2006 A4 2.0T quattro auto. I'm not sure what this is. It's on the back of the engine toward the passenger side of the car right up against the firewall. Looks like it has some lines coming off it that run to maybe a vacuum booster?



Closer up:



So, anyone know what it is and why it's covered in gunk (looks like oily dirt)? I'm not having to add oil between oil changes (5-6k miles). The only fluid I've had to top off recently is coolant, but this doesn't look like coolant to me.

Bonus points if you can give me an idea of what it's going to cost to fix whatever it is.

 

See that little ninety degree piece of plumbing? It leads to the break booster. The oil mist is leaking between where that plastic piece is attached to the vacuum pump. It's leaking cause it's a flawed design and it's an audi. There is a revision if you're up to changing it.

 

So it is oil? Do you have a part number for the revision or what it's technically called?

I just spent $1k on upper control arms and another N80 valve, so why not, eh?!

ETA: Is this it? http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B7_A4-...stem/ES437394/

 

You could've gotten a good set of upper ca's for less just so you know. Don't know if you're into working on your own car though.

The part is the vacuum pump. The plastic piece is fastened to it more securely on the revision. Should be less than two hundred maybe...

 

Yeah, the $1k is not just the CA's. I priced out just buying the arms and doing it myself, but I really don't have the time and tools to do the job. I try to steer clear of anything that requires lifting the car. I would've just done the N80 myself, but by the time I got the part, some hose clamps to replace the crimped ones, and spent the time to do it it was just easier to have them do it for the $75 they're charging me (and they already have the car). Plus I need an alignment. Stuff adds up.

Looks like the vacuum pipe is $150 from ECSTuning. If that's all it is, I'll probably try and tackle that myself. Sucks to pay $150 for such a tiny thing, but that's Audi. The entire pump is another $340, so hopefully I don't have to replace that as well.

Thanks for chiming in with some help--I appreciate it!

 

No, you're going to have to replace the entire pump to solve it the right way. If you want to hack it, clean the area of all oil with brake cleaner and then jb weld the piece down tight. Almost all b7's leak there. Look at the vacuum pump on ecs's website and you'll know what I mean by the little black plastic outlet - that is the piece that vibrates, letting oil mist out. Most jb weld to save themselves three hondo.

 

Thanks. I guess I'll have to check the pipe to see if it looks like it needs replacing and order both if so. I haven't noticed any major problems with braking (I think a total of 2 times the pedal has felt hard, but as soon as I let up and hit it again, it was fine), so hopefully, it's just leaking at that connection. Looks like that pump is a pain to get out given the proximity to the firewall. Once I recover from this repair bill, I'll spring for the pump (ECS has a couple non-OE ones for nearly $100 less than the VAG part) and the coolant flange and try tackling those jobs myself. Of course, I'll probably break three other things along the way, but that's half the fun, right?

 

I'd just clean it off and jb weld the byotch and save yourself the money. Mine leaks very slow, but as with yours if you lightly pull on that outlet you'll see it has some play. Nine out of ten b7 owners do the jb weld route. The outlet isn't sold separately, you have to buy the entire part. If you do decide to do the coolant flange, the replacement of both would be a perfect combo job since you'll have more room to work with when removing the flange. I did mine not removing anything out of the way except for the coolant reservoir and it was quite the challenge, but doable.