B6 Audi S4 engine won’t start, NEED HELP!!

[audiaddio]

A few months ago, my Audi had a misfire in cylinder 4. I couldn’t drive it like that home so I had it towed. When I got home, I turned it on (with the misfire, engine shaking bad) and drove it into my driveway and into my garage. And I left it there for a few months until last week I decided to change all the spark plugs and ignition coils. I ordered them from FCP Euro and changed them. I also changed the oil filter, air filter, and oil (basically a tune up and reset all the check engine light codes). When I tried to turn the car back on, it wouldn’t start. No crank, no spark, nothing. It just sounds like a hard click on the bottom of the engine (which is the starter) when I try to turn on the car and if I keep the key in start, it will eventually start clicking but a fast click. At first, I thought it was my battery so I tried jump starting it and no luck. Changed the battery from my B6 A4 and same results. My next guess was the fuses, checked them all and everything good there. Last check I did was the starter, now getting the starter out was a PIA because we had to saw off the upper motor mount bracket because the hex head bolt was stripped. Anyways, I took the starter to 2 different places and they both said the starter was good (it passed all the tests). They did advise me to hand crank the flywheel and the engine. I got home and hand cranked the flywheel one whole rotation. I put the starter back on and tried turning on the car and the same result. Now all I have left is to crank the engine but I’m sure that won’t change anything. I’m all out of options here, could it be just be the wrong ignition coils or spark plugs? Anyone have any suggestions? The car was working perfect before I changed the ignition coils and spark plugs (before misfire).

[nick1980]

Put the old parts back on and see what happens
Check engine light ,vag scan?
Mess up firing order?

[Atomic Avant]

A few months ago, my Audi had a misfire in cylinder 4. I couldn’t drive it like that home so I had it towed. When I got home, I turned it on (with the misfire, engine shaking bad) and drove it into my driveway and into my garage. And I left it there for a few months until last week I decided to change all the spark plugs and ignition coils. I ordered them from FCP Euro and changed them. I also changed the oil filter, air filter, and oil (basically a tune up and reset all the check engine light codes). When I tried to turn the car back on, it wouldn’t start. No crank, no spark, nothing. It just sounds like a hard click on the bottom of the engine (which is the starter) when I try to turn on the car and if I keep the key in start, it will eventually start clicking but a fast click. At first, I thought it was my battery so I tried jump starting it and no luck. Changed the battery from my B6 A4 and same results. My next guess was the fuses, checked them all and everything good there. Last check I did was the starter, now getting the starter out was a PIA because we had to saw off the upper motor mount bracket because the hex head bolt was stripped. Anyways, I took the starter to 2 different places and they both said the starter was good (it passed all the tests). They did advise me to hand crank the flywheel and the engine. I got home and hand cranked the flywheel one whole rotation. I put the starter back on and tried turning on the car and the same result. Now all I have left is to crank the engine but I’m sure that won’t change anything. I’m all out of options here, could it be just be the wrong ignition coils or spark plugs? Anyone have any suggestions? The car was working perfect before I changed the ignition coils and spark plugs (before misfire).

Have you tried holding the key longer? It sounds like a starter to me, even though you had it looked at twice. Changing the spark plugs/ignition coils will have no bearing on your car not cranking.

Here is a good read on B6 S4 starting issues. They cover a few possible options.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...solution/page2

[roboto_1337]

Does the dash cluster come on ok? is it a stick on AT? could be your neutral switch, or something with the ignition interlock / starter relay. Time to start testing with that volt meter... double check all your grounds make sure that a rodent didn't chew through them in the downtime.

could also be worth doublechecking your battery, it may be a stronger battery than your 1.8... and be dead... have you tried boosting the car?

[audiaddio]

Does the dash cluster come on ok? is it a stick on AT? could be your neutral switch, or something with the ignition interlock / starter relay. Time to start testing with that volt meter... double check all your grounds make sure that a rodent didn't chew through them in the downtime.

could also be worth doublechecking your battery, it may be a stronger battery than your 1.8... and be dead... have you tried boosting the car?

Dash cluster comes on ok, it even says "OK". Then it says press clutch to start. My car is standard. I have to buy a multi meter to start testing. How do you check the grounds? I will have to double check my battery with the multi meter right? I tried jump starting the car if that's what you are implying. I'm sorry I'm such a noob at this lol.

[roboto_1337]

Dash cluster comes on ok, it even says "OK". Then it says press clutch to start. My car is standard. I have to buy a multi meter to start testing. How do you check the grounds? I will have to double check my battery with the multi meter right? I tried jump starting the car if that's what you are implying. I'm sorry I'm such a noob at this lol.

a multimeter will just tell you the voltage and amperage you're able to get out of the battery... it wouldn't tell you the overall health, you would need a battery tester for that... Pep boys would probably test it for free if you take it in to them... If they tested the starter and said it's good, maybe take it somewhere else to have it tested and see if they think it's still good too... you can get a cheap multimeter to test voltages and resistance across the relays and leads to find out if there's an issue with a relay of if there's a physical disconnection somewhere in the line, it can be a very long and tedious process ruling everything out, but there should be some youtube videos out there about how to properly test relays and ignition modules. If you can get the CEL code it would be helpful.

Does the "press clutch to start" go away when you press the clutch in?

I'm going through a similar issue with an old civic that I have... oddly enough I think it's the starter... lol... but I haven't pulled it yet to verify if it's working.

