This is a DIY for the Valve Cover Gasket in an Audi 1.8T B6 (2002-2005)

Source: AudiForums

I just did the Valve Cover Gasket for my Audi A4 1.8T engine.

Parts Needed

Valve Cover Gasket (FelPro VS50531R) $20.99 from Autozone
Rachet (preferred 3/8″)
Socket 10mm (must be deep socket to reach 2 nuts)
Socket/Wrench 8mm
5M Allen wrench Hex Bit Not a Star shape (to use with 3/8″ rachet)
at least 4″ extension for the rachet
Long neck adjustable plier
Two or more 1″ diameter hose clamps
Two flat head screw drivers to assist with removing hoses
One Phillips head screw driver to remove the ram air intake

First remove the engine shroud plastic using Phillips head or flat head screw drivers size 1. Also remove the ram air intake sticking out from the top of the radiator. Try to not lose the two screws.

Next is remove the wires from the ignition coils and the bolt holding down the grounding cable. Also remove the ignition coils by simply pulling them out if they are not bolted down using 10mm bolts.

After removing the ignition wires and coils, undo the 10mm nuts holding down the valve cover to the engine head. There are a total of 9 nuts. 3 on the exhaust side, 3 on the intake side and 3 in the middle.

Next up is to remove the 2 hoses from the back of the engine. This is where your long neck adjustable plier comes in handy. A short handle plier will not work well. Becareful of sparks when attempting to remove the hose clamps.

After pushing these hoses out of the way, look to their left and you will see an Allen wrench bolt holding down a metal hose to the valve cover. You will need an extension for your rachet to undo it. I never put it back on after the removal because the thing was always in the way when I actually pulled the vavle cover off the engine.

Up on top of the exhaust side of the engine, the two black hoses are held down in same manner using 4 bolts. I removed them and still had to bend the rear most tab from the lower hose to remove the valve cover.
The correct way is to remove all the hose clamps from the hoses and pull the two black metal hoses out from the exhaust side. But that was just too much work for me.

As you can see I only undid the hose connections from the front of the engine and pulled the hoses upward and out of the way from the valve cover.
Those original Audi hose clamps are not ment to be reused so I replaced them with screw in hose clamps. ^_^

Replaced hose clamps.

To pull up the metal hoses away from the valve cover, you’ll need to undo these two 8mm bolts holding the hoses to the heat shield. Be sure to keep both black and white washers on because they are meant to protect from the corrosion due to dissimilar metals.

Pull away the timing belt cover by undoing the two snap on clips.

Now you can pull off the valve cover by lifting it from two opposite corners and ensuring the cover is level so that the tight stud fittings will not prevent it from coming out. Bending and pushing away the tabs from the black metal hoses takes a bit of muscle if you don’t want to remove the hoses completely.

Installing the gasket is nothing tricky as it will fit in only one direction. I recommend using brake parts cleaner spray with straw fitting to blow away all the grime and sand from the valve cover fitting before putting on a new gasket to ensure proper seal. Cotton swaps are good for hard to reach areas and corners.
The gasket does NOT need any additional sealing products. Using engine oil to lubricate it before installation is a good idea to prevent tears on the plastic gasket when torquing the valve cover nuts.

Install is reverse of the removal. Start the valve cover nuts tightening from the inside three and then do the outside six to prevent bowing.
This should prevent your engine from getting so dirty with sand and grime as well as prevent oil from entering the spark plug wells.

With all tools on hand, this should take about one hour and a half if you have to struggle with the two black metal hoses.