That burnt-oil smell after a spirited drive, the dark stain creeping down the back of the block, the oil level that drops between changes: on a supercharged Audi, the usual suspect is the Audi 3.0T oil filter housing gasket. It is a small seal with a big job, and when it hardens it turns your engine valley into a slow-motion oil slick. The fix is cheap if you catch it early and do it right, starting with our TruSeal 3.0T oil filter housing gasket upgrade, molded from the OEM pattern in peroxide-cured Viton FKM so you do this job once, not every other winter.
This guide covers why the seal fails, how to confirm the leak, how OEM and upgraded seal materials differ, and when you should skip the gasket and replace the whole housing. If you already know it is leaking and want the wrench-by-wrench version, jump to our step-by-step oil filter housing gasket replacement guide.
What the Audi 3.0T oil filter housing gasket actually does
On the EA837 3.0T supercharged V6 (Gen 1 engines like CAKA, CCBA, CGWA, CTUA and the Gen 2 CREC), Audi uses a cartridge-style oil filter in a housing that sits at the top rear of the engine, near the supercharger and next to a cylinder head. You unscrew the cap from above, swap the paper element, and go about your day. Underneath all of that, the housing bolts to the engine, and the gasket between them (Audi part 06E115446) holds pressurized oil inside the lubrication circuit.
That makes it a pressure seal, not a dust cover. It lives in one of the hottest spots on the engine, sees every cold start and every heat soak, and it cannot be inspected without pulling parts off. In other words: perfect conditions for a failure nobody notices until the driveway tells on you.
Why the 3.0T oil filter housing gasket leaks
Here is the OEM failure story in three acts:
- Heat cycling. The housing area bakes next to the supercharger, then cools overnight. Thousands of those cycles take the spring out of a rubber seal. Once it takes a compression set, it stops pushing back against the sealing faces.
- Oil chemistry. Factory seals are typically standard bisphenol-cured FKM. Modern synthetic oils carry amine-based additives that attack that cure system over time, so the gasket hardens and shrinks. That is why many leaks show up as a cold-morning weep that seems to stop once the engine warms and the seal expands again.
- Plastic parts. The factory housing and cap are plastic. Warp the flange or crack the body and even a brand-new gasket cannot seal it. Welcome to the Audi Tax: pay for the part, pay for the labor, then pay again when the real problem was the housing.
Location makes it worse. Because the housing sits at the back of the engine, oil runs down the rear of the block toward the transmission bellhousing, where it can be mistaken for a valve cover, PCV, or even rear main seal leak. The lowest wet spot is where the oil ended up, not where it started.
Symptoms of a failing oil filter housing gasket
- Burning oil smell after shutdown, especially after hard driving
- Wet, dirt-caked oil at the rear top of the engine, around the housing seam
- Oil tracking down the back of the block or onto the bellhousing
- Oil consumption that does not match your usual top-off pattern
- Drips that are worse on cold mornings and seem to slow once warm
How do you confirm it? Degrease the rear of the engine, drive until fully warm, and inspect from the top down with a bright light. Find the highest fresh oil. If you also have a whistle or vacuum-sucking oil cap, read our Audi PCV valve guide as well, because high crankcase pressure can push oil past tired seals and a failed PCV will make a new gasket look bad.
Gasket, cap, or the whole housing? A buyer's checklist
Before you order, answer these honestly:
- Is the leak at the housing-to-engine joint? That is the gasket.
- Is it at the cap seam or cap threads? Look at the cap and its seals first.
- Is the housing flange warped, cracked around a bolt boss, or discolored from heat? Replace the housing.
- Has this car already had a gasket-only repair that came back? Replace the housing and upgrade the seal.
- Are you tired of cartridge filters and a plastic cap altogether? Consider a spin-on conversion.
OEM vs upgraded oil filter housing gasket materials
Not every gasket labeled Viton is the same rubber. The dealer part is a factory-spec FKM seal. Many name-brand options are OE-supplier reproductions of that same seal, which means the same material and the same aging curve. Our TruSeal seal keeps the exact OEM shape but changes the chemistry: peroxide-cured FKM with carbon-carbon crosslinks that resist amine attack, rated from -40°F to +400°F, at 75 Shore A so it resists extrusion but still conforms to aluminum sealing faces.
| Vorsprung TruSeal | Typical name-brand option | Dealer / OEM | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Peroxide-cured Viton FKM | Usually a reproduction of the factory seal | Standard factory FKM |
| Low-temp flexibility | Rated to -40°F | Similar to factory | Standard FKM stiffens around -4°F |
| Hardness | 75 Shore A, specced for billet housings | Not usually published | Factory spec |
| Shape | Molded from the OEM gasket | OE shape | OE shape |
| Price | $14.99 (oil filter housing seal) | Varies | Dealer pricing plus labor |
Shop the TruSeal Oil Gasket Upgrade, from $14.99
✅ Peroxide-cured FKM molded from OEM gaskets ✅ Fitment help from real 3.0T owners ✅ Fast US shipping
Recommended Vorsprung parts for the job
TruSeal oil filter housing gasket: the right call when the housing is healthy.
