$1120 for Cam Adjuster Seal Repair?

[danche200]

Apparently I have an oil leak on both sides of my engine. Howard Cooper Audi (in Ann Arbor Michigan) is asking for $1120 to repair the cam adjuster seals/Valve cover gaskets where the oil is coming from. Is that too price too high? What do you guys think?

Also they're charging $450 to replace an O2 sensor that's giving me a CEL.

[infinkc]

run! run far away. took me 3-4 hrs to do my gaskets for the first time, and about $100 in parts for all the gaskets.

100 + 4hr*$80hr + $25 tool = $445. I would only pay around this much.

For the 02 sensor ripoff also.

Thats what you get for a stealership.

Learn to DIY, its not that difficult.

[VR4-S4]

That's ridiculous

[S4_NE]

if you ar enot far from needing a timming belt service do that as well, i would look for a good indi or call Vast in MI, they are worth the drive

[mholme]

Don't go to the dealer. Post in your regional forum, someone can probably help you out for far less. Those are basic DIY's.

[RolledMySTi]

Do it yourself. That is easy work.

[auditech79]

The dealer will charge you a lot because the book says to remove the timing belt and cams, this of course doesn't have to be done. You only need to compress the tensioner using this tool:
Once the tensioner is compressed you can fish out the seals using a small 90* angle pic. Takes about the same amount of labor as doing both valve cover gaskets. The tech knows this and he will most likely be done in about 45 minutes, that won't stop them from charging you 8+ hours though.

[ajb_unc]

Wow I just did that job on my car last week and cost me $80 in parts! I would only do $400 for that job. It is not difficult and takes around 3-4 hours and I just took my time. The biggest thing is you need to know how to roll the car so that you get the lobes on the cams to align and give you the most room to work with. It was not hard.

If you need a tensioner compresson tool I have one I can sell you!!

[ATKS4]

Go to VAST. They're a 45 minute drive for you. Well worth it. Howard Cooper is asking way too much, even for a dealer.

[quickaudi07]

You guys make it sound so simple to do all the work your self, I just bought a Audi a4 with 16k miles, and im having some problems with my turbo keeps on cutting out on me, It might be hpfp, or cams, I have no clue what i got my self in to, I dont think i will buy another Audi again even though i love that car.

[drkenan]

You guys make it sound so simple to do all the work your self, I just bought a Audi a4 with 16k miles, and im having some problems with my turbo keeps on cutting out on me, It might be hpfp, or cams, I have no clue what i got my self in to, I dont think i will buy another Audi again even though i love that car.

Shouldn't that be a warranty issue? Turbos are easy as heck to replace on an A4.

[Yesmar]

i just hit 60,000 im about to do this project myself all the stuff will be here tomorrow and sat. im also doing the whole timingbelt ect. at the same time. diy it will save you atleast $,$$$ take your time , its not as hard as it sounds , ive done it on a v6 passat

[s4killer]

hello friends I have a big problem I went to my garage and they told me I need a cam seal cost is $ 450 haora someone that I can explain it please the cam seal parts or you have not anything to seal has about this can help me understand this with photos and detailed information through

[car]

You don't need no stinking tool! Just unbolt the tensoiner and turn to engine over till the adjuster pops up enough to slide the old gasket out and the new one in. Make sure to clean the old gasket material / sealant up and bam. Bank 2 is a little tight but just get it done.

Make sure to replace the valve cover gaskets as well as the end caps. My main leak was my end caps, dripping right onto the manifold.

Search for the DIY, you need to put some sealant at the corners of the cam hold downs as well.

Here is the kit from ECS. You can get it from many places, I just choose ECS because they had everything I needed at the time.

ECS Valve Cover and Tensioner Gasket Set

[orttauq]

Apparently I have an oil leak on both sides of my engine. Howard Cooper Audi (in Ann Arbor Michigan) is asking for $1120 to repair the cam adjuster seals/Valve cover gaskets where the oil is coming from. Is that too price too high? What do you guys think?

