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Rear Main Seal leak, other items to do while trans is separated from engine?

zef

Drag Racing Champion
Did you have a specific need to change out the clutch packs? Should I consider having an LSD done at the same time as RMS since some of the labor is shared? Trying to keep this from being a $4k scope of work, but it might be worth it...

No need really. The car sees track time and have read that heat will kill the packs overtime, so was just done as a precautionary measure.

Not sure what the labor rate for just the RMS was, but to do RMS, LSD & Clutch Packs was 14 hours (including dropping and reinstalling the trans).

Trans is super crisp now, and loads of traction now to boot. Was well worth the investment.
 

thatspsychotic

Ready to race!
No need really. The car sees track time and have read that heat will kill the packs overtime, so was just done as a precautionary measure.

Not sure what the labor rate for just the RMS was, but to do RMS, LSD & Clutch Packs was 14 hours (including dropping and reinstalling the trans).

Trans is super crisp now, and loads of traction now to boot. Was well worth the investment.

Shop quoted me 8 hours for RMS alone, so it'd still be an additional $1600+ to do the LSD between parts and labor. I do some autocross so LSD obv would help, but my suspension needs a bunch more work before I really pin my lack of traction issues to the open diff. If I had been faced with this 4-5 years ago I would have done the LSD, but I'm hesitant to more significantly commit to this vehicle with 145k on the clock.

Photo while car was on the lift, positive RMS failure:
 

thatspsychotic

Ready to race!
Lesson learned here is get a catch can, early. Forget carbon buildup. Forget oil vapors slightly reducing knock threshold. Primary benefit of a catch can on these cars is protecting the PCV from seeing boost whatsoever, completely mitigating RMS failure exposure.
 

thatspsychotic

Ready to race!
Oof, another update. DMF also showed excessive play, which actually helps explain some other symptoms I was having. This bill is rapidly heading skyward.
 

Allchokedup

Autocross Champion
I just had to replace rms, manual clutch was already slipping on stage 2 before the leak. I wemt out of town had to pull over every hour put 2 quarts in :(
New rms and sb stage 2 single mass. Happy for now. There was actually oil on top of the trans case and everywhere else
 

thatspsychotic

Ready to race!
I just had to replace rms, manual clutch was already slipping on stage 2 before the leak. I wemt out of town had to pull over every hour put 2 quarts in :(
New rms and sb stage 2 single mass. Happy for now. There was actually oil on top of the trans case and everywhere else

Dang, sounds like your RMS completely tore, that's a LOT of oil on the ground. Hope you did new PCV and/or catch can at the same time, otherwise it may happen again.

I went with another DMF, not looking to go quite full racecar :)

Sounds like RMS failure is pretty common, particularly with Tiguans. Shop said he's done a bunch of Tiguans, and my brother's fiance's Tiguan also had it done, got so bad the low oil pressure alarm sounded on her because it was leaking onto an undertray rather than showing up on the ground.
 

MKVInnie

Passed Driver's Ed
Lesson learned here is get a catch can, early. Forget carbon buildup. Forget oil vapors slightly reducing knock threshold. Primary benefit of a catch can on these cars is protecting the PCV from seeing boost whatsoever, completely mitigating RMS failure exposure.

Can you explain how that works? Does this also mean the PCV would end up failing less? I've had my PCV diaphragm tear 3 times already.
 

thatspsychotic

Ready to race!
Can you explain how that works? Does this also mean the PCV would end up failing less? I've had my PCV diaphragm tear 3 times already.

I'm stealing the diagram from APR's description of their catch can solution, but many catch can setups have the same end result:



The most important thing is that the connection between the intake manifold and the PCV plate no longer exists with most catch can setups. Because of this, the PCV plate will no longer be exposed to boost pressure. Boost is what causes the PCV diaphragm and/or check valve to fail (most of the time anyways if I've read correctly). Removing the intake manifold to PCV connection prevents the PCV from being a source of potential boost/vac leaks as well as protecting the RMS and other oil seals from crankcase pressurization from faulty PCV under boost.

The shop that's doing my RMS effectively said I could either replace my PCV or add a catch can. For the moment I chose to put the new PCV plate in, but I plan to add a catch can myself later this spring.
 

funkymcbain

Ready to race!
Hey all, quick question. Is the water pump any more accessible while doing this job? I've pulled my intake manifold off twice and I hate the job, particularly that effin support for the manifold. Was wondering if maybe while the engine is hanging I could get at the water pump more easily.
 

Allchokedup

Autocross Champion
Hey all, quick question. Is the water pump any more accessible while doing this job? I've pulled my intake manifold off twice and I hate the job, particularly that effin support for the manifold. Was wondering if maybe while the engine is hanging I could get at the water pump more easily.
Not really, the trans is on the right side looking at the motor. I have had my intake off so many times I just threw the support brace in my parts pile. That was 2 years ago...
I did pump on sons a4 without removing the mani but think it a bit more difficult on the gti
 

funkymcbain

Ready to race!
Not really, the trans is on the right side looking at the motor. I have had my intake off so many times I just threw the support brace in my parts pile. That was 2 years ago...
I did pump on sons a4 without removing the mani but think it a bit more difficult on the gti
Thanks! I should toss that POS too.
 

BudgetPhoenix

Autocross Champion
You can actually replace water pump with intake mani in place theres a DIY here doesnt look too fun but yeah might be easier to just remove the mani. Having the trans off doesnt really help. Also yeah that bracket is dumb. I found mine was missing from when last owner took it in for a carbon cleaning the dealer never reinstalled it. It's still really solid without it in place.
 
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