- ✅ Molded from the original OEM gasket for a factory fit
- ✅ Peroxide-cured FKM, engineered to outlast factory seals by 2-5x
- ✅ Same kit also offers the PCV breather tube, 3.2L PCV and intake manifold seals if you are already in the valley
Oil Filter Housing, 3.0 EA837 ($44.99): a gravity-cast aluminum housing with a 6061 billet cap and a TruSeal gasket included. Pick this when the plastic is warped, cracked, or has already beaten one gasket.
EA837 Oil Filter Housing Conversion ($224.99, pre-order, shipping in October): a CNC-machined 6061 housing that replaces OE 06E115405K, 06E115405A and 06E115405C and converts you to a spin-on filter (Hengst H14W30 or Audi 06J115403Q). Every oil change brings a fresh anti-drain back valve.
Billet Oil Filter Cap EA837 ($64.99): cross-references 06E115433 and keeps the factory filter element. Ideal if the cap is your weak spot.
Working under the supercharger anyway? Browse our under supercharger kits or the engine gaskets collection so you only pay for access once.
Fitment
The TruSeal oil gasket, the aluminum housing and the billet cap are listed for the supercharged EA837 3.0T in the B8/B8.5 S4, S5, Q5 and SQ5, the C7/C7.5 A6 and A7, the D4 A8, and the 4L/4M Q7. The conversion lists 2010-2016 S4, 2013-2017 S5, 2009-2017 Q5, 2014-2017 SQ5, 2009-2015 A6, 2012-2015 A7, 2011-2013 A8 and 2010-2015 Q7. None of these fit the EA839 2.9T/3.0T twin-turbo. If you have a later CREC car, confirm your engine code with us before ordering.
Install and maintenance notes
Plan on a few hours of careful work. Owners following the factory procedure report the supercharger can stay on, but covers, a PCV hose, an SAI hose, wiring and a bracket usually have to move, and the housing fasteners need triple-square bits. Clean both sealing faces with plastic tools only, never steel on aluminum, and lightly oil O-rings so they cannot roll. Use factory torque specs from the repair manual for your engine code. Our how to replace oil filter housing gasket guide walks through the whole job. If the head or intake is coming apart for bigger work, see our Audi cylinder head gasket set guide too.
After the repair, clean the area again and recheck after the first few heat cycles. A dry housing a week later is the only receipt that matters.
Audi 3.0T oil filter housing gasket FAQ
Where is the Audi 3.0T oil filter housing gasket located?
On the supercharged EA837 3.0T, the oil filter housing sits at the top rear of the engine, near the supercharger and next to a cylinder head, and the filter is serviced from above. The Audi 3.0T oil filter housing gasket (OE 06E115446) seals the housing to the engine, so a leak there usually runs down the back of the block.
What are the symptoms of a leaking oil filter housing gasket?
A burning oil smell after a drive, oily residue at the rear of the engine or on the transmission bellhousing, a slowly dropping oil level, and drips that get worse on cold mornings. Clean the area first and confirm the highest wet point before buying parts.
Do I have to remove the supercharger to replace the oil filter housing gasket?
Owners who follow the factory procedure report that the supercharger can stay on, but access is tight: covers, a PCV hose, an SAI hose, wiring and a bracket usually have to move. Many owners bundle the job with a supercharger-off service because the access is so much better.
Should I replace just the gasket or the whole oil filter housing?
Replace just the gasket if the housing is flat, uncracked and the cap threads are healthy. Replace the housing if the plastic is cracked or warped, the cap leaks, or the car has already had a repeat leak after a gasket-only repair.
Is a Viton oil filter housing gasket better than the OEM seal?
All FKM is not equal. Our TruSeal seal uses peroxide-cured Viton FKM at 75 Shore A, which stays flexible to -40°F and resists the amine additives in modern synthetic oil that harden standard bisphenol-cured seals over time.
Will a leaking oil filter housing gasket damage anything else?
It can. Oil that reaches hot exhaust parts creates smoke and odor, oil on rubber hoses and wiring shortens their life, and a steady leak can starve the engine of oil if the level is not watched. It is not an ignore-it-forever leak.
Does the TruSeal gasket fit CREC engines?
The TruSeal oil gasket is listed for the supercharged EA837 3.0T across B8/B8.5, C7/C7.5, D4 and 4L/4M. Confirm your engine code before ordering, and ask us if you are unsure.
Bottom line
A weeping Audi 3.0T oil filter housing gasket is cheap to fix and expensive to ignore. Confirm the source, reseal with material that will not harden in a few seasons, and replace the housing if the plastic is the real problem. Start with the TruSeal Audi 3.0T oil filter housing gasket and do it once.
Shop the TruSeal Oil Gasket Upgrade, from $14.99
Drive the difference. Drive Vorsprung.
Prices checked September 25, 2026 and subject to change.
