Picking up a 2001 TT 6speed Quattro 225 AMU

[sQ5inSD]

just snagged a very clean 2001 225hp with 6MT (and only 88k miles!) after moving to Las Cruces, NM so I was also a bit let down to see so few posts - I am also on the B8.5 forum for my 3.0T Q5 and there is a ton of activity so I will try to spice up this Mk1 forum with my TT's journey from stock to hopefully north of 250 hp along with brake and suspension mods...

[Seal1968]

Thanks for tuning in gents...will get back on track hopefully this weekend if it warms up. We just got a cold snap this week, but its good to see others taking interest. I'm feeling inspired lol

[Seal1968]

OK, sorted the coil wiring finally. Decided to do a compression test as the misfires are only there at idle, and she does burn some oil.

Cylinder 1: 150/160
Cylinder 2: 150/160
Cylinder 3: 150/160
Cylinder 4: 50/60

Wet test...cylinder 4 gets to 150, then drops each time you run the test again as the oil blows by.

Fuck. My money is on burnt exhaust valves and rings....and she needs a rebuild.

Now I got to decide...keep her and dive in with $$ or ditch her. Sonofabitch.

Any ideas on cost of an AMU rebuild these days gents?

Probably be smart to refresh the turbo "while you're in there...." as well.

[Seal1968]

Going to try another piston soak for the next few days for cylinder 4...could it be stuck rings/gummed up valves? These cars are known for heavy sludge, etc...will give it a try since I have the chemicals on hand.

What the hell...its a hail Mary last ditch effort before I make a decision to rip her apart.

[Portlandareae28]

I like your style! hail mary before giving in!! Still a great car if you work through it in my opinion!

I have this very blurred vision of an RS America/Outlaw mkI Tt.. not sure what that blur becomes yet, but I have a 2.0 stroked 1.8t A4 that I am going to unbuild to maximize a k04 hybrid, stock cat, stock manifolds, 100% readiness, as stock visually as possible outlaw smoggable setup that I can. not chasing race car power, but chasing more smoggable daily power…. and use that setup as a guide to an Outlaw/RS America/R-gruppe style TT build…. what else can one get in a kickass coupe sportscar, awd, buildability “drivers” car.. I am not chasing street racing, but a fun canyon, refined weekend with the wife at the beach car that makes car guys like us look at it closely and see the bits and pieces that set it apart….

good luck understanding all of that craziness, my mind can be a little chaotic.. but if you have a TT in the garage even if you have to dig into that engine, what else is out there that checks all the boxes in this $$$ range???


Sent from my iPhone using Audizine Forum

[Seal1968]

Hail Mary is an understatement lol.

Going to try an old engine builder/restorers trick for stuck rings...1 litre Marvel Mystery Oil + fresh synthetic oil and run it like I stole it for a few days and retest. See what happens.

Doubt anything will improve but these cars are well known for sludge and carbon build up, so what the heck I have some MMO on the workbench. Anecdotally it apparently works on dissolving carbon on rings and helps valve seals/guides. Could be snake oil claims, but its been used for years by the old boys out there.

One thing it will do is flush the engine out and make it ready for work, so that's a plus.

Stay tuned.

[Spinnetti]

Bummer... we used to call that an Italian tune up. Hope it works! Junkyard motors should be cheap... build up a spare?

[Seal1968]

Winter came back, so I've not been working on her as of late. I spoke to a local VW/Audi shop and they said they have not seen these cars with ring problems, more so it could just be a burnt exhaust valve, or the rings are actually stuck/gummed up. They suggested a leakdown test.

I'm going old school as noted with MMO and ATF to try and flush her out. Will let the MMO/ATF mixture sit for a few days in cylinder 4 with the plug out, then use the rest to clean out the crankcase. Give her a few miles with this mixture and change the filter/oil.

If anything it'll loosen all the gunk in there and get it ready for a teardown - this has been done for years by mechanics from what I've read. My brother who's been a mechanic for 30 years said that he's used diesel in the cylinders to free up seized engines as well. Sometimes you've got to get dirty lol.

Will retest the compression after to see if any improvement.

[Seal1968]

UPDATE:

Been doing the full soak this week...turning the crank over and adding more to the cylinder with plugs out. I'm using MMO, Acetone and Seafoam Deep Creep in rotation...the oil will be nasty when I drain her Saturday. I figured this is a "hail Mary" so why not pull out all the stops lol.

I'm doubtful this will work, but worth a shot given these are cheap chemicals to obtain.

I think I can get ahold of a borescope to take a look at the valves once flushed out. Stay tuned.

[Seal1968]

Soak done, oil drained and fresh synthetic and filter on. Still misfiring...not quite as bad, but that could be a placebo effect I'm feeling.

