pablo_ottawa

I'm the victim of the infamous leaking valve cover gasket and have been since I got the car. I've had the VCG replaced about five times which only lasts about 3 months before the damm thing leaks again and IN THE SAME SPOT ARGH!!! The rest of the time I just live with the toxic fumes and bring the window down when I can.

I've never tried a Stop leak solution in my engine because you car gods like to freak everyone out with ONLY CERTIFIED BY THE GERMAN DEMIGODS THEMSELVES fluids trip... And I agree with that but I'm due for an oil change soon and I want to know if putting in some Wynn's Stop leak can prevent this infinitesimally small leak from rearing it's ugly head once again.

All I want to do is add the stop leak, run the car for about 100 or so miles and then drain the sucker, replace the oil filter and put the good stuff in with NO stop leak.... Just to see if it works. How bad can that be right?

cyrusli

Where exactly is it leaking from? Just thinking out loud, could it be something else causing the leak? ie, chain tensioner on the rear of the engine, valve cover edge not strait, edges not clean? didn't purchase the gasket directly from Audi?..

pablo_ottawa

The leak is at the back just to the left of the coolant temp sensor and causes the oil to drip onto a very hot part of the exhaust whereby the fumes make their way into the cabin when the car is stops. It seems to only happen in cycles as in, it leaks when the heat and pressure are great enough like for example, I get off the highway and stop at a light. Right then and there ill start to smell burnt oil for a minute or two and then it goes away. Tensioner is fine, VC edge seems fine. Mechanic never said anything about it and TAPP Auto is VERY good about mentioning these things. Clean??? Not sure since the TAPP is the last people who did the VCG and yes they are genuine Audi parts. I know because I worked for Mark Motors Hunt Club and TAPP used to come in all the time to pick up parts.

If I remember correctly, the spot where it's leaking is a very common spot and the VCG is known to leak there all the time. I'm thinking that when the weather bets better I'll try doing it myself and see if that makes a difference. Still though, for the winter time I'd like to just patch it temporarily hence the Stop leak.

cyrusli

i meant the chain tensioner gasket, the half moon rubber gasket located at the rear of the engine. It is a separate piece (not to be arrogant). if that leaks, it goes with all the symptoms you've mentioned. it will drip onto the coolant flange and the coolant sensor, often it ruins the coolant flange gasket and eventually cause a coolant leak right about the exhaust, assuming you have a 1.8T.

pablo_ottawa

Ahhh. OK I get it now. Yeah it *could* be that. I'm not sure as I wasn't the one to replace the VCG but it seems to fit the puzzle. Still though, I don;t know how this can happen again after the fourth VCG replacement.

cyrusli

It's a different piece. the normal gasket kit does not come with it. You need to specifically ask for that to be replaced (people usually do it altogether with the VCG). You will need to take the valve cover off to access it anyway. If TAPP is an Audi shop, they will have the tools and know what you're talking about. Have them check it. I know there's a special tool that needs to go in to push the tensioner down, and there are quite a few DIY with photos online as well.

Here's an example: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...et-replacement

pablo_ottawa

OK.. you know what I'll get them to do it again and this time I'll ask about the chain tensioner gasket. I'm also guessing that they just didn't use enough RTV sealant on the gasket. Knowing that it's gonna be my fifth replacement I'll tell them to pack it on along the entire gasket and not the key spots as described in the Bentley manual

I used to replace the VCG on my old GTI with the 1.8 engine which was super simple but this beast???? I'm too nervous.

cyrusli

me too.. some days I don't even know where to start. hope this has helped and hopefully it'll be the end of the leak.

to be honest, I would suggest against anything that claims to stop a leak. if it hardens to stop leaks, one could only imagine what it'll do to the rest of the internals.

Audi Tech

I hope the shop is not charging you for these repairs, if you had it back to them 5 times I would look for a new shop because that sounds like they are incompetent as they should have diagnosed the leak properly... As Cyrus stated stay away from "stop leak" products as they can do more damage than good!

pablo_ottawa

Audi_tech:

No that's not the case..... These guys are very straight forward and the five times were throughout the span of the time that I owned the car. Every single time I mentioned that the leak had reoccurred I either took it back and it was re done free of charge or I just got tired of it and sucked it up because I would always have to:
- Drop off the car
- Be without a car for an entire day
- Get a ride to go pick it up

It's a lot of BS that should not even happening.

Tapp Auto did the last VCG job because I got sick and tired of the guys who were screwing it up... So, when it leaked after their VCG job 2 years ago, they gladly gave me the option to return and have them redo it but I just never went. So this time I'm voluntarily giving up any entitlement to a freebie because after 2 years I really don't think it's fair to raise this issue with them.

I'll pay for it again but rest assured, if it leaks, I'll definitely be sending it back to which I'm sure they will happily redo it free of charge. I've been with them for a long time and they've always been up front and honest about the work they did.

Let's see what happens....