Also they're charging $450 to replace an O2 sensor that's giving me a CEL.

Like it's been said here. I used to work at a dealership and we'd charge 8 hours flat rate for VC gasket/cam tensioner seal replacements on v6 VW/Audi's. Vesis/Aesis says you need to remove the cam tensioner, which of course is not true. That's where all the labor time comes from. A VW/Audi tech will have that job done in an hour.

Now, if you can't find someone to do the job for you, you could always use this as a bargaining tool at the dealership. We've had customers do it before, and to not lose the job we cut the labor time in half.

[YnotS4]

hello friends I have a big problem I went to my garage and they told me I need a cam seal cost is $ 450 haora someone that I can explain it please the cam seal parts or you have not anything to seal has about this can help me understand this with photos and detailed information through

GOCPT.com

[new audi guy]

Jesus. I just had my dealership do a recall notice on something and they came back with this Cam Seal nonsense. They want $1500 for it! saying its a 12 hr job. ridiculous.

[spa]

Go to VAST. They're a 45 minute drive for you. Well worth it. Howard Cooper is asking way too much, even for a dealer.

YES do this save a metric shit ton of cash.

Get to the know the guys at VAST, living that close and owning a B5 S4 you owe as much to your wallet and your S4... do it now!!

[nizmosx]

simple simple stuff. order a valve cover gasket kit, cam, caps, tensioner seals, and might as well do spark plugs all at once while you are in there.

[DaveS4]

Where's the easy guide to do all this? The guide I or says to take the cams and tensioner
out, but I'd rather not... I need to do all the end caps too...

[blmlozz]

The dealer will charge you a lot because the book says to remove the timing belt and cams, this of course doesn't have to be done. You only need to compress the tensioner using this tool:
Once the tensioner is compressed you can fish out the seals using a small 90* angle pic. Takes about the same amount of labor as doing both valve cover gaskets. The tech knows this and he will most likely be done in about 45 minutes, that won't stop them from charging you 8+ hours though.

ditto, techs make $$$ based on quoted labor hours, not actual work. so if he does it in 45min and it's a 8hour quoted job, he gets the 8hours of work pay for 45minuites of acutal labor, and can then start on the next job. It's fairly easy to walk out everyday with 12-15hours worth of labor for doing 8hours of work at a dealership.

[S/4biturbo]

I am having the same exact issue. The Shop says to just do it with the timing belt. They are charging me $1200 for full timing belt kit, valve cover gaskets, snub mount and cam adjuster seal replacement, all installed. reasonable price? Also does anyone have a DIY on the cam adjuster seal

[julex]

ditto, techs make $$$ based on quoted labor hours, not actual work. so if he does it in 45min and it's a 8hour quoted job, he gets the 8hours of work pay for 45minuites of acutal labor, and can then start on the next job. It's fairly easy to walk out everyday with 12-15hours worth of labor for doing 8hours of work at a dealership.

Tech gets nothing extra for making the job quicker. It is the dealership being thieves. There is a reason why it is called Stealership not Stealerchanic. Pure robbery.

[julex]

I am having the same exact issue. The Shop says to just do it with the timing belt. They are charging me $1200 for full timing belt kit, valve cover gaskets, snub mount and cam adjuster seal replacement, all installed. reasonable price? Also does anyone have a DIY on the cam adjuster seal

That's not the same issue. You're paying $1200 for everything including $400 in parts while the OP pays the same for about 10% of what your job will take. Replacement of imebelt is very involved and includes taking off bumper, putting the whole front into service position and using specialized tools. Hardly the same as 2h (if you take your time) cover seals job.

[P0234]

Tech gets nothing extra for making the job quicker. It is the dealership being thieves. There is a reason why it is called Stealership not Stealerchanic. Pure robbery.

Not sure what dealership you've worked for but the one I worked at as well as all the ones my friends worked for, everyone gets paid in "book time." The books says 8 hours, you do it in 1, you get paid for 8. Most techs were booking over 80 hours a week working 40 or less. If you didn't book 60 or more, you were either lazy or new.

