2005 S4 engine issues

**pu911** · 01-08-2016 06:00 PM

The engine in my 120k mile S4 stopped running while my son was driving the other day. Car ran great up until that exact moment. Car turns over and seems like it would start but it obviously disturbed so I turned it off right away. At a minimum it needs all the timing chain crap but it seems like there are many other issues with these motors - not sure what I should do here. I figured I'd have motor leaked down and go from there, any other suggestions. Car is in good shape I've done the power steering work, control arms etc but I don't want to keep dumping money into car.

Phil

**FormulaElement** · 01-10-2016 01:04 AM

A VCDS scan would be great, also a video of your engine as you start it up would be helpful.

More than likely it jumped timing, but it's hard to tell without a video. I do live near you if you don't have VCDS.

Anyways, It probably is worth selling the car if you cannot do this work yourself. These cars do get expensive to own when in the higher miles. A leak down test isn't too worth it as you should know how fast it burns oil at this point if you've owned the car for very long.

**pu911** · 01-10-2016 10:52 AM

Thanks for the offer- car did not burn much oil and ran very well. The only reason I was interested in a doing a leak down was to detect bent valves.

Phil

**jarhead03** · 01-16-2016 06:15 AM

Same happen to mine while I was driving it on highway. It turned out to be a broken valve and a bent valve. Hopefully this is not the case for you.

**bmwpower603** · 01-16-2016 09:21 AM

That sounds like bad luck. I have 150k s4 (may have timing done, maybe not.) But I just had my mechanical adjuster fail! It's believed to have skipped timing.. Lost all my power. (No chain rattle though)

**2004B6S4** · 01-16-2016 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by pu911

At a minimum it needs all the timing chain crap...

Phil

Originally Posted by FormulaElement

More than likely it jumped timing...

sounds to me like you guys are jumping to conclusions when the only information we have is that it won't start. It could definitely be the timing but I wouldn't immediately assume that without any codes or other diagnosing.

**bmwpower603** · 01-16-2016 10:11 AM

Of course. But if there's no timing history. It I very likely.

GO Patriots!!!

**pu911** · 01-16-2016 12:47 PM

I'll get some diagnostic work done and report back- My S4 (engine) and S6 (tranny) died within a couple of months of each other, not very happy with Audi's right now.
Phil

**S4orgy** · 01-16-2016 02:11 PM

When my timing went the first time it still started but sounded as if it was a cammed muscle car. The second time when the chains snapped it just spun and wouldnt start

**staypuft** · 01-16-2016 08:28 PM

My sports car stopped running while my son was driving it

That's never happened before

- Guess it's better then crashing it.

Check compression and hope it's not timing. (It's probably timing.)

**pu911** · 01-16-2016 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by sfouRS

That's never happened before

- Guess it's better then crashing it.

Check compression and hope it's not timing. (It's probably timing.)

My kids are pretty lucky- they get my hand me down cars. They do respect and enjoy fine German cars.

**jr1415us** · 01-17-2016 10:16 AM

Might be something simple, like the fuel pump, pump relay, crank sensor, etc.

**pu911** · 01-17-2016 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by jr1415us

Might be something simple, like the fuel pump, pump relay, crank sensor, etc.

I wish that was the case but timing sounds disturbed when engine is cranked.

Phil

**RedS4avant** · 01-17-2016 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by jr1415us

Might be something simple, like the fuel pump, pump relay, crank sensor, etc.

Agreed, is there confirmed gas in the tank? Any audible hum from the tank when key is turned, any stored codes? Why is the first diagnosis always timing now?

**IslandHydro** · 01-17-2016 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by RedS4avant

Why is the first diagnosis always timing now?

Paranoia strikes again....

**bmwpower603** · 01-17-2016 07:16 PM

Can we all just convert to b5 s4 ? That way we don't have to worry about timing ISSUES. Only worries with b5 s4 are : limp mode, no heat, and gear grinding.

**VinnysS4** · 01-18-2016 07:50 PM

do a VCDS scan and stop guessing. we need codes to rule out the timing and or other possible parts. If you want to and are like 98% of people, just throw parts at it and pray it helps, and when it doesn't, then DO A VCDS SCAN. If you are part of the other 2%, lets figure out what is actually wrong with the car. VCDS scan, check Fuel trims, report results.

**bmwpower603** · 01-18-2016 08:31 PM

Scan will tell you if you need to remove engine. But won't necessarily tell you what exactly. I had a huge piece of ice hit my car, and knocked it out of time. Won't know what's damaged until insurance gives my mechanic a go on removing the engine.

