BTW, I also used the blauparts kit. It worked out beautifully. And I also agree with Jackmup that plastic/rubber parts are brittle. A few of my vacuum hoses broke and I replaced them with standard rubber hose from a local parts store.

 

Did the blauparts kit about 60k miles ago. Call them and ask them if there is anything missing from the kit that they recommend you replace. They'll tell you. In my case, there was one tensioner that I had to buy separately (a timing belt damper, GH24017).

 

The reason it is important is because you are most likely seeping or leaking from other areas that you are about to resolve with new gaskets and seals. When you re-establish full oil pressure it may be enough to cause the older ones that were currently not leaking to leak. Blau has a nice little tool that screws into the seal to get it out but there are more than one way to skin that cat. However with their tool you can do the job with the lock hanging there. With out the tool you need to move the lock off to the side drill holes in the seal and use a slide hammer and screws to get it out. Problem is Time!, how much have you got. Mine doesn't leak and each time I go in there I run out of time. I figure I'll have to dedicate a weekend just for that, because the timing pulley does not in anyway look like it's going to cooperate and simply come off.

 

Blauparts website actually has a write up about the crank pulley issue.

http://www.blauparts.com/audi_techni...t_pulley.shtml

Basically you have to be really careful to remove the crank pulley.

 

Warning:
If you remove the crank pulley you will have to replace the crank bolt, as is torque-to-yield.
I don't know why Blaufernungen doesn't warn about the need to replace it, even if only loosened up. Bentley is very strict on the crank bolt issue: "ALWAYS REPLACE".

 

I just got my parts from Blau and they include a warning about the risk involved with replacing the crank seal - same that hxgaser posted the link to. So I will need to weigh the risk of potentially braking the key on the crank pulley against repacing the seal. I guess if there are NO signs of leak, I should leave well enough alone. I do plan to replace the cam seals for sure. They do provide a tool for this in the tool rental kit, so no reason to NOT do it. They provide the 3 jaw puller tool as well to remove the cam pulleys. With any luck, I should have this completed tomorrow (fingers crossed).