[S/4biturbo]

That's not the same issue. You're paying $1200 for everything including $400 in parts while the OP pays the same for about 10% of what your job will take. Replacement of imebelt is very involved and includes taking off bumper, putting the whole front into service position and using specialized tools. Hardly the same as 2h (if you take your time) cover seals job.

No I realize that I am not getting the same thing done however, they said that I would be better off just doing the timing belt at the same time because it involved the cams being pulled (timing belt comes off) I was quoted about the same for only the cam adjuster seal Like 1k to do those seals only. I was wondering if there was a DIY somewhere on how to do the adjuster seals without pulling the cams.

[NOTORIOUS VR]

The dealer will charge you a lot because the book says to remove the timing belt and cams, this of course doesn't have to be done. You only need to compress the tensioner using this tool:

And you know what the funny part is! You're going to pay them for the time to do it by the book, but they do it like we do... lift and tuck... 2hrs and they're done the car but get paid by the book.. nice huh!

[The_Jerbel]

S /4biturbo,

Do you have the Bentley manual? The cams definitely don't need to come off to replace the seals. If your going to need a TB change soon, then it's not a bad deal, but if your TB still has lots of life left on it, I would just swap the seals.

[S/4biturbo]

S /4biturbo,

Do you have the Bentley manual? The cams definitely don't need to come off to replace the seals. If your going to need a TB change soon, then it's not a bad deal, but if your TB still has lots of life left on it, I would just swap the seals.

Unfortunately I have yet to get the bently manual, Yes I know I am a noob when it comes to that. I was only going by what the shop was trying to tell me. It didn't sound quite right either. But yes Im at 71k so I am about due for a timing belt anyways as it is

[julex]

Unfortunately I have yet to get the bently manual, Yes I know I am a noob when it comes to that. I was only going by what the shop was trying to tell me. It didn't sound quite right either. But yes Im at 71k so I am about due for a timing belt anyways as it is

Then do the TB as well. With TB it is an "OK" price I guess.

Here is the DIY for cam seals/plugs/cover which doesn't require screwing around with any cams:

http://www.audiworld.com/tech/eng107.shtml

[ThirdStrike]

71k miles is a bit early for a timing belt. service interval is even 80k miles i believe

[The_Jerbel]

I disagree. I like to do the TB every 60k, even though the specified interval is ~74k. I've seen some belts with quite a bit of wear with much less than 74k on them. Better safe than sorry, when it comes to the TB. 71k isn't too early at all, IMO.

[julex]

Plus the things that fail earlier than TBs are usually water pumps and idlers... many stories of these breaking down around 60k mark out there.

[Audi User]

Hell yeah thats waaay too much! I fixed mine in private repair shop, and to change the valve cover gasket, oil change, oil filter change, and for the full synthetic oil cost me $210.

[greatestever1]

if you ar enot far from needing a timming belt service do that as well, i would look for a good indi or call Vast in MI, they are worth the drive

thought vast was closed.

[greatestever1]

each cam adjuster seal repair labor time is 2.0hrs at a dealership.the cam adjuster gasket doesnt cost more then $20each.they shouldnt be chargeing you aymore labor time for the valve gaskets since they have to remove them any ways.the valve gasket kit $45 each.so you do the math.

[ratherb1]

Hell yeah thats waaay too much! I fixed mine in private repair shop, and to change the valve cover gasket, oil change, oil filter change, and for the full synthetic oil cost me $210.

Dude I think he knew this 2 years ago

[ratherb1]

thought vast was closed.

It is ...... Necrobump

[nJoy]

Pfft, that's cheap!

Audi of Orland Park, Illinois wanted over 1400 w/ parts and labor. X D

I called them because they sent me a coupon of 15% off w/e for an Audi under 2005. Gonna do it myself lol

[MLJS4]

Send me a pm ill hook you up with a good price