**VinnysS4** · 01-18-2016 11:01 PM

A scan gives you a place to start. You can diagnose most stuff on a car without ever opening the hood if you know what to look for. Most people read an oxygen sensor code and run down to the store and buy a new oxygen sensor without testing the one on the car to even see if they need one. Had a car yesterday that had MAP code. What do you think most people would do if they didn't take the time to test anything.? Off to the parts store they go. Did a scan, multiple misfires. Pulled measuring blocks up. One cylinder was misfiring like crazy. I checked the short and long term fuel trims, checked the oxygen sensors, read the MAP sensor voltage, and the next step was swapping coils to see if it was the coil or something else was causing the misfire. I swapped the coils and the misfire followed. Cleared codes and misfire for that cylinder came up. New coil installed, car runs great and has no map code. Log show MAP sensor responding properly and fuel trims are back to normal. So before you go out and buy parts to throw at the car, or have the engine pulled, do a little research and a little bit of diagnostic work. It can go a long way and save some money.

**2004B6S4** · 01-19-2016 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by VinnysS4

Pulled measuring blocks up. One cylinder was misfiring like crazy. I checked the short and long term fuel trims, checked the oxygen sensors, read the MAP sensor voltage, and the next step was swapping coils to see if it was the coil or something else was causing the misfire. I swapped the coils and the misfire followed. Cleared codes and misfire for that cylinder came up. New coil installed, car runs great and has no map code. Log show MAP sensor responding properly and fuel trims are back to normal.

hey thanks for that description. I try to diagnose as much as possible and I have a vag-com but I'm still learning and don't really know enough to use it as well as I could, so a lot of times I'm like that guy that'll swap parts out after reading a code. I'll normally try logical stuff like switching coilpacks. But when it comes to monitoring sensors and fuel trims and stuff like that, I just don't know enough about how the engine and ecu and everything works to know which sensors to monitor, and why. But I'm learning things like that over time mainly by reading stuff online and posts like yours so that's helpful

**VR6OhMy** · 01-19-2016 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by 2004B6S4

hey thanks for that description. I try to diagnose as much as possible and I have a vag-com but I'm still learning and don't really know enough to use it as well as I could, so a lot of times I'm like that guy that'll swap parts out after reading a code. I'll normally try logical stuff like switching coilpacks. But when it comes to monitoring sensors and fuel trims and stuff like that, I just don't know enough about how the engine and ecu and everything works to know which sensors to monitor, and why. But I'm learning things like that over time mainly by reading stuff online and posts like yours so that's helpful

Don't worry about individual measuring blocks or trying to interpret things. Just read the fault codes for now and report back what DTC's are stored and then we can help you make an educated guess as to what the problem(s) may be.

**Aok303** · 01-19-2016 07:21 PM

crank sensor?

**VinnysS4** · 01-21-2016 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by VR6OhMy

Don't worry about individual measuring blocks or trying to interpret things. Just read the fault codes for now and report back what DTC's are stored and then we can help you make an educated guess as to what the problem(s) may be.

Yes just scan it and read the fault codes. Take the most logical approach you can. We will check for spark, fuel, vacuum, etc... I just don't like seeing people change stuff like 02 sensors if they don't actually check to see if they are working or not. People change the dumbest stuff because they got a code for it. Think of it this way....If you get a code for an 02 sensor saying "bank 1 system too lean" some people go out and change the 02 sensor, not realizing that it is reporting a problem, and its NOT the problem. Yeah the 02 sensors fail, but that's not what that code is telling you. Lean means there is unmetered air getting into the engine somewhere after the MAF (sometimes it is actually a dirty MAF and its not reading all the air that is passing through). The 02 sensors just trim the fuel up or down to help return to the "stoichiometric" ratio of 14.7:1 air to fuel ratio. The ECU will throw a CEL once the percent (as metered by the long term fuel trims) goes out of the range that the computer sees as optimal. In the case of a crank, no start situation... Spark or fuel would be the first direction...monitoring the measuring blocks would help you diagnose a bad coil pack, or if the misfires are consistent to one bank, then the timing adjusters could be at fault and then you might have to pull the engine to fix. Diagnosing the problem using VCDS will help you so you know what direction to go. Don't just pull the engine because someone online says to or because the mechanic says to. Use VCDS to Validate the codes and see what is causing the problem.