Oil Leak Rear Seal?

[HugoA8]

Hi All, I am after some advice. I have an oil leak and have had the cam cover gaskets replaced. I have now been told it is the rear seal. Rang a number of garages who said they would not touch it. One garage said to do it should replace the chain also. Will cost thousands. And problematic as often still get leaks. So scrap the car. The car is 19 years old but I really don't want to get rid of it. Asking if anyone has had this issue and if so thier take on my situation as I have found a garage that has said they will do it  but am I crazy? 

[Magnet]

Welcome Angela and thanks for joining.

Sorry to hear of your plight. 
The important piece of missing information is - how severe is this leak, and what inconvenience is it actually causing you, that makes it difficult to live with?

If it’s the rear crankshaft seal then it’s either gearbox (automatic?) out, or engine out  to fix this. 
Is the leak bad enough to result in an MOT failure, or has it been previously listed as an Advisory? 
If you can live with it between MOTs, then you could consider getting the offending area cleaned just prior to MOT and hope you get away with it - which you may well do, unless it’s a drip. 
 

There are so called ‘Stop Leak’ products on the market, which you add to the engine oil. Personally, I don’t favour them since they effectively ‘attack’ the rubber of the seal, and will affect other engine seals. I suppose it all boils down to:-

Severity of leak? When MOT due? How long do you intend to keep it? 
I think you already appreciate that fixing it would be an uneconomical process with a car of this age, unless it is a low mileage/ superb in all other respects - example.

Perhaps you could colour in the detail and let us have your  thoughts Angela. 
Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

[HugoA8]

The last MOT was fine. Next MOT is Feb. The cam cover gaskets were replaced as a large amount of oil. Since the leak is about the size of inside hand. Have not tried to put a seal on it as aware that can affect other parts. Also know that thicker oil can be added. The car us well maintained  full service history  injectors, turbo, sepintine belt all replaced. Mileage is 233000 but think that audi A8 has capacity for more? I am thinking of getting it fixed but have had feedback that often does not solve the leak problem?  So just wondering if that is others experience? 

[cliffcoggin]

Angela.

Let me emphasise Gareth's comments. The crankshaft oil seal may be a small and relatively cheap component, but it requires an enormous amount of work to get access to it. That's why the job costs so much to have done.

At nearly a quarter of a million miles I'd say the seal has done remarkably well to survive this long, and it would be unreasonable to expect more from it. I also suspect it won't be long until other major components start to fail leading to more repair bills. I reckon its time to assess whether it's economically viable to keep the car running. Do so if you really love the car, but don't expect it to be cheaper than buying something newer.

[Magnet]

Thanks Angela, 

Apologies but I’m a little lost with this - I think! 
So is the cam cover gasket still leaking. You suggest it is. 
‘Leak about the size of inside hand’? 
Can we keep this simple and direct? 
Are there drips, or just an oil stain. If we revert to ‘….inside of hand’ are you describing an amount of oil that can be collected in the cupped palm of your hand? 
If so, over what period? 
‘Thinking of getting this fixed’. I’m certainly echoing what you appear to have been told/read elsewhere, and what Cliff points out:- it’s likely the freedom from a leak at this point after repair will be short lived, since at that mileage the crankshaft bearings - and particularly the thrust bearings will be showing wear and the shaft will then be putting a significantly increased ‘load’ on this new seal. 
Sorry Angela, it could be me, but the description of severity and extent of this leak leaves me still uncertain of how bad it actually is, and whether if you don’t overly mind a bit of stain on the drive, and are prepared to get the engine cleaned pre MOT, is there a significant issue with this well used car? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[HugoA8]

After the cam cover gaskets were done I got the car back. When I drove it and parked a stain the inside of my hand size on ground. I have tried to upload the picture but this site is new to me, so don't know if I have done it right. My main aim was not to get it through the mot but the success of getting it fixed and driving it for longer.  it20240827_083218.heic20240827_083218.heic

I appreciate the feedback I have been given and realise that unless I am going to be spending more money to keep it on the road I am going to need to consider changing it. I'm not sure that anyone would want to buy it though as I have been told to scrap it. 

[Magnet]

Many thanks Angela,

So the objective is not to continue using and enjoying the car with its oil leak (incidentally I cannot see any evidence of a stain in the photo I’m looking at), but to get this oil leak permanently eliminated. 
Is this correct - as an objective? 
As has been pointed out, the offending seal costs comparative peanuts, but the labour to renew it is going to cost you £1000s of pounds - if you can find anyone interested in actually doing it! 
Add to that, the likelihood that it will leak again within say a couple of years is relatively high - as again explained. 

I may be coming over as being pedantic ( but I’m otherwise struggling to help), but could you place a small container under the leak site and send us a photo of what you collect over a set period of standing time. It maybe significant, but I still don’t know. 

Saying it as I see it, you do seem hell bent on fixing this leak, rather than living with it in comparative slightly-inconvenienced harmony, and if you have many thousands of £s to throw at it, and can find someone who will agree with your logic on the economics, in appreciation that it is more likely to be a temporary fix, then who has right to contradict what you want to do? 
Who would buy it as it is? Really don’t know until, you quantify the extent of the leak. 
Sorry about this Angela but I think anyone trying to follow this thread is likely to be in the dark about how bad this leak really is. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Magnet]

Wondering whether you have an update for us Angela-?

Kind regards,

Gareth. 
 

[HugoA8]

I don't have the car as it is in the garage that said they would not fix it. I have found a garage that would replace the seal for £1800. 

The garage that will not fix it has said that if I am replacing the seal I should also do the chain.  But likely others high cost things will go wrong.

My dilemma now is do I either fix the car as  doubt anyone would want to buy it as is and therefore would be scrap . 

In trying to make up my mind I have looked at other A8's on the market and have found they have addblue. A friend that is a mechanic says don't touch cars that are addblue as contant problems, which is why I posted. That it seems would most likely rule out another A8 if I went with that advice.

The other issue I have is I have a severe curvature of the spine and the air suspension allows me to keep driving. I borrowed an A4 from the garage. Not sport model and I am in agony. 

I have been told there are very limited cars with air suspension and all High end. 

So I feel I have a dilemma.