AAN oil pan gasket

[ottawa coupe]

So, ever since i got my s6 back together, i have been dealing with the occaisional burning oil smell. It has been a bit of a comedy of issues....first the turbo seal failed, then the oil line gasket to the turbo failed, then the oil filter got warped/deformed....

Fixed all that.

Still have a burning smell but less so.

Today i got fed up, put it on the hoist, emptied over a can of brake cleaner on the bottom of the engine, and went on a 30km round trip.

I can finally say i know the leak is between oil sump and block.

So here's the question: when i had the engine out for a refresh a few years back (covid times) i replaced the gasket dry (no sealant). The old one was dry (factory original from 97) and the manual does not specify any sealant.

No idea now what brand of gasket (probably victor reinz) but are there ones that seal better than others? Just break out the tube of hylomar and seal it?

Either way is gonna suck as the oil in it has about 500kms on it

[Tractor Dave]

I have started using the spray stuff on the gasket which works really well and no chance of getting any in the sump pickup. I used it on all the seals ( apart from head gasket) on my Rs2 build last year and nothing leaked at all.

[Tractor Dave]

I used this stuff



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[ottawa coupe]

Hylomar in a spray??? Science is fantastic lol.

No matter what though, that baffle plate is going to make the experience a nightmare... sigh.

[ottawa coupe]

Well, cross your fingers that i don't have to deal with the sump. Took another look tonight and noticed that the left side of the gearbox was pretty grotty and there was a crust on the pipe that went underneath it. The gearbox mount behind it was pretty dirty too. Grease from the inner cv?? I note that the smell happens after a good highway run. On a hunch i popped it off to take a look and whaddya know, i didn't put a gasket on the inner joint. Luckily i had one on my shelf of plenty and put it back together. Everything is clean now, hopefully this does it?

The prospect of pulling the sump while in the car does NOT excite me

after a few doses of brake cleaner, this is how it looks, hopefully it's gonna stay this way??? 20260525_190317.jpg 20260525_190251.jpg 20260525_190207.jpg 20260525_190243.jpg 20260525_190237.jpg 20260525_190222.jpg

[ottawa coupe]

Well, this is interesting. Decided to take a peek between meetings this morning. Smoking gun??

20260526_102458.jpg

This would be weird though as i DID check the plug and level of gear oil. I removed it and it seemed to be right....nothing came out....is it wicking in the threads???? Put some thread sealant on it?

[Tractor Dave]

A little on the last few threads will do no harm. They are meant to be tapered threads so seal as tightened but i always use a little rtv

[ottawa coupe]

Just take me behind the barn n get ot over with wouldja???

Drove the car to the office today. Over 100kms round trip. Still smells. But different. Exhaust. Got home and found that one of the bolts on the wastegate flex joint was quite loose. I put a new turbo in last year, maybe the hardware needs a little snugging up.

Officially official that i gotta drop the sump. Wettest at the joint between sump and block at the back beneath the starter. That's not an immediate job though.

The new one that is making me very is i have a fuel leak between filler neck and tank. To repair, i need to drop the tank. To drop the tank, gotta drop the rear end. At least tradition has the rubber section??

Exhaust i'll deal with when it's cold, oil leak can wait. Fuel tank though... that is a tough one. Just don't totally fill it for now? Or drop it all as well as the gearbox, put the tdi 6 speed and NOS 3.89 rear end in "while i'm there".

[ottawa coupe]

I should start another project thread even though it's the wrong car lol.

source of the smell has been found. All of the nuts holding the manifold to the head had started backing off. I got 1/8 to 1/4 turn on the 10 i could reach from the top. So, i guess i'm getting new ones next week lol. Hopefully i can get at the bottom ones only taking the airbox out.

Took a peek into the tdi box as well. Either it's low miles or very frequent fluid changes because it is VERY clean in the 2 spots i opened. I don't think i'll need to open the can of worms that would be a full syncro inspection/rebuild.

20260530_154941.jpg 20260530_152755.jpg 20260530_152750.jpg 20260530_152759.jpg

For now, i'm just gonna get the manifold nuts and seal that up and short the fuel tank ~10l.

procrastination will once again be the name of the game for a while. Maybe i'll pay to have the coupe painted and while that's gone, go the full 9 yards on this. Insane that i am seriously considering engine removal cuz of a stupid oil pan leak. That windage tray design