Prospeeder

sounds like cam chain tensioner leaking. Sounds like it needs Valve cover gaskets, cam chain tensioner gaskets, and rear cam plugs. that front one thats leaking is way easier to do with the timing belt stuff and rear timing cover off. Take that rear timing cover off and i bet the little valley where the half moon is for the chain tensioner is all oily.

Gecko Asiks

I found the easiest way to inspect those front exhaust cam seals is to remove the front half of the timing belt cover on which ever bank you're inspecting, and with a decent light and an inspection mirror on an extension arm, take a good look at the area behind the sprocket.

It's tight and awkward to see in there though you'll be able to get enough of a look to see if it's dry or wet.

If it's wet it's a bit tricky diagnose as it could be some other areas that are causing the leak, however you could probably bet it's the front exhaust cam seal, which can only be changed with that timing belt sprocket removed.

Some say you can clamp the belt and sprocket and only remove the belt partially to remove that sprocket, while others swear you have to remove the timing belt completely.

I hope it's dry for you behind the sprocket, because it would then more than likely be either (and correct me if I'm wrong), or a combination of the valve cover gasket, the inlet cam seal behind the cam position sensor or a leak from under the double bearing cap if the RTV has failed. They are all much easier to fix than a leaky exhaust cam seal.

From memory, the valve covers are secured with a standard flange nut, and the cam caps with torx head bolts - not sure what sizes though. No special tools needed there.

Good luck.

Gecko Asiks

Search this 317127-replacing-front-cam-seals in Google Images and you'll get an idea of what you're looking at when checking for a cam seal leak behind the timing chain sprocket.

Gecko Asiks

The first three or four pics, of the sprocket, they're the ones.

Gecko Asiks

People said to me that it'd all make sense once I got into the engine and started working on it. Even though that wasn't quite what I wanted to hear at the time, it was very true. I found that all the research I did didn't really crystallize until I got in there working. That may be the case for you too, even if that's not what you want to hear.

No doubt you've already done this yourself, however I searched the specific task I wanted to complete, and was surprised at the number of pics and videos out there from others already having done the job.

This is also a great resource on how the tech's do it (what ever the job is) in the shop http://elsaweb.spaghetticoder.org/na...i/A6-100/4B/2/

devinsixtyseven

Thanks for the search query. It looks like, from their photos, that the timing belt *might* still be dry on my car...I will hope.

bertrenolds

Pulling out an old thread, do you have to remove the valve cover to loosen the rear cam seal and caps on an allroad? It looks like the brackets that have the torqs head screws are on the outside of the valve cover that hold them in place. I already paid for valve cover and tensions gaskets to be done and wanna do the rest my self. Shoudl have done it all at once but I was dumb then

Prospeeder

You need to remove the valve cover, and then remove the bearing cap over the cam plug to remove it. You will want to just replace the valve cover gaskets again if your remove them. Also the driver side cam plug you need to remove the cam sensor to take of the double wide bearing cap.

jwetering

Also hitting an old thread..

I will be changing my cam belt soon and attacking *all* of my seals and gaskets because my oil leaks are wicked and everywhere.

The thing I don't get is that I will almost certainly have to remove my cams to replace the rear cam seals and tensioner gaskets (at least that's what I am getting from the chatter and at least one Blaupart video).

I plan to use a cam locking tool but isn't this moot if I remove my cams?

How do I ensure I don't lose my cam timing, or how do I reset my cam timing, if I remove the cams?