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Hey guys, I have a 2000 with the A4 Transmission, and crawled under it yesterday to diagnose my annoying oil leak. I can 100% confirm the Rear Main Seal is currently leaking, but I also have a lot of oil collecting above the starter. What would be leaking up there? I changed the Valve Cover gaskets, Valley Cover gasket, Intake Manifold Gaskets, and Oil Pressure Sender (the copper one with better threads from O’Riellys) last July. Could the Rear Main be flinging oil all the way over there?
Check the oil pressure sender/sensor behind intake manifold
My oil leak onto rear of starter is coming from the oil pressure sensor, way up top, located between the end of the intake manifold and the cowl area. Seems impossible to see or get to at first.
Best way I found to see it is on the r&r video, below, or using a an inexpensive borescope camera with led lights on my Android phone, about $5 to $15 on eBay. http://tinyurl.com/ya8gsqkb
Check out videos on youtube on how to fix it, 3 ways:
1. Remove intake manifold for access to sensor [lots of work, need new intake gaskets]
2. Remove cowling, wiper arms, etc., & cut hole in plastic above sensor for access [when cowling is replaced, hole you cut is not visible but you'll know it's there]
3. After pushing back the clip and pulling the connector off the sensor at the same time, use a universal joint, deep 1-1/16" or 27mm socket, extensions & ratchet to remove; start sensor into hole by fingers or by using a piece of rubber tubing over the top of the sensor connector and twisting the tubing, then use a shorter oil pressure dedicated socket to tighten... painstaking but possible if your hands aren't too big:
I appreciate the feedback, but I have already replaced the OPS. I pulled the intake to extend the vacuum line that controls the HVAC door this past weekend, and while I had it off I checked the OPS to see how it was holding up after about 6 months, and it’s clean as a whistle. So unfortunately, that’s ruled out. The only thing I can think of it that the rear main could be flinging it all over the place, nothing else is really above the starter as far as I know.
Last edited by NikolaCop; Feb 20, 2018 at 11:30 PM.
Well guys, did the Rear Cover with seals install this last weekend, on Jackstands, and after many hours of laughs and curse words with my buddy, it’s still leaking! It doesn’t leak as much, but is coming from similar spots. I’m going to try for the Crank Position sensor next, considering it’s cheap and I already cut an access hole I’m not very worried about doing that job.
Well guys, did the Rear Cover with seals install this last weekend, on Jackstands, and after many hours of laughs and curse words with my buddy, it’s still leaking! It doesn’t leak as much, but is coming from similar spots. I’m going to try for the Crank Position sensor next, considering it’s cheap and I already cut an access hole I’m not very worried about doing that job.
The CRANK POSITION SENSOR is in the block right behind the starter..
Just remove the starter and you'll see it . And they do go bad. So it's not wasted money. Just replace it.. It has an Oring that could be leaking.. Just make sure to clean up the area and the "hole" .. And lubricate the New Oring with oil .
Oil Leaking above starter?
