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One of the more irritating leaks mine had was a small, double o-ring gasket underneath the oil filter supply tube, which is under the intake. So after removing the intake, fuel rails, everything else associated with that, I saw how caked my valves were so I ended up doing a walnut blast while I was in there. Full service records and just about 120,xxx miles and it didn't even look like air could flow past the valves they were so caked up with goo (wish I'd kept those pics)., it never missed and she ran smooth, the response was noticeably better after I did this.... A few months after doing that repair as well as just dealing with whatever electrical gremlins were present at the time, I started smelling burnt oil again ever so slightly and I believe that was the last straw. That weekend I found myself at the Toyota dealer......... So I fixed my leak, with a used 4runner, the payment is probably less than what I was spending just trying to keep up with the problems that wouldn't quit. I miss the power and more solid feel of the Audi, but not the headaches. Good luck to all! Not Audi
this may help some people..... this causes it to look like the front crank seal is leaking because the oil flows forward through the valley and through a hole right above the pulley.....
Hello all,
please see the pictures in the attached link. This was the solution to the problem I described early on in this post. I worked on it for about 5 weeks every evening and spend a total of 5.5k on parts and special tools.
The bottom line, after 120k on this engine, every o-ring is backed out and the sealant is not far off either. Timing chains are a must in that age since the plastic gliders are falling appart.
Now, a year later with almost 10k on it, no leaks and she purres like a kitten.
Hello all,
please see the pictures in the attached link. This was the solution to the problem I described early on in this post. I worked on it for about 5 weeks every evening and spend a total of 5.5k on parts and special tools.
The bottom line, after 120k on this engine, every o-ring is backed out and the sealant is not far off either. Timing chains are a must in that age since the plastic gliders are falling appart.
Now, a year later with almost 10k on it, no leaks and she purres like a kitten.
I too have a Q7 4.2 with massive oil leaks. The first was the leak from the weep hole at the left front of the engine that was cured with a new PCV filter ($90 US) Current is the crank case seal which I am undertaking today. Bought the special tools, VAG # T40048 (installer) and T40019 remover. I purchased the shop manual for this vehicle and those were the tool numbers it showed. Currently pours oil out at the rate of 1qt every 60 miles or so. Leaks got worse after high pressure fuel pump failed on right side of engine dumping 4 gallons of gas into the crankcase. I too have electrical gremlins which prompted me to buy the Ross-Tech software to plug into the OBD. Left outside taillight has never worked and cant seem to trace that one down. Car has 126K on it and is mechanically one of the worst I've ever owned. I had a Ford F-250 super duty gas that didn't leak any oil on the ground with 434,000 miles on it. Hope I can get this leak fixed enough to get rid of it
I just finally did our valve covers as those were leaking bad and it really cut down the amount of oil lost but now its changed where the leaks run as it smells like toxic waste burning all the time now if we don't use the recycle air setting.
We need to do the crankcase seal too and the oil filter housing but am not bothering. Interesting as we get the same brake light or tail light error on the left side randomly too, I chalked it up to an old battery so changed it out finally and will see.
I have about the same amount of miles too (we might be at 134k) and with all the leaks, now the intake manifold flaps are stuck (guessing carbon) and the cats are bad so I can't get it inspected I have Audi suspicions. Like you we have had a Pathfinder with 260k miles with none of these issues (until the motor blew lol)
02-15-2019, 04:44 AM
