I have installed the oil seal repair kit and breather hose system from Blauparts on my '01. I've repeatedly re-installed the cam cover seals, and repeatedly failed to stop the leaks from both cylinder banks. This has been driving me crazy for months.

I managed to work up the courage make one last attempt at this, for in truth I never really understood where exactly the oil was leaking from. So I tore the engine bay apart again, this time completely removing the airbox and -- crucially -- the exhaust header heat shields. (Removing the bottom bolts on these shields is a kick in the jewels, by the way.) But lo and behold, I discovered this:



This is the passenger's side. The driver's side isn't quite this bad, but the signature is the same: Oil spot just upstream of the flange. My mirror-on-a-stick showed me this:







So there was oil on the cam cover seal and on the outboard, firewall-side corner of the cylinder bank, but seemingly not enough oil around the cam cover to produce a puddle like that. And no active drips.

I started up the engine with everything torn apart, with a mind to actually see the oil drip-drip-dripping onto the exhaust header. As usual, there was a tremendous amount of smoke but I didn't see any actual dripping at all -- nothing. So I scratched my head.

I began to think that maybe I'm not dealing with a drip, but an ooze: The oil is oozing out, slowly but consistently, all the time. So I put a piece of shop towel underneath the outboard edge of the cylinder bank. Here's what I saw in the morning:



So there you have it: Oil is seeping out slowly but surely.

But here's my question: Where the hell is it coming from and how do I stop it? There just doesn't seem to be enough oil on the cam cover seal, but where else could it be coming from? Am I failing to install the seal properly (repeatedly)? I am not using any RTV at that corner -- only in the places where the manual says to. Have I installed the half-moon seal and/or cam chain tensioner seal incorrectly? I don't think I have -- they seemed to be seated exactly right when I installed them. And in any case, the these seals are at the opposite end of the cylinder bank on the driver's side. So this seems unlikely.

Before I blindly reinstall the cam cover seals again and slap a bunch of RTV on those corners, I hope someone could point out the error of my ways...

 

If the valve cover gasket on both banks have been replaced, and if both tensioner gaskets PLUS the half moon seals have been replaced properly, you shouldn't be leaking oil in that area.

There are plugs on the back of both heads. I am not positive so I'm not saying they are causing your leaks but maybe it has something to do with the plugs if you have already replaced all gaskets numerous times.

Then again, it is unlikely but possible that the valve cover had warped enough to cause clearances between the head, the gasket and the valve cover. I wouldn't go as far as to say the head got warped.

 

I had the same exact leaks when I redid my Cam tensioner...I had NEW seals and NEW HALF MOON seals....I had to take one side apart TWICE to get the NEW half moon seal and the cam tensioner gasket in there correctly (because maneuvering the tensioner in was a PITA and must have unseated it) with the tensioner gasket as well, my oil drip/leak was exactly like yours in the photos......it was slowly oozing out of the half moon seals (my deduction) out the back onto my exhaust manifold and down onto the exhaust below it as well...it's the half moon seals that are leaking IMO.....once I had the half moon seal and gasket seated correctly...my oil drip vanished...just remember, if it is leaking out of there, you'll need to drive it awhile AFTER replacing it (and it will smell like the oil is still leaking for awhile) to burn all the leakage off...but if it's in there correctly, you won't leak oil anymore....
i

 

[QUOTE=boettger1;1460344]

Try this. When you do your cam cover gaskets, 1) clean all the surfaces very well, 2) use new gaskets, 3) use Black RTV on the lower corners of the head, both sides of the gasket and on the cam cover. Use it sparingly and spread it along the surface about 6 inches horizontally and about 1 inch upwardly if that makes sense. Assemble. NOW listen. DO NOT start the engine for at least 24 hours. Allow the Black RTV to cure properly. You will not have any more oil leaks. Period. If you start the engine before the Black RTV is cured you will get to do it all over. Lots of posters here will disagree but what do you have to lose at this point. Your oil leaks, that's what!

 

I realized I never posted my final results here. The leak is almost completely stopped. My main problem was following the manual for the cam cap bolt tightening torque, which is ridiculously low. This time, instead of tightening to 7 N-m like the book says, I tightened until very snug. I also used RTV all along the outboard (downhill) edge of the mating surface, not just in the corners.

The leak on the passenger side has stopped completely, but I'm still getting a bit on the driver's side, which I attribute to not using a brand-new gasket (it was new, but I had tried three times to stop the leak with the same seal). So I'm about to order yet another new one and see if that does the trick. Fingers crossed.

I also replaced the gaskets on the '97 without a lick of trouble. The design of the 1997's gaskets is much nicer than the 2001's (classic Audi), with a rib in the gasket fitting into a channel in the cam cap. Not a drop so far.