This is my problem...Am a complete newbie to audis and so appreciate help here. I bought this old 98 Audi A4 Q, 2.8L. And now it has some kind of burning smell coming from under the bonnet whenever i drive the car for even 10 minutes. Firestone says its a oil leak from the gasket valves and that he has to cahnge the Engine Gasket valve set and that would cost about 350 dollars.

He also suggests i change the seals at the rear differential output on both the ends, and that would be a cool 350 bucks up at the Audi service center. One of the forum posts here said that i dont do this latter one unless the differential oils really leaking onto the ground, which it is not.

What do you guys say regarding both the issues?

Thanks
Varun R

 

I'd say that the burning smell may well be oil burning off, and if so it's very possible that your valve cover gaskets are leaking. Take a look along the seam of the valve cover and see if there are signs of seepage. If so, you can order a set of valve cover gaskets from www.ecstuning.com for $50 (that will do both heads), and the install will only take you an hour or so, and most likely less if you have some mechanical aptitude (it's a straightforward swap) and some basic tools (you won't need much for it). I'd do that first, and then see if the smell goes away. As for the diff seals, if the fluid's not leaking out, why exactly is he saying you should change the seals? Did he show you some visible sign that would suggest you should?

Oh, and you probably don't want Firestone working on your Audi's engine like that - find a reputable independent euro shop so you can sleep more easily at night.

 

bang on...thats what he said. that there is leakage and that he found it out pretty easily. Audi dealer said that the OEM part # for the gasket valve set was 078198025. And that it cost $70 per side. so that was 140 for both sides of the engine. But ecstuning (http://www.ecstuning.com/stage/edpd/...;engine=V6+30v) says its 50 for the both of em. Is this fine? Sorry for so manyh questions, but am new to this and am trying to make this work out as low cost as possible.

And one last question... can i do this myself? if there is not much chance of messing things up... is there any place online where i can see how it is done and follow instructions? Or do i pay around 120 bucks for a mechanic (thats what they are asking for labor) and get it done?

Thanks for your reply...

 

Audi dealerships will kill you with their prices. The VC gaskets from ECS are what I used to replace mine, and many others have too - they're fine and are nothing you have to worry about quality-wise. Here's a thread I posted recently after I did mine:

https://www.audiforums.com/m_854219/tm.htm

There's a few tips in there about what to prepare for.

As for whether you can do it yourself, it depends on a few things. First off, the job itself is very easy, very basic. Do you have tools? You're going to need basic screwdrivers, some sockets (mainly 10mm), and a ratchet. I'd advise using a 1/4" drive just because the tools themselves are smaller and easier to get into the tighter spots. A swivel socket is handy as well, and you'll probably want a 3" and a 6" extension. That's about it really. On the driver's side, you have to remove the screws that mount the coolant overflow tank, and pivot that out of the way, disconnect the breather tube from the nozzle on the rear of the valve cover (be VERY careful with this, as it'll almost certainly break - seal it back up by wrapping it in electrical tape), unplug the spark wires from the plugs, and undo the 8 10mm nuts that secure the valve cover. That's it. You'll see down along the side, after you move the overflow tank, there's a thin heat shield down there - you may need to push against it to bend it slightly out of the way so you have clearance for the ratchet, but otherwise, it's straight-ahead work.

For the passenger side, you need to remove the airbox on your car (easy enough - you'll find the bolts as you go), unbolt the dipstick tube from the head (a single bolt) so you can move it away to give yourself room, unplug the breather hose from the nozzle at the front of the valve cover (identical to the one on the driver side), and you may need to unclip the fuel lines where they're anchored in a clip rack to the bulkhead (you'll see which ones I mean when you start working on it - you're not breaking the system open, but are just pulling the lines out of a plastic mount that secures them, so you can move around more easily). Again, undo the plug wires, take off the 8 10mm nuts, and remove the cover. Remove the old gaskets, install the new ones, and reassemble.

When you reassemble the driver's side cover, there's a very thin tube that runs from the back center of the engine down to the evap canister in the lower driver's front corner of the bay (look down behind the headlight - it's the blue canister, and the line comes off the top of it). That line runs right behind the timing belt backplate on the driver's side, just in front of the leading edge of the valve cover. It will almost certainly get caught, and will likely break too. Replace the broken section with a length of vacuum hose, and you're good to go. In the pics that are in the post I linked you to, look closely at the first pic, and on the driver's side, right in front of the valve cover, you'll see a red hose that almost blends into the red paint on the valve cover - that's a piece of silicone hose that I used to repair the broken evap line.

It may seem like a lot, but take a look at doing it yourself - it's really very straightforward and easy, and despite reading what might seem like a complicated procedure, I think you'll find that it's one of the easier DIY jobs that you can do yourself.

 

Not too sure if you got this as an email from me...

You probably are wondering why am mailing you direct... well, i found your suggestions very interesting and was wondering if you could teach me how to do what you said. I wouldnt do it alone myself cos i am nervous.. and would love to learn how to do it along with someone who has done it. Dont mistake me for trying to save on money,... i am not. I can even pay you for this, the same i would pay any mechanic, cos i am really interested in learning how to do this.... not for any commercial interest, but just a desire to learn. I can come to NY if you are interested.

Just for the record, i am a software engineer, working with GE Commercial Finance in Danbury, CT.

Thanks again for the suggestions. And no, i wont feel bad if you refuse to do what i have requested.