Smokey front offside?
 

I was pootling along this morning in the V6 and when we stopped at some lights I noticed some steam/smoke from the offside front tyre area. From inside the car, it was difficult to determine whether it was steam or smoke but it wasn't loads.

I pulled over when safe expecting a red hot front offside alloy wheel and a sticky calliper but no, the alloy was fine. I couldn't see, hear or smell anything out of the ordinary. Even when I shoved my nose into the wheel arch there was a faint hot rubber smell but there would be, wouldn't there!

Maybe I just hallucinated it after being up all night doing the on-call! Is there anything over that side I could check? The temp was fine, can't see a leak anywhere??

Oh, and btw, I hope you are all keeping well and safe in these uncertain time +++

Oil leak? I can't remember whether you got the cam cover gaskets done but they're a prime candidate for smoke at the front end. If not, clean the lower edge of the cam cover and top of the exhaust manifolds with carb cleaner reasonably regularly until you can get the gaskets swapped.

It won't be power steering fluid as that's a V8-specific issue. The pipework is different on the 2.8.

Isn’t this typical of the gearbox rear output seal leaking onto the cat? Or doesn’t that happen in the V6?

Yeah equally possible its the gearbox, but the V6 tends to leak more from the engine than any of them do from the gearbox so that's the first thing I'd look at +++

I had the same thing recently, smoke from front left tyre area, after a short drive when stopped. In my case it turned out to be a bad steering rack leak. I hope its not that.

Thanks all, sorry for the late reply but I've been rushed off my feet! I'll be taking the car out again today so I'll keep an eye out. Maybe I did hallucinate it!

Be well everyone

Now all restaurants are Taco Bell :D

I get that reference :)

Haha! I loved that rubbish film. God knows how much they had to pay Nigel Hawthorne to be in that!

A somewhat appropriate reference in the current climate with all the toilet roll hoarders! +++

The 3 seashells would stop all that :D

Anyway, will never tire of that movie. Absolutely love it.

Cocteau: "be well" Spartan: "Be f****d" :ROFL:

Don't make 'em like that anymore...

Just slightly off-topic lol

Just a quickie, can someone point me in the direction of the correct cam cover gaskets for my 2.8 Quattro please?

Found a garage that's open for key workers, hooray! I'm pretty sure the oil leak is this, as MJ pointed out and I want to ready myself for the normal island reaction of 'can't get the parts mate'! Plus they can replace the brake fluid while it's in there. I'm assuming it's Dot 4?

Thanks all, not easy getting stuff done at the best if times here!

Two of 078198025. Its used on loads of models so should be readily available from the usual suspects - Elring, Reinz, Febi, etc.

The brake fluid change is non-trivial on a D2 because of the ESP system. You have to cycle the ABS pump (with VCDS) in order to get it to flush properly and you absolutely must not let the master cylinder run dry otherwise all manner of pain ensues. You need a pressure bleeding system which can run at 2 bar to push the fluid through such as the Sealey VS820:

https://assets.sealeyb2b.co.uk/Image...4_DFC15460.png

A vacuum bleeding tool will not work as it can't pull the fluid through.

If the garage has one of these tools and an OBDII diagnostic machine then they should be able to do it. If not, I'd be inclined to wait until you can get over to Devon. The fluid is not in good condition, but I doubt a couple more months will be an issue.

Thanks MJ, that's awesome, thank you.

I've made a note and it's going in tomorrow. I have used them before and I think they are grateful for the work!

As far as I can tell they are the only one open here!

By way of an update and thanks to MJ's wisdom, the brake fluid has been successfully changed, yay!

The oil leak turned out to be the cam cover in the end so that will be a job for the next cambelt change should the car make it to that as it will be looking for a new home soon and hopefully we can find it one. It's too good for me to nick the fog light grills for my S8 and scrap the rest! :ROFL:

I hope you are all staying well in what's turning into a rather strange time down here?? +++