A4 Avant spewing oil

[john at westcoastgarage.net]

Bares, Vittorio wrote:
> Hi List:
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> Today the A4 Avant started spilling oil like it was going out of style,
> which I suppose in the big picture it is.
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> Followed my wifes oil trail to where she was parked xmas shopping, about
> 2.5 miles from home. Drip started in the driveway...
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> We put oil in it and drove home. Looks like its coming from around the
> oil cooler - not the filter. I cleaned the oil and ran the car - oil is
> definitely coming from north of the filter.
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> Its been bad cold up here in NE the last week.
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> Any experience in terms of common failures around this - what should I
> expect to find when I start taking it apart?
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> Thanks,
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> Vittorio -
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> Whether a 1.8T or a V6, there's an o-ring between the cooler and the flange.  Pull the filter, remove the adapter pipe, and remove the old o-ring.  The new one should have little tabs to catch the bumps on the cooler.  Slip it in there, reinstall the adapter pipe, tighten it well by holding the cooler in the orientation best suited for your car, and spin the filter (or a new one) back on.  Quite often the pipe has come loose and caused the leak.  Takes a 27mm wrench or deep socket, IIRC.  DO NOT justy tighten a loose pipe and think you're done.  Use a new o-ring .............

John