Attention C6 Owners experiencing oil leaks from timing chain cover gasket!
 

I currently have a case in with AOA regarding an oil leak concern. It has been an issue for me for the last 80k miles in which I have been noticing oil residual all over the bottom of the undercarriage and bottom engine cover. On multiple visits I addressed this concern to the dealers and for the most part I was told that what I was seeing was just residual (bunch of BS) however the actual cause was just detected. All the oil has been coming from the rear timing chain cover gaskets and all this time I was always told from the dealers that there was no leaks found. Big problem is that most of us are outside of out warranty and stuck with a rather large repair of around $3 - $4k (primarily labor time of dropping engine and tranny). There is a good chance our 3.2L engines may have a design flaw. At this point Im still waiting to hear back from AOA on how they want to procede with my case. In the meantime any of you who have the 3.2L engine who have or are currently experiencing this same issue, please give your feedback and note your concern. Audi may have been hiding a huge repair that should have been recalled. And its my best guess that since this leaking of oil is not necessarily a "safety" concern they never went forward with a recall because it would involve a lot of repairs and a lot of money out of their pocket.

Hit me up guys.

Thanks

Thanks for the alert. My '06 A6 Avant w/ 57K miles on it doesn't any oil leaks yet, but I will certainly keep an eye for any oil issues and advise.

May also be a good idea to always request to physically go into the shop and talk with the techs to see with your own eyes. I don't trust these guys 100% and of course theres always room for human error so if you do see a leak and its not detected, I would be as persistent as possible and not leave the shop until they verify where its coming from.

The oil leak on the 3.2 is a known problem and Audi has issued a TSB. I believe the old leak TSB is included in my TSB library.

oil leaking from covers at the back of head and valve covers (that was on my invoice). I was at 40k, now on 50k miles.

Here it is but it does not mention the 3.2 http://uberlame.com/a6_tsb/Engine/Oi...ne%20Areas.pdf-

Since I am the person who created the TSB library I am familiar with it.

3.2 not listed in your TSB Library .....
 

Since you are familiar with this library, as you created it , PLEASE show us where it lists the 3.2, instead of the wiseness..



Models Affected:
Engine Model Engine Code
A4 ATW, AWM, AMB
1.8T Cabriolet AMB
TT ATC, AWP, AMU, BEA
2.8 V6
A4 AHA, ATQ
A6 AHA, ATQ
2.7 V6T
S4 APB
A6, allroad APB, BEL
A6, S6 ART, AWN, BBD
4.2 V8 A8, S8 AKB, AUX, AYS, BFM
RS6 BCY

I didn't reference that TSB

12-22-2012, 09:20 AM #4
KevinGary
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The oil leak on the 3.2 is a known problem and Audi has issued a TSB. I believe the old leak TSB is included in my TSB library.
__________________
Original owner of a 2005 A6 4.2 - Night Blue Pearl Effect, Platinum Voltera Leather and Wood Interior, Navigation, Premium Sound, Sirius Satelite, DVD Player with Screens in Headrests, Heated Front and Rear Seats, Heated Steering Wheel, Ski Sack & Headlight Washers, Advanced key, Hartmann S8 Summer Wheels, Continental DW (Summer), Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 (Winter), Solar Sunroof, Power Rear & Manual Side Sunshades, Rear Side Airbag Supplemental Restraints, Rear Parktronic, Voice Recognition, Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Bi-Xenon Adaptive Headlights, Power Adjustable Steering Column, Auto Dimming and Compass Interior Mirror, Power Folding and Dimming Exterior Mirrors, Memory Seats, Trip Computer, Homelink, Storage Package, H&R Rear Sway Bar, Koni FSD dampers.

TSB Library link (Thanks to Dr. Cold for his help in setting this up) http://uberlame.com/a6_tsb/

My 2006 Avant has this problem. Blows oil out during hard acceleration. I was just told that it was coming from the timing covers...

Mine had the same problem took to a indie and seemed to fix the problem by tightening everything and changing a valvle in the crankcase ventilation system. tightening valve covers, and timing chain covers.. oh and put a new oil filter housing seal..+ a oil change. all said and done $800

Were they able to tighten the timing covers without pulling the engine? If not - what a job that would be!

I read somewhere that a blocked PCV valve could cause the oil leak but it seemed to more affect the 3.0.

They did it all without dropping the engine. Thank God. Not a good feeling when they have to do that.

AlteredEgo79, I sent a PM to you regarding the AoA case and was wondering how I could possibly have mine checked under the same potential issue...please PM me...thanks

It is not necessary to drop the engine to reseal the timing chain covers, it can be done in the car. I've resealed chain covers on 3.2L a lot and it is a common problem. The covers use sealant not a gasket and over time they start to leak just like any other cover on the cars. Its really not all that different than getting a leak from the cylinder head covers. Over time and depending on the climate around you will determine how long it takes for them to start leaking.

I recently installed new valve cover gaskets on both sides, but would also like to reseal the timing chain covers...is there a writeup on this?

Oil Leaks Recently Found in Service Check
 

I recently had 2 oil leaks found when I had to turn my Audi A6 3.2 in early because the oil light came on 3000 miles before the next due oil change. The leaks found were Valve Cover Gasket and the Rear Timing Chain Cover. After seeing this forum I am wondering if I also have a case to have this issue fixed as a recall by Audi.

