OPPO huddle: an Allroad update gameplan

"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus)
04/07/2016 at 09:13 • Filed to: None

I spoke with the representative for my insurance agency. She pretty much said they dont care what I with the money. I have $1200 now what do I do?

Option A : Stop the Oil Leak

I’m leaking oil from what I think is the cam tensioner seal (or something like that) This is a visit to the shop. It would be somewhere around $1200. I think that would include a new timing belt since I think it has to come off anyway. New pulleys too and what ever other seal are removed to get to this stupid $15 piece of rubber.

Pros: I dont have to smell burning oil any more, extended engine life.

Cons: $1200!!! thats it, nothing else gets done.

Option B : All the other Stuff

This would include replacing or repairing the bumper with bondo or something like that. I would address all other scuffs scratched etc ont he grey cladding and then wither spray paint or plasti-dip all the grey. I’m open for suggestions on color. I’ll probably photoshop it tonight to see what they would look like. I would also replace the front CV axles and the secondary air pump that freaks out every once in a while. I feel like I could do those things. The rest of the money goes to a credit card and I wait until I get my raise to fix the oil leak, probably this summer some time.

Pros: more stuff gets done. Car looks better

Cons: I still have to smell oil burning

Option C : Do nothing

Drive around with a messed up bumper, dont fix anything, wait for the car to die.

DISCUSSION (39)

CalzoneGolem > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:16

Option C

Drop $1,200 on a different car.

Steve in Manhattan > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:20

Other than the cam seals and the axles, is the car reasonably mechanically sound? If it needs another 2 grand thrown in to make it safe, it’s probably not worth it.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:21

A or C

EL_ULY > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:23

that oil smell and puffs of smoke at traffic lights get old quick. Do that dude.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:23

There isn’t anything else that might be convenient at the same time as the cam seal?

JR1 > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:24

Option D: Sell it

OPPOsaurus WRX > Steve in Manhattan
04/07/2016 at 09:25

I think what I have there is all that really needs to be done

DrJohannVegas > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:29

What about Option K04 ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AUDI-STAGE…

The Dummy Gummy > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:34

Option A now. Option B when you get the raise.

Steve in Manhattan > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:34

The question then becomes whether putting that money into it gets 2K miles of driving or 1oK miles of driving. What’s your sense of that?

OPPOsaurus WRX > DrJohannVegas
04/07/2016 at 09:41

I would love to do that but I can;t justify that being things that are slightly moire necessary. If the thing lasts another year I could see something Like that happening

OPPOsaurus WRX > Steve in Manhattan
04/07/2016 at 09:42

I would think/hope it would be closer to the 10k. from what I understand it would take care of all the important stuff scheduled for the next 75k miles (for the engine anyway)

4muddyfeet - bare knuckle with an EZ30 > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:42

Sell it and buy a Land Rover. They’re more reliable.

Kinja'd!!!

BLUE FORTY TWO... HUTHUTHUTHUT

OPPOsaurus WRX > CalzoneGolem
04/07/2016 at 09:42

$1200 wouldnt get me much.

Stapleface > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:43

If you like the car and want to keep it, option A seems like the smart thing to do. I have to admit I'm kind of surprised that the insurance company isn't making you get the car fixed.

OPPOsaurus WRX > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
04/07/2016 at 09:43

yea he’d do timing belt and associated components and seals

OPPOsaurus WRX > EL_ULY
04/07/2016 at 09:44

it doesn;t really puff, I can only smell it when I’m stopped and either have the window open or air on.

JGrabowMSt > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:46

I second EL_ULY. Fix the motor.

EL_ULY > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:50

open the bonnet next time after driving :] If it’s not doing it now, it will. Heck, when they get really bad, you could see the smoke coming through the a/c vents. A lot of complains are for that over the smoke smell. Plus, you could knock out water pump, t-stat, and timing belt all at once if you plan to own this car for a long time like I planned to do.... before the Quattro went to Zero almost exactly a year after lol :]

Land_Yacht_225 > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:51

Bottom line, you have a German engine with two turbos. No matter how slow the oil leak is, don’t play games with even a remote possibility of them not getting enough oil.

Steve in Manhattan > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:53

Do you know anybody who will put the car up in the air for you? I loved it when I had access to a lift - I could check brake/fuel lines, differential, other seals that might be leaking (car was a 300D). You might get someone to come with you and check everything. It might clue you in as to what’s (shudder) next.

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 09:55

Definitely do the engine work!

OPPOsaurus WRX > EL_ULY
04/07/2016 at 10:08

what happened to it?

EL_ULY > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:13

internals went boom!!!! while just cruising at the speed limit.

TheHondaBro > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:15

Option D: Gimme

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:16

I paid 350 for that job, FYI. Full valve cover, chain tensioner and half moon seals. Dont get robbed just cause your states it germen.

Also dont be afraid to DIY, there are a ton of writeups out there for this motor/car etc. DIY is a value added activity, you get the experience and you save on labor costs. If you need tools, amazon has gearwrench pretty cheap, and buying tools is still cheaper then labor.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Steve in Manhattan
04/07/2016 at 10:16

I had it in the shop for control arms. The guy said the car was actually in surprisingly good shape, at least in the rear. The only other leak was the main seal between the engine and transmission but he said it was so minor that I shouldn;t bother unless I was getting into some other work. I dont think he did a full inspection though. He was shocked at the lack of rust (except for the 2 bolts we needed to cut lose to do the alignment)

OPPOsaurus WRX > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
04/07/2016 at 10:17

was that on an Audi? I looked into doing it myself and it seems liek $1200 worth of work.

Steve in Manhattan > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:18

Or maybe he did - if I had a shop I’d sure point out anything that was going to fail or might make the car dangerous.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Land_Yacht_225
04/07/2016 at 10:19

yea, i’ve been keeping an eye on the oil level and just added a quart last week. It goes through about a quart in two months.

BJ > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:27

Pay down your credit card bills first. Then fix engine. Then save until next thing breaks...

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:28

Bro, all I drive are Audis. (bias much. LOL)

The only thing that should cost you +1200 is a timing belt job or transmission work, because of how involved those are.

Pictured below is my old avant mid job. The kicker, this was in Ocean City Maryland during H2O. Day 1; car overheated on the way to breakfast, spent the whole weekend learning more about the 2.7 that I ever wanted to, but I made that motor my bitch. Even though I still needed to tow it home (thank God for AAA) because of the limited availability of parts on a weekend, I became a tech when it was all said and done. Also made some great friends.

Kinja'd!!!

PS I added stuff to my first post.

OPPOsaurus WRX > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
04/07/2016 at 10:32

I had found a video on youtube and it seemed to be way above my abilities. I wouldn;t want to touch (nor do I have the ability to set) timing I’d love to do it myself. It looked as though you had to remove/replace the timing belt. I’ve talked to two people, one guy said $1000 and the other $1200. that would include a new timing belt and pulleys

Slant6 > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:46

3 out of my 6 cars that I’ve owned were under $1200.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Slant6
04/07/2016 at 10:49

lol what about the other 3

Slant6 > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:53

$1400, $2750, and inherited.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Slant6
04/07/2016 at 10:54

hoyl shit, what did the $2750 include?

Slant6 > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 10:56

A badge and some problems.

Kinja'd!!!

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > OPPOsaurus WRX
04/07/2016 at 11:02

Its like legos, every thing has its place. Before that fateful weekend the most I had ever done was brakes, so anything is possible. Timing belt just requires the cam locking tool, and a VagCom to make sure the timing angles are good when you’re done. (if you buy a palm pilot Tungsten E2, I can hook you up with that software, which gives you access to everything thats connected to a harness)