Head gasket

[jamieboy18]

Hello all, I've used this site on many occasions to repair/improve my B7 S4 but never actually posted - so thanks for your help so far!

Unfortunately now i have a serious problem with the car - it has an oil leak, so i have had the valve cover gaskets replaced - but its still leaking. I reluctantly took it to a dealer as my local trusted independent was unavailable at short notice. The dealer's diagnosis after a couple of steam cleans was the inlet manifold gasket (??) needed replaced, so this was done at a princely sum. After this work was completed and the car re-assembled they have found 2 more oil leaks - one from each of the head gaskets. I have my own theories as to why, but i am hoping to hear from the wealth of experience on here as what you might think. Any ideas?

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Just to be clear - *both* cylinder head gaskets are leaking?

[jamieboy18]

Both indeed!

[Batfinnk]

I would be very surprised if both were leaking tbh. And the chances of them leaking externally are very slim too from experience.

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I would be very surprised if both were leaking tbh. And the chances of them leaking externally are very slim too from experience.

Agreed - about the only way I can think of would be a serious overheating scenario that was bad enough to warp both heads.

Unless the heads have been off before and fitted by the same person... er... badly.

[Batfinnk]

What mileage has your car got op? I would say could be rear chain covers leaking rather than head gaskets.

[jamieboy18]

i am extremely concerned that the dealer diagnosed then repaired the leak from the inlet manifold and then lo and behold upon re-assembly there are two more leaks. I would have thought the head gasket leaks would initially have been visible after they received the car, ran the car for 50 miles and performed two steam cleans. the front end then had to be removed to fix the inlet manifold leak (if this was correctly diagnosed in the first place), and i know they ran the engine with the front end off to check for leaks. I wonder if they ran the engine without the radiator / cooling attached - would that even be possible?? Would have caused overheating for sure.

BTW the mileage is 77k on a 2005 car. I've had the car for 9 months and done 10k miles myself

[jamieboy18]

dont think it is the chain covers, the leak is coming down the front of the engine. could easily be wrong tho!

[Batfinnk]

Was it an Audi dealer. I doubt they would do anything to cause further damage or harm to the engine. Generally a head gasket will leak through the water ways either into the cylinders or mix with the oil ways. This is where the white gunge in the fillercap comes from when one goes. Plus if both heads were warped and leaking you would be losing water too plus the car would be running like a sack of poo as you would be losing compression.

[Batfinnk]

Did they change the half moon rubbers when they changed the rocker cover gaskets? Also where abouts in the uk are you?

[jamieboy18]

Yes, this work was done at an Audi dealer - i'm going in tomorrow to discuss the whole issue with them. I'm in the Midlands.

Maybe the head gasket is another incorrect diagnosis, because the car was running perfectly when i took it in to them. I have been regularly topping it up with oil prior to taking it to the dealer and always check for the mayo around the oil filler cap to make sure there is no coolant mixed in and it has always been spotless, so i don't think there is a coolant leak of the head gasket. i presume the leak is only from an oil way out to the edge. Another coincidence really.

When the valve cover gaskets were replaced i made sure the half moons were also done - the whole gasket kit was used for both sides.

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the inlet manifold gasket (??) needed replaced,

Err... worth pointing out to the dealer that there is no oil system in the intake manifold. So it is completely impossible for the intake to leak oil.

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Was it an Audi dealer. I doubt they would do anything to cause further damage or harm to the engine. Generally a head gasket will leak through the water ways either into the cylinders or mix with the oil ways. This is where the white gunge in the fillercap comes from when one goes. Plus if both heads were warped and leaking you would be losing water too plus the car would be running like a sack of poo as you would be losing compression.

gasket can fail from oil pathway to edge which would lose oil but no mix with coolant.

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Yes, this work was done at an Audi dealer - i'm going in tomorrow to discuss the whole issue with them. I'm in the Midlands.

Maybe the head gasket is another incorrect diagnosis, because the car was running perfectly when i took it in to them. I have been regularly topping it up with oil prior to taking it to the dealer and always check for the mayo around the oil filler cap to make sure there is no coolant mixed in and it has always been spotless, so i don't think there is a coolant leak of the head gasket. i presume the leak is only from an oil way out to the edge. Another coincidence really.

When the valve cover gaskets were replaced i made sure the half moons were also done - the whole gasket kit was used for both sides.

how old is the oil since last changed? and when you say "top up" how much do you put in after how many miles?

[Batfinnk]

Was it an Audi dealer. I doubt they would do anything to cause further damage or harm to the engine. Generally a head gasket will leak through the water ways either into the cylinders or mix with the oil ways. This is where the white gunge in the fillercap comes from when one goes. Plus if both heads were warped and leaking you would be losing water too plus the car would be running like a sack of poo as you would be losing compression.

gasket can fail from oil pathway to edge which would lose oil but no mix with coolant.

Very true but damn rare and the chances of both at the same time?