Any help or advice is welcomed.

Let me know if you have received any new information on getting this issued fixed as a recall from Audi..? I have 2 leaks in the valve cover area and rear timing chain gasket cover at the moment. Thanks

I had to do mine at 48,000 miles. :(

I too have a small leak on my 2006 Audi A6 3.2. Not sure where it's coming from.

oil leak
 

If you call my shop on Monday I will look it up for you

Ask for Allan. Or email us at baydiagnostic.com

I bought my 2010 A6 3.0T last Oct with it reading 48k. Car was certified used and the night I drove home I noticed smoke coming from engine compartment. When I delivered car back to dealership next morning they found that both timing chain cover gaskets were leaking. They repaired problem under warranty but I guess failed to top with oil. Picked car up and 2 hours later the engine locked up due to lack of lubrication. Dealership replaced locked unit with a new long block.

I recently just found out that my 05 3.2 is leaking from Valve Cover Gasket and the Rear Timing Chain Cover. I fixed both valve cover gasket L and R side and sealed it with the Benz seal since it's stronger than the Audi seal. The Timing chain cover the shop say should cost me around $2k as a favor without taking out the motor. Let me know what AOA have to say because this makes no damn sense.

Any updates on this issue? My 2008 A6 3.2 is leaking from the rear timing chain cover as well. I bought it as a certified pre-owned so its under warranty until the end of this year, however the dealer told me its not covered because they only cover stage 3 oil leaks. Mine is classified as a stage 1. They quoted me at $800 which i wouldn't mind paying if it wasn't still under warranty. Not sure what to do, any ideas?

Guys, i had this taken care of. after numerous contacts with AOA reps I was able to get my issue escalated to an Executive Case Specialist at the Audi Customer Experience Center. Luckily I had copies of all my previous service records detailing my concern on the oil leak for over 80k miles. (Of which I was always told it was residual) .
This was a very time consuming process for me which took over 2 months to have the issue accepted and granted for repair under Audi. I had to fight for my rights, I pretty much acted as my own lawyer, gathering evidence and not giving up throughout the process. It wasn't easy, but in the end I saved almost 4k and Audi finally did what was right. Good luck to all of you guys! May the force be with you!

Does anyone know If I can get this gasket job done by audi out of warranty ?

A valve gasket job? I'm sure you can have them do it out of warranty and they will charge you for it. BTW, almost any mechanic worth their salt can do this job, it's quite easy.

Yes but I notice an oil leak from behind the motor underneath a wide cover on both sides. I thought it was the timing chain cover? The valve cover in is on the top not the back side of the engine right?

Thanks

yeah the rear of the engine is called the (rear cam covers) those are a bit harder, but can be done without having to pull the motor. I just fixed mine myself, where are you located huffy15? bring over a 6 pack of some craft beer

ahah yes you got the right word. I'm from Montreal, qc. I'm pretty far from the states however. I'll appreciate some help of course. I usually do it myself, but I just want to use the right sealing stuff to make sure it wont leak again.

How do you guys see the leak?
 

My wife is complaining that her 2006 A6 sometimes has a burning oil smell after having been driven for a while.

On the 3.2 do the valve cover gaskets come as a kit? I've seen some that supply valley seals and spark plug seals, not sure if they are for the 3.2. I would hate to tear it apart and find out that there more parts needed. Also what aftermarket sealer should we use and where does it get supplied? Thanks

In checking www.genuineaudiparts.com, the valve cover gaskets ($18.60 ea) are not a set (Note: there are left and right gaskets). You will also need the gasket for the spark plugs holes on each bank. Per the Bentley Repair Manual, there is no sealant used for the valve cover gaskets.

There are no gaskets for the timing chain covers at the rear of the engine, you just need rtv sealant. If you're talking about the intake valve covers on the top of the engine then that's not where it would leak oil. That's the air intake.

I have this problem too, on the left side at the rear there is a thick coating of oil and dirt on the top of the rear timing cover and the bottom of the oil filter housing, I always thought it was coming from the oil filter. I also had some smoke but it was the VC gasket, an easy fix, the 3.2 does not need separate spark plug gaskets, just the VC gasket. If anyone could do a tutorial for the "engine in" fix for this it would be great. As far as tightening the rear cover to slow down the leak, it might work because it's an RTV gasket but if you tighten a hard, brittle VC gasket it might make it worse (it did for me). I too mentioned this oily residue to the dealer while still under warranty and got the "normal to have some" answer.

Same with mine, especially in the garage. I changed the valve cover gaskets and still smelled it. Now it's in the shop all week for the rear cam seals (2nd time this was done). It was done once at 42,000 miles and now again at 83,000 miles.

REAR timing cover reseal
 

Anyone have tutorial DIY on our A6's ? I would like to tackle this job ASAP.

You should realize that changing the rear timing chain cover gaskets requires the engine to be removed from the vehicle, or at the very least the tranny to be dropped so you can gain access. It's a very labor intensive job and I'd recommend you read through the recent threads re chain guides. Good luck 🍀

Incorrect. You need a stubby ratchet, small hands and a lot of patience. The driver's side is harder than the passenger side.