A8nightmare

Well I thought I would post this in case anyone ever has this leak on there car. Mine is a 2005. If you end up with this dreaded small drip coming through the bell housing here is what you are in for. The leak is from the cover behind the flywheel. The torx bolts come loose and oil seeps around the paper gasket on the cover. It is a poor design if you ask me and you will have to have the engine out to fix it. Check out the pics. Any questions on it let me know.

Edd W

Is the engine out purely to fix that leak?

A8nightmare

Yes, Just for that leak no other way to fix it. It was not a lot of fun, but it is all back together now.

s4master1

you can just remove the transmission and replace the seal flange, quite less work than removing the engine just for the seal.
my 2 cents.

A8nightmare

Really have you done this job before??? If you have done it before you should know you have to replace the rear cover gasket and rear main seal, which is pressed into the cover?? Sounds like you haven't had any experience with this ....Note, Removing the transmission is just as much work if not more than removing the engine. Since you put your 2 cents, I would like to see your photos of the removed transmission for this job and your seal flange replacement to fix this(Not sure what that is exactly). I always like it when comments are just thrown in with no facts to back it up.

Now for facts: Transmission removal was an obvious first choice when we took on the project, but after researching the job including the advice of two 30yr+ Audi techs we chose the engine removal. One of which assisted with the job.(Thanks Jeff).

That being said I would like to see some proof regarding your 2 cents claim on an D3 A8..... If you can show me something I don't already know about the 05 A8 I would gladly take your 2 cents, but please don't just state something without backing it up with facts. I would really like you to show all of us otherwise. I will be waiting to see.

Just facts no cents

s4master1

Randomly I take pictures of things we do at the shop, However we are talking D3 V8 right?
If so yes is easier to remove just the tranny than the entire assembly together.
that said even the 12 cylinder engine transmission can be removed like that.
AESIS specifies on the V12 to remove together with engine but we had it done without as we don't have the 10k table for this operation or a truck to carry from the dealer.
tell you audi tech to read aesis to verify this, it take us less than 2 hours to remove it.
on your car you needed the following,
077-103-171-N sealing flange $318.00
077-103-181-h gasket $ 13.50
we always have one set in stock together with the bolts as they also rust on the driver's side.
this is a very old design going back to the 3.7 engine and even earlier.
did you remember to replace the oil cooler pipe and seals while you had the engine out?

A8nightmare

Are you seeing something that I am not?? Here is a breakdown of the engine...Note part #31 and #29...that is what needed to be replaced. #31 is a gasket for $8 and #29 the rear main is $26. Why would you replace the aluminum cover aka..sealing flange. Nothin goes wrong with the cover unless its cracked. If you can drop the trans in under 2hrs and get all the seals replaced that fast I should have brought it to you...I don't buy it but what the heck maybe my Audi tech and yours went to different Audi schools.

s4master1

Where did you get that picture from?
Etka release 7.2 update 853 does not show it like that, the seal is not available separately it comes with the complete flange.
reason why?, the flange has been updated because of porous material in old design allowing it to contract more than required and eventually allowing bolts to become loose.
hope you used a good sealer on that gasket and thread locker in the bolts.

s4master1

I can remove the transmission in 2 hours, replacing the seals and all that is another story.
am sure we went to the same school at one point or another, am gone to almost all of them.
Carson, Westlake, Ontario CA, Ontario CAN, Luwika Seattle, Livermore, Phoenix and Atlanta, where I compete in the technician challenge.
However all my training was done thru Porsche not Audi.

A8nightmare

Of course we did...Got the parts directly from Audi...they sold just the gasket and rear main.

Anyways sorry didn't mean to get short, but I have put a lot of work into th car and trying to make useful posts. I appreciate your advice..maybe next time.....Still don't know what cooler lines your referring to.