Case Studies

Audi/VW V6 Engines – Excess Crankcase Pressure Caused Oil Leaks

We’ve noticed in our service facility that the Audi/VW V6 30 valve 2.8 liter engines can develop oil leaks as the car gets older and advanced in miles. The 2.7 engines with the twin turbo can develop a similar condition. We would like to bring to your attention a common issue with the crankcase breather hose system.

Many of these cars have a rough service history. We consider ‘rough’ to be irregular oil changes, use of non-synthetic engine oils, extreme hot or cold climates, a lot of short driving distances where full engine temperature is never reached, and excessive low RPM city driving. This use causes a great deal of condensation and moisture to form within the engine, producing a build up of sludge. Many owners have bought their car without knowing the oil change or driving history.

If you own or have just bought an Audi/VW V6 2.8 liter V6 30 valve with over a 100,000 miles that has oil leaks, the crankcase breather system should be treated as suspect. If you remove the valve cover and see a lot of resinous accumulation in the valve train area, this indicates that the vehicle already has heavy amounts of oil sludge build up throughout the engine. Suspect number one is the engine’s crankcase breather system.

Clogged Breather Hose
Inside Clogged Breather


Years of rough service history as mentioned above, cause contamination to take place inside the Audi/VW V6 engine which clogs the crankcase breather hose system. Due to this blockage, the air flow generated within the engine crankcase is restricted and will not allow the system to breath properly. When the engine is running, pressure builds up in the crankcase and causes oil to push out and leak from the weakest parts of the engine.

Due to these common issues with high mileage Audi/VW V6 2.8 liter V6 30 valve engines, we stock a complete rebuild kit to bring your vehicle’s crankcase breather system back into peak working order. After repairing the crankcase breather system it is common for engine oil leaks to subside and/or stop. If the leaks do not stop, we check these common oil leak points:
1) The cam chain tensioner gaskets and seals.
2) The camshaft cover gaskets.
3) The camshaft seals and plugs.
4) The front and rear crankshaft seals

Chances are one or more of these items, even if recently replaced, has been damaged by the excessive crankcase pressure in the engine. If your vehicle is experiencing oil leaks or related conditions, we recommend bringing this information to our attention for proper diagnosis, before engine damage occurs. Our goal is always to PREVENT, rather than correct problems, saving you both time and money.

Location Of Hose Cracked Problem – Cracked Hose

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