2.5tdi severe camshaft wear

[POLOACE]

It has turned into a money pit,

Oringal engine completly shot, ment con-rods, never looked at the main bearings. However there was crazy polished areas on the sump from the metal circulating in the oil!


I now currently completely rebuilding a lower milage "camshaft failure engine" to use in mine.

This engine has done about 100K all bearings in the bottom end are in tolerence, but there is a bit to much wear in some areas so I will be fitting new mains and big end bearings. I noticed scoring marks on some of the big end bearings from the odd bit of debris that had got in, so there is hidden damage.

I had to buy a new turbo, due to the cars PO failure and part of the broken valved goign though. Both heads from my 2nd hand engine have been skimmed and valve guides checked and valves seats lightly cut back in to remove pitting. Ports have been blue-printed I have new cams and cam gera to go in.

A huge box of gaskets and seals. New oil pump and oil cooler.

There is a technical service bulitin that states that the cams can be done on there own if there i sonly 0.5mm of cam wear, any more and I think they are implying more severe problems. The 2nd engine I have has quite a bit of cam wear and the complete engine was replaced for a new one.

Just waiting on my injectors to come back, and the bearings.

Next time around there will be no nasty surprises! I will have a fully checked engine with no hidden gremlins.

IF your cams are worn it is better to replace earlier rather than later, as the longer it goes on the larger the bits that chip of and entering into the engine.

This is a money lake rather than a mere pit!

Can't wait to drive the car!

[shabazmo]

When polace has finished his marathon "lets buy an audi and fix it for loads a money" I think he deserves a big drink. Anyone else interested? I'll buy the first round.

[POLOACE]

Starting to assembly all the new and recon bits at lasts!

[POLOACE]

New engine fired up today scary

But this time time it sounds sweet :-)

I will post up pictures of the whole rebuild when I get time.

Just bumper and head lights to go back on and m.o.t

[jansko]

Well POLOACE< I am very much interested in what was it all about so do not hesitate to write up here soon

[POLOACE]

On the road and mot'd :-)

Had the quick release fitting radiator hose come of and spray water all over a headlight. 5hrs stripping and rebuilding a head light unit


Just need to to dynamic engine timing, a new engine cover, and a new electric fan and its done

[jansko]

Listen Polocae, what did you do to the engine cover taht you need a new one?

When you get a good price on it get one for me too. Honestly. I have mine cracked

[Ossian]

Is this a problem that occurs to most 2.5tdi engines or has it been a bad batch of cams affecting a few. the reason I ask is I have my eye on a 2000 A6 Quattro in a local garage, but have really been put of with this post, I dont want to but it only to find I end up with a huge repair bill 6 months down the line.

[adamss24]

There has been a batch of not hardened camshafts fitted to cars from late 98 to 2001...i have seen a few with these problem. I would look trough the oil filler cap at the camshaft lobes for prononced wear. Failing that, if you buy it you could remove the rocker cover on one side to make shure nothing is amiss. Dont know how true is this rumour of non hardened cams, but it only occured on cars set on longlife intervals where engine stayed up to 2 years inside the engine. I did overhauled a 1999 tdi a few monthss ago and looking trough the service history it had the heads replaced once, then 40k later it ate the camshafts again ! Gues what, longlife intervals again ! Replaced the engine altoghether with one kept on standard service intervals with 190K running as sweet as the day it left the factory ! Last week went to see another 98 audi a6 i have seen on ebay, same old story, heads removed due to cambelt failure, cams worn out, guy ask for £800 in email, i offer 700, guy says no because someone offered 1000 quid !?! Are people mad ? It costs nearly 2k to repair these engines...anyway, looked elsewere and found a 98 a4 with the dreaded blocked cranckase breather and bought it for 750 quid ! Engine running fine, recent reconditioned injector pump, a bit tatty inside but will clean up well. All i need to do now is fit 2 new susp arms and to tax and mot...

[Ossian]

Thanks for the tip, I may pop back up today and have another look at it.