The way of the S4

[88ninety9]

We all know the way....run for a month....broke the other 11
/rant

Intended on running some errands last night, so I go start my car to let it warm to temp as its real cold here. Starts fine all is well.

15 minutes later, I come out to find it sounds like a diesel. Also chattering a bit. I immediately shut it off and push it back in the garage. Sound seems to be coming from somewhere in the pass head, and the front area of the motor. I'm thinking maybe a cam bearing or a busted lifter? Here's a video, it's not mine but directly represents my issue. Thoughts?

https://youtu.be/Jfb2PYyOvdw

[dannyn424]

what weight oil were you running?

[88ninety9]

I run 0w40 in the winter months. I will add, the car was half quart low on oil, which is odd as just a couple days ago oil level was fine. I routinely check the oil every 4-5 days

[LakeTahoeQuattr]

I am confused because the the video is 2 years old...

[AudiSport12]

Here's a video, it's not mine but directly represents my issue. Thoughts?

read boy

[DieselElectric]

You guys need to drive your cars more! Been driving mine every day since I bought it in November 2014.

Been down twice, once for a flat tire and I was lazy so I drove the backup.

Second had a starter shit the bed a week after going stage 3, at a gas station. I pushed it as fast as I could and popped 2nd gear, got it to work and parked on a hill so I could get home.

Also, Rotella t6 here all year long. And, I go 7,500 miles between oil changes. (All highway though, constant rpm for most of my trip so keep that in mind, if I drove it only for fun drives on the weekends it would probably be more like every other month.)

[88ninety9]

You guys need to drive your cars more! Been driving mine every day since I bought it in November 2014.

Been down twice, once for a flat tire and I was lazy so I drove the backup.

Second had a starter shit the bed a week after going stage 3, at a gas station. I pushed it as fast as I could and popped 2nd gear, got it to work and parked on a hill so I could get home.

Also, Rotella t6 here all year long.

Mine is my daily. I run t6 from March to November. I've had nothing but issues back to back with this car, but I still love it like the day I bought it. I'm going to try to get the car in service position and pull the vc today.

[2000s4_m]

You might have a timing chain guide broken, just take off the valve cover and inspect the tensioner and guides, upper and lower, if they're good try starting in and see if tensioner is working


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[DieselElectric]

Mine is my daily. I run t6 from March to November. I've had nothing but issues back to back with this car, but I still love it like the day I bought it. I'm going to try to get the car in service position and pull the vc today.

Well shit, there goes my theory.

[88ninety9]

You might have a timing chain guide broken, just take off the valve cover and inspect the tensioner and guides, upper and lower, if they're good try starting in and see if tensioner is working


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I have a good head in my garage, so worse come to worse I could use that I suppose......would I be an imbecile to use parts from my other head to get it up and running quickly. As stated, this is my daily and I don't think my wife would appreciate me taking her car again. I guess worse come to worse, I'll have the heads redone with super tech parts (if anyone has a part list with numbers I'd highly appreciate it). I already have a head gasket set and full timing belt kit. The tbelt kit is a Continental kit, but I see no writing on the tensioner, is that normal? Kind of makes me nervous....

Here was last year's fun.....sigh (this motor is NOT in the car, rather the garage)

[2000s4_m]

I have a good head in my garage, so worse come to worse I could use that I suppose......would I be an imbecile to use parts from my other head to get it up and running quickly. As stated, this is my daily and I don't think my wife would appreciate me taking her car again. I guess worse come to worse, I'll have the heads redone with super tech parts (if anyone has a part list with numbers I'd highly appreciate it). I already have a head gasket set and full timing belt kit. The tbelt kit is a Continental kit, but I see no writing on the tensioner, is that normal? Kind of makes me nervous....

Here was last year's fun.....sigh (this motor is NOT in the car, rather the garage)

Not normal that they go bad but i've seen it happen, most of times is worn out guides (which are replaceable), i suggest you find the problem before you disassemble anything, it might be a guide, it might be tensioner itself or it just might be something else, i just saw in the touareg forum a guy with the same problem in a 4.2 V8 (uses same style tensioner) and on his it ended up being a blocked oil passage from the head, so it could be a number of things


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[axnjaksn]

We all know the way....run for a month....broke the other 11
/rant

Intended on running some errands last night, so I go start my car to let it warm to temp as its real cold here. Starts fine all is well.

