Looking to buy a 2.0 tdi engine soon HELP PLEASE

[markspark71]

And even before removing the head I would carry out the approved Audi test by pressuring the system over night with the inlet manifold off with one cylinder at a time valves closed to see if water builds up behind the valves.

So what are the main symptoms? We know you have steam after a cold start but do you also get rough running? Do you get signs of water and oil mixing with emulsified oil in the expansion tank?

It is quite possible in mine and other chaps opinions, that this could be a failed EGR cooler NOT a porous head. The test for a porous head needs to be carried out. If you fitted a new head or engine with the old EGR cooler and found you had the same issue I think you would be more than a little, well, upset!

Ok i will explain in more detail bearing in mind this car has now not run for over 4.5 years due to turbo giving up. Back to the head problem the car was running and driving fine i was at the time doing some 250-300 mile per day, when in the mornings i stared to notice the car a tad sluggish upon first running in the morning now being winter time i thought nothing of the steam as most cars steam on cold mornings this all soon cleared up and the car would run fine but was using water (how much i cannot remember) so i used to have to top up this i did but to my peril i used only water as i had run out of antifreeze. The car then developed a leak on the heater matrix so i took the water pipes off on the engine to drain what water was in the engine so i could remove the heater matrix. The car was left parked up with the pipes off for around 2 weeks whilst i got the part delivered and found the time to fit, once the matrix was fitted it refilled with antifreeze and water and up until the turbo going the car did not use a drop or water or emit any steam on the cold start ups.

[azman]

The car was left parked up with the pipes off for around 2 weeks whilst i got the part delivered and found the time to fit, once the matrix was fitted it refilled with antifreeze and water and up until the turbo going the car did not use a drop or water or emit any steam on the cold start ups.

i'm confused if you say it didn't use water or steam on start-up after the heater matrix change, why are we on about pourus heads????

this makes it sound like all you need is a turbo? rather than a replacement engine

[markspark71]

i'm confused if you say it didn't use water or steam on start-up after the heater matrix change, why are we on about pourus heads????

this makes it sound like all you need is a turbo? rather than a replacement engine

It also confuses me as to why the car stopped using water and putting out steam on 1st start up. the reason porous head came into it was I had been told the model year 2005 had problems with the head, so I got thinking that leaving the pipes off could have allowed the head to oxidise inside while the pipes where left off. Sounds far fetched I know but why else would it stop using water and steaming.

So taking the above into consideration and the fact the turbo has gone and the oil pump chain was noisy prior to the turbo giving up, would mean fitting new oil pump and turbo to an engine that could have a possible head fault. That said after speaking with a forum member I have decided to strip the sump off the engine and see what the damage is to the bottom of the engine if there is no damage Im thinking along the lines of repair the engine I have, which I know has been serviced on a regular basis. If the engine has major damage I will be going for an ivor Searle engine and turbo I understand one of the members has had a problem with an engine for them but ive searched and searched the web and that's the only negative I can find about their engines. Buying an engine from Audi is well and truly way out of my price range

To be honest my head is really messed up with what to do for the best its not easy when your on limited funds

[azman]

i would shy away from the recon engine route personally. fix the turbo issue first and see what happens. if there is no water loss or steam then your onto a winner. if it develops a fault later on then look into the egr/head route.

i would only go down the recon engine route if i had shot a piston or something major inside the block and even then i would debate on just scraping the car

[markspark71]

i would shy away from the recon engine route personally. fix the turbo issue first and see what happens. if there is no water loss or steam then your onto a winner. if it develops a fault later on then look into the egr/head route.

i would only go down the recon engine route if i had shot a piston or something major inside the block and even then i would debate on just scraping the car

I was editing my post above when this reply came through

[azman]

its a difficult one, but i would have thought the cost of a recon turbo + oil pump + head (if it was needed) would still be less than a recon engine that could possibly fail 6 months down the line and leave you in a worse state than you are now.

the fact it stopped leaking after the matrix change i would have thought would sway you more towards fixing the current engine, and even if it did leak afterwards it would still be drive-able as it was before just needing the odd top-up until you get funds to replace the head or egr cooler.

[markspark71]

I will have a better idea in the next week or so im looking to get the engine stripped and have a look at the damage tbh I like the idea of keeping my own engine, but like I say my head is mashed with all the options. A remanufactured engine and turbo is £2.5k then I would need all the gaskets and stuff to complete the build, im looking to do all the work myself im no mechanic but I don't doubt my ability to carry out the repair given the correct information

[Crasher]

So, this Ivor Searle engine, how do they deal with the injector subject? Does it come bare for you to fit yours (if so more bolts and gasket sets) and if they come fitted, how do you know the condition of the injectors? They certainly cannot b tested and overhauled as that would add a minimum £800 to the job. Does the engine come with water pump and timing belt? Do you need a new clutch and flywheel when in there? These jobs stack up parts lists like crazy. On the subject of injectors, what about the lifter rollers, are they new or used or not supplied? Rebuild the engine yourself, it sounds like it is within your skill set.

[markspark71]

Timing belt and water pump come fitted to the engine, no injectors are included I would have to use my own which are known good. Flywheel would be my own no clutch needed as mines an auto. My engine is out of the car has been for a few months now as I was going to just swap the engine but stripping to inspect damage can't do any harm. The problem I always have is have the money no time have the time no money, that said im determined now to get the engine to run one way or another

[stevegrass777]

I think you may have a workable engine with the one you have,if you dump that dread full balance shaft pump it will be better than Audi intended,(did you see the program about planned obsolescence on BBC 2 the other day where all the bulb manufacturers cut the life of bulbs to 1000 hours to quadruple the sales over 5 years,I don't know why that makes me think about that oil pump Audi have made to last the first owner of three years out ;-) and it dies shortly after).That picture of the top of the engine makes me think why didn't they bridge both exhaust valves and bridge both inlet valves then they would only need one lobe for inlet one for exhaust instead of those little roller things they put on top of the valves.