# Oil leak and secondary air injection valve



## sgkramar (Oct 1, 2008)

I have an oil leak on the right (passenger) side of the engine on a 1998 Passat. By all appearances it looks like the oil is coming out of the connection between the secondary air injection valve and the head. Is this even possible? I didn't think there should be any oil at that location in the head, but maybe I am wrong. There are no codes, so the secondary air injection system appears to be working okay, otherwise.
Steve
98 Passat V6
Manual
90,000


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

*Re: Oil leak and secondary air injection valve (sgkramar)*


_Quote, originally posted by *sgkramar* »_I have an oil leak on the right (passenger) side of the engine on a 1998 Passat. By all appearances it looks like the oil is coming out of the connection between the secondary air injection valve and the head. Is this even possible? I didn't think there should be any oil at that location in the head, but maybe I am wrong. There are no codes, so the secondary air injection system appears to be working okay, otherwise.
Steve
98 Passat V6
Manual
90,000

Nope..oil is coming from the right cylinder bank cam adjuster seal/gasket that is right above the secondary air injection "Kombi valve" . These engines are prone to oil leaks from said adjuster seals/gaskets and valve cover gaskets if the PCV system gets crudded up..I'd suggest you change the PCV system out (3 parts..big plastic hose set up that runs across front top of engine, small hose that connects to crankcase breather under throttle body, and the "suction pump" a "Y" shaped piece of plastic that controls vaccum in the system..all three parts will cost about $125..and take an hour or so to install. Audi/VW published a tech bulletin telling dealers not to do warranty work on gaskets/seals unless PCV system was put in good working order first..(I had seeping from same place you have and from the left adjuster as well..right above oil cooler...it drips down onto that)..I changed PCV system and it stopped for well over a year..then the valve cover gasket went (oil in plug well) and I took car in for gasket replacement under power train warranty.


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## sgkramar (Oct 1, 2008)

*Re: Oil leak and secondary air injection valve (spitpilot)*

Thanks for the response, that makes a lot more sense. I just took a look at the PCV set up and it looks pretty easy to get to except the crankcase hose below throttle body. That one must be a pain to get to.


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

*Re: Oil leak and secondary air injection valve (sgkramar)*


_Quote, originally posted by *sgkramar* »_Thanks for the response, that makes a lot more sense. I just took a look at the PCV set up and it looks pretty easy to get to except the crankcase hose below throttle body. That one must be a pain to get to.
 Not too hard...the TB is ez to take loose from its mount....one allen screw as I recall an you can move it away from area a little without diconnecting any of the hoses/wires etc from it...then you can get at the clip that locks the PCV hose to the crankcase breather outlet. While the TB is off..good time to clean it good. You also should consider changin all the tiny vaccum lines that run around the engine since you have to pull the vaccum solenoid plate off the top of the engine to get at the "suction pump"..about 2 meters of vacc hose (3mm as I recall) from the dealer will change all the lines..they crack under the cloth weave and look fine from outside when they are in fact leakin underneath...if these leak your secondary air inection system won't work..you'll get CEL with "low flow" or "no flow " codes and the intake manifold tuning flap won't move either so acceleration will suffer...just a thought. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## noddaz (Aug 5, 2004)

*Re: Oil leak and secondary air injection valve (spitpilot)*

Ahhh... This answers some of my questions also...
Thanks!


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## sgkramar (Oct 1, 2008)

*Re: Oil leak and secondary air injection valve (spitpilot)*

I changed all the vacuum lines trying to figure out why the cruise control doesn't work. It is nice to know the lines are good, but I am still sad that it didn't fix the cruise control :-(


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## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

*Re: Oil leak and secondary air injection valve (sgkramar)*

early (pre DBW) Passasts used the same Hella Cruise Control as most other 90's VW's..and if yours doesn't work, I'd bet on the module being shot...there have been many write ups in the MKIII Forum on this CC system (including an excellent troubleshooting step by step..search archives there). My CC in the Golf started acting strange..would only work if car was very hot..sitting in sun..cold weather or morning..no CC...I checked cutout switches on the pedals (common issue) and still no CC....put in module from junkyard for about $10 and it worked fine till I sold the car some years later! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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