15 minutes later, I come out to find it sounds like a diesel. Also chattering a bit. I immediately shut it off and push it back in the garage. Sound seems to be coming from somewhere in the pass head, and the front area of the motor. I'm thinking maybe a cam bearing or a busted lifter? Here's a video, it's not mine but directly represents my issue. Thoughts?

https://youtu.be/Jfb2PYyOvdw

I daily mine, i know its odd to recommend, but I run .5-1quart of Mercedes ATF134 - the red atf fluid benz uses, every oil change, I also change my oil every 5k. I feel the small amount of atf keeps things clean inside. I know its odd, been doing it in family members cars for years to quiet lifter noises and such. just a thought to try. plus I think your noise may be low oil related or possibly the cam tensioner related, maybe not. any codes pop up?? just a thought.

[MacDaddy]

0w-40 and engine problems, I'm having déjà vu.

Lots of guys were running this oil in 2008-9 and a lot of them had problems.

[88ninety9]

Pulled the vc, nothing seems out of whack at first inspection. Lifters all seem in shape, tensioner guide looks ok, chain is tight, I did however find my vc gasket leaking. Looks like I need to start pulling the ds vc and see anything out of place over there. I am not a mechanic, nor do I claim to be, so please bear with me. Here's a couple shots of the head

[2000s4_m]

Pulled the vc, nothing seems out of whack at first inspection. Lifters all seem in shape, tensioner guide looks ok, chain is tight, I did however find my vc gasket leaking. Looks like I need to start pulling the ds vc and see anything out of place over there. I am not a mechanic, nor do I claim to be, so please bear with me. Here's a couple shots of the head

Turn the car on with the covers off, check if the tensioners loose pressure while the car warms up


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[88ninety9]

Drivers side
Still everything seems normal...

[88ninety9]

Turn the car on with the covers off, check if the tensioners loose pressure while the car warms up


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I briefly started the car this morning only to immediate hear clatter. By let it warm up, you mean to hook my coils/inlets/maf back up and let the car run?

[2000s4_m]

I briefly started the car this morning only to immediate hear clatter. By let it warm up, you mean to hook my coils/inlets/maf back up and let the car run?

Yeap, can you see the bottom guide? Is it tight? Sometimes the chain is tight on top and loose on botton so when you turn on the engine the cam jumps back and forth


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[dannyn424]

i think you should be running a 5w40 year round for these cars.. as 0w40 is could be too thin... i use m1 5w40 TDT, try it!!

[88ninety9]

Yeap, can you see the bottom guide? Is it tight? Sometimes the chain is tight on top and loose on botton so when you turn on the engine the cam jumps back and forth


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Completed this process, the cams don't seem to have any movement, but the noise is more pronounced.

[jpurre]

Could it be the timing belt tensioner?

[axnjaksn]

+1 for running mobil one, I use it in everything ive ever had, no problems. a lot of manufacturers use it in all there cars, benz uses it in ALL there cars, should be good enough for our rides....

no worries man, just be patient with the stuff we recommend checking, difficult to diag over the keyboard....

[axnjaksn]

im assuming it follows the rpms, the rattle, it gets louder and faster if you rev the engine up??

[axnjaksn]

motor mounts good?? when was the last time you did the timing belt?? maybe try using thicker oil?? it sounds identical to the video you linked above??

[axnjaksn]

sorry for the multiple posts, just thinking and typing as the thoughts pop in my head, I doubt its mounts, but ive had some trashed motor mounts on cars before and the engine is basically rattling around in place, sounds horrific. I keep coming back to cam tensioners, if you've had a timing belt done recently or on schedule, that's my best guess..... but, if I remember correctly, should go away above a certain rpms, im not positive since I have not personally had that happen to me ....yet

[88ninety9]

I shot a vid of the previous process I tried, just waiting for photobucket so I can upload it.

I suppose I may as well start pulling the front off so I can get to the timing belt..
http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/02...40523.mp4.html

[88ninety9]

No worries for multi-posts I'm happy to take in the info.

