'18 BMW M5, '19 Porsche Boxster GTS
(prior '94 325is, '97 M3, '00 A6 4.2,'03 RS6,'08 A4 Cab,'13 A8L,'15 Q7,'16 BMW M2,
When I did mine (with the Timken seal), as Aronis said, the lower sealant wasn't very pliable anymore but pretty hard, that would also be my first thought as to where it would leak. Hopefully the Timken seal will be fine, a big company with a good reputation. Of course I used a new gasket on the back of the flange but for the bottom I think I used Permatex Ultra Black, the oil resistant one.
2003 White RS6 2013 Midnight Blue S5
2013 Daytona RS5 2x944 Turbo's 1974 911 w/'91 3.6ltr motor
Roy, WA
Ya i agree the bottom is where mine leaked...just saying I have had no issue with the timken as that was something of question in this thread. I used ultra grey i think for the flange to upper oil pan.
A question for hahnmgh63, Wide-66, and anybody else who has used the Timken 716102 rear main seal replacement. Now that time as passed, are you having issues with it leaking? I know you really can't determine whether a subsequent leak in that area is caused by the rear main seal, or the flange gasket, or the flange-to-oil sump seam. But if you're not having oil leaks, it would give reassurance about the Timken seal.
In tracing my oil leak, when I got the drive/flex plate off, it looks like I have leakage around the paper flange gasket and the flange-to-oil sump seam. The RMS seal itself was not leaking, but was collateral damage from heating the triple-square bolts that hold the drive plate to the end of the crankshaft.
The Audi flange and gasket are currently ~$350 from ESC; I got a Timken 716102 on Amazon for $21. If the Timken is performing well, I'd go that route.
Related question - has anybody used Loctite 515 or 518 anaerobic gasket maker (instead of Permatex RTV) to seal the bottom seam where the RMS flange meets the oil sump? An indy tech recommended the Loctite, but I'm wondering about how difficult it would be to remove the residue if the RMS flange needed to be taken off again in the future.
Thanks for your feedback.
Steve
Haven't noticed any leak. I've been away from home for over a month and won't be home until the middle of May, really haven't been driving the car much in the last 6 months. I'll probably put it on the lift when I get home and I'll take a look. One of my Oil Cooler pipes that threads onto the oil filter housing is seeping a little, might be just a little loose. Transmission/bellhousing was dry last time I looked. As I mentioned above I think I used the Black Ultra oil resistant RTV when I did mine with the new gasked for the back of the flange. I did used some break cleaner to clean the bottom surface where it attaches to the pan really well before I put the sealant on.
2003 White RS6 2013 Midnight Blue S5
2013 Daytona RS5 2x944 Turbo's 1974 911 w/'91 3.6ltr motor
Roy, WA
You don't have to buy the whole flange as mentioned, you can buy only the OEM sealing,
here it is with part number:
RS6/S8 engine, 6spd tdi 01E, EFR7163 turbos, custom built exhaust manifolds, S8 camshafts, MaxxEcu Pro, wagners ic's, bigger fuel rails, AN8 fuel line, 2xwalbro 450lph fuel pump
and EV14 1500cc fuel injectors in my S8/RS8
And you can buy "copy" of it from different manufactures here you got some part numbers:
Reinz = 81-35916-00
elring = 728.880
Ajusa = 15083100
Corteco = 20033872B
Goetze = 50-319551-00
RS6/S8 engine, 6spd tdi 01E, EFR7163 turbos, custom built exhaust manifolds, S8 camshafts, MaxxEcu Pro, wagners ic's, bigger fuel rails, AN8 fuel line, 2xwalbro 450lph fuel pump
and EV14 1500cc fuel injectors in my S8/RS8
For a piece of mind, and for basically the same price I'd be tempted to go with the OEM part for a piece of mind although Timken is definitely a reputable seal and bearing manufacturer. I would say the most important item is the proper seal installation. Just tapping it in a little at a time here and there is not the proper method and can induce small warpage of the seal. May not leak right away but it probably won't last 100k.
2003 White RS6 2013 Midnight Blue S5
2013 Daytona RS5 2x944 Turbo's 1974 911 w/'91 3.6ltr motor
Roy, WA
Thanks for your responses hahnmgh63 and RS8, very helpful info.
hahnmgh63 - I'm glad to hear you're staying leak free to this point with the Timken. Your point about proper install is good. I'm planning to use my shop press.
RS8 - thanks for the availability clarification and the part number cross-references.
The manufacturer's mark on my original seal is C.F.W., which I investigated and found is Corteco (size is 85x105x12mm). Using the cross-number from RS8 I found the OEM Corteco 20033872B at AutoHausAZ for about $12.
Interesting difference in the construction of the seals. The original Audi/Corteco has a single, inner rubber sealing edge and an outer edge made of a material that looks somewhat like felt. The Timken has a more common construction with double rubber sealing edges with a stainless steel spring around the inner edge.
I haven't decided yet whether to use anaerobic Loctite gasket maker or Permatex Black Ultra for the flange. I may experiment with each of them before I choose and reassemble.
Thanks again,
Steve
I just saw this now. I made it about 25k miles in the RS6 then pulled the motor for a swap into an avant. I have no plans to do the RMS again as its leak free. I have since done 1 S8 and 2 S6 using the same Timken seal. As stated its all about proper install to the flange and prep to the surfaces.