My A8 started leaking oil all over the ground while i was driving so a parked it and the next day i took it to a mechanic and he mentioned that he had a similar problem with an A4. he told me the oil filter wasnt leaking it was the adapter the filter was screwed onto. he also mentioned that this was a common problem, now.. he ddint even look at the car and just told me that this was the problem. is this a common problem, and if so how much am i look at for this part?

thanks alot
josh

 

Adapter? What year and engine is your car?

A8's use a filter element (paper & rubber), with either a cap that bolts to OR a "jar" with o-ring that screws directly on to the metal oil cooler/filter housing...depending on year/engine.

The o-ring can harden and leak on the "jar" type...jar is made of plastic (I have this type). Jar could crack, I suppose. This type also has an allen head drain plug in the bottom center of jar.

I've only seen drawings of the cap and long bolt type (3.7 & 4.2 32v engines, ABZ & AEW)...not sure what the cap's made of or type seal. This type seems to have an off-center drain plug on the cap.

But all types use paper element that fits into metal oil cooler/filter housing.

 

My car is a 1999, 4.2L
so you are saying that it could be the seal on the filter?

 

oh yeah and this "adapter" im talking about.. is this what your saying is the jar?
cause with any other engine its just been a hole in the side of the block fo rthe filter right? lool

 

Yep, that's the best case.

Worst case is oil cooler or oil cooler seal leaking.

I'd try to wipe it clean and look for the origin. Cooler is in housing above filter. If oil is coming from ABOVE filter cap or jar seal (where it connects to metal housing) could be an oil cooler leak. That could be expensive.

Middle case: Leak from even higher up making it's way to (or near) filter housing...valve cover seal, cam seal, etc...

Catastrophic case: Warped head, cracked block or similar

NO mechanic can make this judgment without actually looking...gotta see exactly where it's dripping (running?) from, to start the search and make sure it's not something else unrelated to any of the above.

Not tryin to scare ya...I just always like to hear the best case AND worst case from my doctor

 

Depends on if you have a 32v 4.2 or 40v 4.2.

The 40v has the jar...looks kind of like a standard filter (with filter drain plug on end).

The 32V has a flat cap with 2 bolt heads (one is filter drain plug).

I have no idea why he calls it an "adapter"...unless you have some kind of after market adapter that takes standard filters (which I've never heard of). Otherwise the jar or cap is simply a sealed cover for the paper filter element.

If it's only a leaking seal (hopefully) it's a seal for the filter cover...the filter itself is under that cap (or jar) and has no seal of it's own.

 

Well thanks man. i appreiciate the help soo much. sucks when i have to drive (trailering in this case) 2 hours to calgary to get any work done on it.

 

not a clue?
where can i find this out?

i think he was just calling it an adapter, trying to dumb it down for mee ahah

 

After lookin it up, I believe '99 models have the 32V 4.2, which should have the flat cap instead of the jar over the oil filter element.

My 40V 4.2 ('01 A8) has "5V" on the plastic covers on the heads on both sides of engine. I don't believe the 32V models say anything on these covers (except the Audi rings logo).

In any case, the filter is under the front left (looking from front of car) of engine, behind the alternator.