Yes, the noise follows rpm
Mounts are in good shape
It does sound identical (until removing the vc's where it's now more pronounced)

[james 408]

guys, this isn't an oil weight issue. and 0w 40 is fine for many conditions on a healthy motor (I ran it for years, as did thousands of others with no issues -- several audi shops were using it as their default fluid), yeah 5w 40 is probably better, but i highly doubt this is the cause of his issues. As to your specific issue, wish I could help, but i'd guess you're barking up the right tree. I wonder if it's as simple as that gasket leak. Might take a peak at the bottom end see if anything's obvious.

maybe this helps, or hurts:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-like-a-diesel

so might check and see if there as a cylinder in particular misfiring. could be as simple as a dead plug?

[MacDaddy]

+1 for running mobil one, I use it in everything ive ever had, no problems. a lot of manufacturers use it in all there cars, benz uses it in ALL there cars, should be good enough for our rides....

no worries man, just be patient with the stuff we recommend checking, difficult to diag over the keyboard....

Been in the s4 game 8 years now, it's always the guys running 0w40 having issues and saying "never had an issue".

[vavJETTAw36]

guys, this isn't an oil weight issue. and 0w 40 is fine for many conditions on a healthy motor (I ran it for years, as did thousands of others with no issues -- several audi shops were using it as their default fluid), yeah 5w 40 is probably better, but i highly doubt this is the cause of his issues. As to your specific issue, wish I could help, but i'd guess you're barking up the right tree. I wonder if it's as simple as that gasket leak. Might take a peak at the bottom end see if anything's obvious.

maybe this helps, or hurts:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-like-a-diesel

so might check and see if there as a cylinder in particular misfiring. could be as simple as a dead plug?

This guy might be on to something... Have you tried checking for misfires?

[2000s4_m]

Completed this process, the cams don't seem to have any movement, but the noise is more pronounced.

Well, i guess then those are ok, i would check timing marks, crank and cams to make sure theyre ok, but other than that you might want to check into the oil grade, i really dont think that could be the problem but you never know, every engine is different


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[axnjaksn]

Been in the s4 game 8 years now, it's always the guys running 0w40 having issues and saying "never had an issue".

Yea, too thin of oil could cause an issue, I think I run 15/50... my shop use 5/30 or 5/40... one of the 2 weights......

I didn't see you mention any cel or codes being present. that's where I would always start first, I thought that was asked above and idk if OP had checked that or not??? very easily could be a misfire, dead plug, coil.... check for codes, if its a whole bank then you could be onto something... icm maybe or that related bank cam tensioner?? if the gasket that sits under the cam tensioner leaks, do they cause that noise?? possibly, I know after I did mine, first start up was noisy as hell

[88ninety9]

Only code is for sai, which is gone. Plugs are all new. Pulled them, rechecked the gap, all were in spec. Found a possible vac leak, will be addressed tomorrow when I pull the core support to examine the timing belt. One of the icm's are new, but I don't see having a misfire of that magnitude without a code

[rguil]

Only code is for sai, which is gone. Plugs are all new. Pulled them, rechecked the gap, all were in spec. Found a possible vac leak, will be addressed tomorrow when I pull the core support to examine the timing belt. One of the icm's are new, but I don't see having a misfire of that magnitude without a code

check total misfire count per cylinder in engine measurement blocks of vcds, misfire might not throw code but you can still feel it, nevertheless i dont think its a misfire issue.
id have to agree with others as it sounds like the timing belt.

[james 408]

sometimes it's the insulation on plug wires, bad coil, etc. if it's isolated to a specific cylinder then you can start the spark, compresion, fuel testing with a more focused attack.

[axnjaksn]

I hope its timing belt and not the cam adjuster....... be less expensive and less labor intensive to do a timing belt service.....if that's all it is.. fingers crossed for ya man

[88ninety9]

Tomorrow it's going the rest of the way into service position and I'll check the timing. Might as well do the timing belt job while I'm in there. I had intentions of doing head gaskets, timing belt, and misc other jobs come spring, but I have the parts and it getting torn down anyway I may just do it all. I have two other heads too so either way I have the parts. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Thanks for the help

[james 408]

that's the most b5 thing i've ever heard. Praise be. Amen.

[Samataras]

B5 needs oil change? I guess I'll do stage 3 w motor pull while I'm at it

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[88ninety9]

that's the most b5 thing i've ever heard. Praise be. Amen.

Ha! Love this

B5 needs oil change? I guess I'll do stage 3 w motor pull while I'm at it

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I'm not exactly sure I follow...


Car got put off today. It was raining and it's right on the door of the garage. I already miss my climate controlled oversized 2 car