Going to try and get a borescope...I think it has to be the rings. A wet test was done with a cap full of oil in the cylinder and tested and there was improved compression, then as then oil blows by the rings it fails again after 4 cranks.

I can't see the compression ring still being stuck in the groove, especially after what I threw at her: MMO, acetone, Seafoam Deep Creep and diesel.

Damn...

[Spinnetti]

Bummer. Junkyard motor swap?

[Seal1968]

Might be an option...if it's rings, the motor comes out anyway. A full rebuild is @ $4K here that I've been quoted.

I asked on the B6 forum, and they are gung-ho to tackle on your own, but I don't have the tools or skill. I might search around, you can transfer the goodies done to a donor engine, just need one with damn good compression lol.

I hate feeling beaten by a car...not sure I'm ready to throw in the towel just yet.

[Spinnetti]

I'm with you - you've done so much you can't throw in the towel now! Prolly can get a junkyard motor for $400-500? Assembling an engine is easy - machine shop has to do the real work for that anyway

[Seal1968]

Cheapest engine I've seen around here is $3K...well, it's in a rolled coupe, but does have lots of updates and goodies. Problem is, it's 7 hours away.

I reached out to some well known breaker yards but no response. Another FB user who is an Audi Technician said he can do it...looking at $3500 re and re with a used engine.

I wonder what shipping from USA to Ontario Canada costs...might be cheaper even with exchange. Still investigating.

[Seal1968]

Update: listed her for sale to see if I get any interest. Have not had any luck sourcing a good used engine...prices are nuts right now. Might have to bite the bullet and get the engine pulled and rebuilt/partially rebuilt. A bit frustrated. Oh well, tits or tires....

[easyAudi]

Is a US-based junkyard or shipper an option? ...depending on where in Ontario you're located, maybe Detroit salvage yards are an option? Especially if you happen to be closer to Windsor.. ( but I have no clue on customs $$ for a uPull junkyard engine, or shipping $$ from a disassembler..)

If Detroit is an option, there's an '02 TT at Parts Galore salvage...maybe $350 if you pull it yourself (VIN: TRUWC28N921024653)
Prices: https://parts-galore.com/parts-price-list/
inventory: https://parts-galore.com/
....but is a gamble as you can't tell condition until you're there, and likely won't know mileage. (unless the ECU + dash is still there and you bring a jumpbox)
Engine was complete and still there a few weeks ago.

..and just in case you haven't yet scoured car-part.com to ship one to you.. it searches disassemblers by distance, some show prices, for engines, many require a call.

Boroscope: surprisingly, I just learned they're a free rental from Autozone in the US. Not great quality, perhaps good enough..in case there's the equivalent up your way.

[Seal1968]

Still investigating options...

[Seal1968]

Sorry gents, been weighing options for this car. I listed her, lots of tire kickers but no joy. Have decided that I will fix her...can't sell her not running right.

Good news is, I found a local German car guy to do the job. He's a VW freak and 1.8L guy, so when I asked him labour-wise only @ $500 cash plus parts and he can do it in a weekend. That is 1/4 what other shops have quoted me. Score one for me.

Game plan is to find a good short block, swap out all the new parts from my engine, install new gaskets, etc. and get her running right.

Stay tuned for updates!

[Seal1968]

UPDATE: Did a bore scope on cylinder 4...a chunk of the piston is gone and the cylinder walls are really scarred up. Looks like these are not fresh gouges, so my guess is the previous owner was running her on 3 cylinders for a while. The scoring looks "sanded down" for lack of a better word. Valves look ok, so might have dodged that bullet...engine doesn't tick or anything

Anyway, the hunt for a good used head is on. Stay tuned.

[Seal1968]

Found a good donor engine to swap the bad block with and should start tearing down in the next couple of weeks...stay tuned if anyone is watching lol. I might be losing my mind to even bother reporting back here.

Wow, so dead is this forum.

Very sad.

[Rich in Boston]

Interesting read! Hope you get to the finish line! I am looking at a 2002 TT MK1 this weekend with 160K miles that is owned by an enthusiast and was meticulously maintained. It's got that baseball leather interior which I just love, and it's a stick!

[Spinnetti]

Seal, stick with it! Remember you are in it for the joy of doing :).

Sounds like a great find Rich! We'd like one like that too.

After a detour of restoring a 2000 Lexus LS400 to almost like new, I'm back on the TT. <Deep Breath>.. I totally removed the SAI stuff, then the N249 stuff and got all new lines for all the breather and PCV stuff (awaiting parts arrival) and replacing pretty much anything rubber under the hood. This thing was serviced and cared for terribly, but still starts up instantly and runs great, but will need a couple gallons of sea foam run through it. Turbo not bolted to the manifold properly, so that's next on the list, then with the 30 odd vacuum and exhaust leaks fixed, time for a timing belt service.

Any good sources for a replacement front bumper cover? Seems like every one of these things has a broken nose.