Balance shaft replacement questions...

[orttauq]

2010 2.0 tsi Recently had my timing chain, tensioner, guides, and cam bridge replaced due to cam bridge failure. Drove approx 5 miles, everything was good.

Came to a stop, engine stalled. Went to start and just got a clank from the starter, something was locked up.

Mechanic pulled the covers, found the balance shaft for the water pump seized.

Anyone replace the balance shafts yet? I can't find a diy or write up or procedure anywhere online. He thinks the engine needs to be pulled to do so. Any help would be appreciated!

[quattro16]

Sounds like whoever did the timing chains messed something up. Never replaced one or seen one go bad. and I see about 30 A4s a day.....

[orttauq]

Sounds like whoever did the timing chains messed something up. Never replaced one or seen one go bad. and I see about 30 A4s a day.....

How could someone replacing an upper timing chain and tensioner cause a completely unrelated part to fail, more specifically seize up internally?

Not sure where you work, but the dealer I used to work at actually had the balance shafts in stock. They're quite common from what I've seen now. Part has a physical revision so Audi is aware there's a problem. As an update, I went to the shop and inspected the balance shaft which was removed. It had internal bearings, which failed and caused the shaft to completely seize. Not possible to spin. The other balance shaft had a good amount of resistance.

If you're going your timing chain tensioner, inspect these balance shafts before reassembly...

[b8a4alex]

Update on this? Did they go ahead and just replace the shaft? Any problems since?

[tech30six]

From my experience as a dealer tech, only replaced a couple sets of balance shafts. We typically replace the balance shaft chain and tensioner bolt, when we do the timing chain replacement as a preventative measure.