post along with step by step instructions upon completion.
To my question:
Removal of the pan itself is not difficult except the row of bolts on the side closest to the firewall. In others words opposite the front end. There are roughly 7-8 bolts (of the 31) along this row. They are semi-blocked by a huge aluminum brace running across the car transversely. I was able to remove them but this by far took the most time and energy. I could not come up with a tool (socket or wrench or pliers) that would allow any sustained leverage. The problem is the brace blocks direct access just like many other scenarios when working on these big motors stuffed in a tight space. If anyone has done this before and knows what I am referencing, I'd be very appreciative in what your solution was. I can get them back in and get them started but I fear not being able to get them torqued down with any degree of strength. Ideas????

Samo7

Make sure you use the sealant sparsely as not to block oil ports or the sump. I'm speaking from experience as it cost me $9600 on a botched job on my A4.

MP4.2+6.0

I think I know the brace from my W12. More or less like the picture below? My W12 motor has been flawless so I haven't had any reason to be up in there. The 2000 A6 4.2 ones were all pretty easy to get at and the pan was shallow.

I'm guessing these are Torx head screws like I think I recall on my A6, and like the D3 tranny pan. I fought a few of these hard to reach ones on the W12 tranny (same set up as yours) before I dropped the front exhaust sections instead. If they are Torx, you can also buy short Torx "bits" like you might load into a drill. They have the same hex back like a screw tip does that you insert into a holder. You might even find some different lengths if you look around some. What I did on the tranny pan is take one of those tips (T25 or T27 IIRC) and "load' it into a box end wrench and use my finger tip to hold it in. Later I stuck a bit of duct tape on it; essentially what I made was a very short handled wrench with the tip sticking out. After that experience, I also ordered up some Torx wrenches that are shaped like allen wrenches for those times you can't go straight in with the screwdriver type Torx tool, and the ones that come on the pocket knife type fold out set up (another option) are too long.