Schaefft's Bargain Barge Extravaganza - £400 BMW fixed, Range Rover broken again

[Split_Pin]

Your L322 has a lovely clean spare wheel well, Ive seen so many pictures of ones that are inexplicably rotten (mine is good).

I take it you have asked on the Audi A8 FB page about your issue? I found the members really helpful.

[EyesWeldedShut]

8 hours ago, Schaefft said:

If anyone has any modern diesel insights and can explain it all, please let me know.

You say that you cleaned the mating surfaces - did you try reaming the seat in the actual head - could be something there that's too much for the copper washer to compensate for?
 

[Schaefft]

53 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Your L322 has a lovely clean spare wheel well, Ive seen so many pictures of ones that are inexplicably rotten (mine is good).

I take it you have asked on the Audi A8 FB page about your issue? I found the members really helpful.

Unfortunately they seem fairly clueless once things become very specific, especially with this engine that was only around for 3 years and exclusive to the A8. There's a German technical help group for this generation D3 though, they are of huge help once they actually reply.

1 minute ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

You say that you cleaned the mating surfaces - did you try reaming the seat in the actual head - could be something there that's too much for the copper washer to compensate for?
 

I'm starting to think that the issue popped up only coincidentally after I sealed that leak. There's absolutely no reason why compression would escape through that hole now that I replaced the copper washer, and even if it had to it wouldn't make this much of a difference to how the engine is running (it would have more power even when running on 7 cylinders). The vent holes are only there for when the copper washer fails, and the old one still looked fairly decent, with the seat looking fairly smooth. The oil leak was caused by the broken/missing o-ring and compression would just make its way underneath the valve cover instead where it can escape through the oil filler cap once that is cracked, which I did.

I bet the boost hose popped off the turbo. At least I hope it did!