If the starter is back in the car you can get a positive lead cable and make contact to the positive terminal on the starter to activate the solenoid... this bypasses the starter relay and will crank the starter if it works... if you get nothing the starter is probably pooched.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=...AAAAAdAAAAABAV

use a positive lead to contact the solenoid (around the ignition switches).

[audiaddio]

Put the old parts back on and see what happens
Check engine light ,vag scan?
Mess up firing order?

I threw away the old spark plugs and ignition coils. I can scan the car to check for CEL codes using OBD2. Unfortunately I don’t have VAG COM.

[audiaddio]

Have you tried holding the key longer? It sounds like a starter to me, even though you had it looked at twice. Changing the spark plugs/ignition coils will have no bearing on your car not cranking.

Here is a good read on B6 S4 starting issues. They cover a few possible options.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...solution/page2

I have tried holding the key for 10 seconds but the starter just click rapidly. You think it’s the starter? I can go buy a new one from Pep Boys.

[mad70sx]

I left it there for a few months until last week

Unless you have a battery tender or disconnected the battery, it's likely drained down. There will always be a electrical draw on modern cars even if they are not running. Let it sit long enough and the battery will drain down.

Bad coil packs or plugs would not prevent the engine from turning over. It may not fire up if they were bad but would not prevent it from cranking over. You may have had a bad coil or plug before hand but since you've let it sit for a few months, the battery is likely dead.

I'd bet this is your issue if all you hear are clicks when you try to crank it over. From my experiences, clicking would be typical when a start does not get enough juice to turn it over.

As mentioned by others previously, I would check the cranking voltage on your battery. If you have no voltmeter to check, then I would simply try jump starting it if you have not tried to already.

[evolution2147]

If you are able to turn the crank by hand without issues then either your battery is dead, starter is bad or the wiring going to the starter has issues.

[audiaddio]

UPDATE 4/7
Let me clarify or update the devastating situation at hand. The starter works perfectly fine, the battery is now fully charged (gives out 12V), I checked the ground wires and positive wires from the battery to the starter and the starter to the chassis (everything good there). Now let me be more specific on what happened when I was trying to turn the flywheel, I left out a very important detail. The flywheel was hard to turn in one direction and it got to a point where it couldn't turn anymore, we tried turning the opposite way and the same thing, it gets to a point where it doesn't turn anymore. At this point, I am hoping it's not a seized/stuck engine. Is there anyway to confirm this? I heard there's a way to hand crank the engine using the alternator pulley but how? Looking back at what caused this, it was totally my fault. I bought the car about 2 years ago and never checked the spark plugs, ignition coils, or engine oil. And who knows how long the car has been like that with the previous owner. There can be a problem with the flywheel, clutch, transmission, timing chains, or the engine itself. If I was to do an oil change, would it lubricate the engine and get it back to moving. Maybe spray penetrating lubricant through the spark plug holes and let it sit overnight? Any recommendations?

[Ejabour]

What were the codes before you cleared them?

Hope the timing didn't jump a tooth.

[audiaddio]

What were the codes before you cleared them?

Hope the timing didn't jump a tooth.

It was just misfire in cylinder 1 and multiple random misfires. It has to be the timing chain my dude.

[AlexB6S4]

I thinking you were just battling compression when trying to turn it. Don’t spray anything into your bores. If you were thinking that your rings rusted due to a possible head gasket failure, you wouldn’t have been able to move the crank. Take all the plugs out and try cranking it by the alternator pulley while it is in neutral. If its stuck, remove the starter and try again. If its still stuck, you have a serious issue.

You can also put it in 3rd gear and try pushing your car with some friends to see if the engine turns. If you remove the plugs, you should be able to do it in 1st or reverse as well.

Also, how were you turning the flywheel?


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[audiaddio]

I thinking you were just battling compression when trying to turn it. Don’t spray anything into your bores. If you were thinking that your rings rusted due to a possible head gasket failure, you wouldn’t have been able to move the crank. Take all the plugs out and try cranking it by the alternator pulley while it is in neutral. If its stuck, remove the starter and try again. If its still stuck, you have a serious issue.

You can also put it in 3rd gear and try pushing your car with some friends to see if the engine turns. If you remove the plugs, you should be able to do it in 1st or reverse as well.

Also, how were you turning the flywheel?


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I tried to hand crank the engine using the alternator pulley and it's the same exact issue as when I turned the flywheel. It will rotate but it will stop a certain point and won't go anymore. I think there's something wrong with the timing chain and there's no way to figure it out.

[AlexB6S4]

Did you remove the plugs and try to crank it? Start there. That is free to do.


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[evolution2147]

Yeah you really need to take the plugs back out and go from there. You also really can't spin it that well from the alternator anyways. But it would be very odd if your timing chains gave out when it was just sitting in your garage. If you really think it's a timing problem you can also take the valve covers off when you pull the plugs out. You can check to make sure the cams are still lined up with the covers off. Did you try to start the car before you did the recent tune up?

[audiaddio]

Yeah you really need to take the plugs back out and go from there. You also really can't spin it that well from the alternator anyways. But it would be very odd if your timing chains gave out when it was just sitting in your garage. If you really think it's a timing problem you can also take the valve covers off when you pull the plugs out. You can check to make sure the cams are still lined up with the covers off. Did you try to start the car before you did the recent tune up?

I will be doing no more further inspections on the car, my final assumptions has to be both; engine and timing chain failure. I am putting the car up for sale as is, if the next owner can diagnose the problem I will post it on here.

[AlexB6S4]

PM sent


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