I5 20vt Engines - Oil Leaks higher up the engine

[macspring]

I5 20vt oil leaks on the exhaust side, as the front and rear of the engine.

Rear one is where the head mates with the block, and the front one is where the cam cover meets the head.

What is the best way to fix them without 'rebuilding' the engine ?

It seems to be the same on all now 18 year old original I5 engines that have not been recently rebuilt.

Thanks for any advice or comments.

[UrS4boy]

I5 20vt oil leaks on the exhaust side, as the front and rear of the engine.
Rear one is where the head mates with the block, and the front one is where the cam cover meets the head.

Rear one = head gasket or seepage from a failed cam cover gasket

Front one = cam cover gasket

Solution: Replace the cam cover gasket and see how things improve.

Pay special attention to the half-moons. Use RTV

The gasket (item 17) comes with two half-moons and the seals for the spark plug wells. IMO, the only sealant needed for a new gasket set is under and on-top of the half moons at the back of the head (that are used to seal the point where the rifle-drilling of the cam caps pierced the head). The sealant, e.g. RTV red silicon, is used primarily to make sure the half moons stay in place during placement of the gasket and the reinstallation of the cam cover. (IMO) That said using RTV on other mating surfaces with the gasket is done as well.

[Mcstiff]

It's pretty likely that the rear is simply running down from above. Before you start pulling anything apart, replace the oil cap gasket. When they leak it looks a lot worse than it is.

[AndyP]

As above, change the cam cover gasket first. Mine weeped from the rear corner above the exhaust, I checked the head and cover for flatness, torqued it to spec with a new gasket and it still weeped, only way I got it to seal was to use a thin smear of sealant on another new gasket.

[macspring]

Apologies, I've had another look at this. # 17 - the cam cover gasket, half moons and some decent judiciously applied gasket sealant should fix it for me.

Thanks again.

[UrS4boy]

Apologies, I've had another look at this. # 17 - the rocker cover gasket, half moons and some decent judiciously applied gasket sealant should fix it for me.

Find me a "rocker" under the cam cover and I will eat it.

[macspring]

Apologies, mis-description corrected in my previous post.

I just wanted to check that you were paying attention. but I should't have wasted my time.

Joking aside, thanks Dave.

Stay well.

[mackenzie50]

Find me a "rocker" under the cam cover and I will eat it.

Haha....I remember some years ago us having the old 'rocker' cover /cam cover contretemp!!

and yup, mine on my 3B leaked after replacing carefully

[mcandmar]

Bet you €10 the gasket that comes out is as hard as plastic. From memory Audi wants €40-50 for that single gasket so your better off buying the reniz head kit and keeping the rest of the bits until you need them. ...which you will eventually.

[Bowie69]

Recently replaced mine with an Elring item, as one corner of it was damaged, fitted with no sealant anywhere and doesn't leak a drop. TBH, if they are flexible when they come off, and no obvious crimp/damaged points, they are probably OK to reuse if on a budget, as are most rubber gaskets. Was nice to fit, clipped into place on the cover and stayed there(!). My old one wasn't hard, but then the head had been off about 40K ago.

Think my oil pressure switch has started leaking again though (was replaced less than 2 years ago, after immediate failure upon getting an MOT and alignment!)

[liggy]

leave it too long and this is the mess you will find...

[Bowie69]

Yes, that was almost what the left hand side of mine looked like. Aside from not wanting to waste oil, the biggest driver was to stop it from producing a hot oil smell where it leaks onto the (tubular) exhaust manifold.

Even with the 7A wrap-over manifold it didn't take that long in reality, couple of hours or so.