spindlewood

I filled via extraction my SQ5 with oil before leaving for 5 months. On return, drove for a tankful - only very short drives. I noticed a puddle under my car this weekend. I'm 1/2 way down on the MMI between the two marks - so presuming a 1/2 quart or 1/2 liter. I drove home and parked. There was no oil under the car the next morning.

Questions:
1) Based on the image below, is this a cracked oil filter housing? Do I need the whole assembly replaced? Other advice?
Engine Oil Filter Housing part number 06M115401L is from audiusa.com.
FCPEuro has two versions: One with just the housing and another with an O-Ring and a Head Bolt

2) How safe to drive like this? I expect repair shops will be a few weeks out and I need the car. Should I just add oil? I presume it will continue to leak? I don't really want to leave oil puddles around.

3) Cost to repair with an indie? Because all my tools are in storage... I need to take this to an indie shop

4) Any connection to low coolant? I noticed that my coolant was low, but this is very likely a coincidence. I got to thinking about the reports of coolant ending up in the oil due to frequent short trips and wondering if there could be any connections here. Would oil be more likely to lead due to being a bit over full because coolant got into the oil (short trips)?

Thanks for your thoughts.

huntpsu1

A potential inexpensive fix. Check the o ring on the housing. If it has any cracks or was not seated correctly, perhaps oil is leaking through it. Also, did you torque it to spec?

spindlewood

I don't have a torque wrench that goes down that low (25Nm, I believe). I have found that the cap doesn't go on particularly smoothly. I've stopped once short due to resistance that I believed was too loose and it leaked a fair amount. Perhaps that's the case again. I'm sure I seated the o-ring on the cap correctly but maybe I'll invest in a torque wrench, reseat it, and see what happens. Thanks for the suggestion.

spindlewood

My mistake was either early senility, over-the-top stress from selling my house and moving, or just plain stupidity. I somehow managed to put the O ring too far up on the cap - at the shoulder instead of in the groove that's maybe an inch down from the shoulder. I've changed the oil every 5k for the car's 65k miles and somehow got it wrong - go figure.

augerpro

My ring was always at the lip - or shoulder as you call it. It seals right at the top of the "funnel."

Wires

Going to have to say that has to be the "nicest" find though! Super easy fix!