Fastbird

Well this is sucky. Started digging into it this evening, and got to the point of locking the cams in so I could at least snag the tensioner off the drivers side. Except......

Having sat for over 2 months in the cold, no oil pressure, already collapsed tensioner, the drivers side was skipping as I was turning the motor over. Never felt any major point of pressure, as the cams skipped to a neutral position via the valve spring pressure, and stayed there. So now I'm stuck trying to skip those cams around a tooth at a time using the phasers, and got it far enough around that I am running into interference on the #4 cylinder with the exhaust valves. Great.........guess I'm playing the "move the motor, skip the cams around" game tomorrow morning.

I'm half tempted to just pop the upper part of the head off that retains the cams, reset them that way, and reassemble it on car with the cams locked in the correct position with the crank pinned. Thoughts on doing that? Might be quicker.

Fastbird

Spent a little time yesterday and worked the cams around by hand after unlocking the passenger side and moving the motor a little so Cylinders 4-6 were all in the bores a bit. Had to use the hold town tool to hold the Intake cam so I could pop the phaser free and get it off, and with the chain out of the way the cams came around fine, no interference. Only took about an hour and a half to do that and pop the motor mount out so I could lock the crank in and then get the tensioner out.

Later yesterday I put the new tensioner in and got the phasers back on and torqued so I could pull the lock pin on the tensioner and then just let it sit overnight to let the piston seat in (30 minutes per elsawin, I figured it couldn't hurt sitting overnight). Finished yesterday by getting the crank pin out and the motor mount back up in place.

Today I finished putting it back together. Rotating it around by hand was unnerving as usual because as it comes around the cam closest to the tension piston on each will "pop" into place randomly as the spring pressures equalize due to no oil pressure on the tensioners. It's unnerving as all get out considering this is a fix for the first time I did this job 2k miles ago. But it's all back together, I'm just letting the RTV for the cover set up before firing it up maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow. Don't know yet.

Oh, and I checked that check ball on the back of the head VERY closely. She's clean as a whistle, rolls, and depresses just find by hand. Not sure what caused the drivers side tensioner to fail at 2k miles unless it was just the car sitting not being driven for a couple of weeks in sub zero temps and the extended lack of oil pressure due to the cold oil caused it.

As long as it's all good, I'm putting the car up for immediate sale. I talked about it before, but the opportunity to buy back the Corvette I used to own will slip from my grasp very shortly if I don't move on it, and move I shall. Definitely want to find myself in another A6 someday..........

roylok

It wouldn't hurt to check the camshaft solenoids too, bad design. I had them all four replaced.

Fastbird

It's alive!!!! Charged it all night, pulled the fuel pump fuse to crank and build some oil pressure this morning........crank it and whoops.........forgot DI manifolds don't bleed down over time. Car fired right up and had chain clatter for less than a second then it went instantly silent. No residual noise like when I replaced it the first time making me think even more that the particular tensioner was suspect to begin with. Car ran almost 5 minutes before puttering out from fuuel starvation.

Up for sale now, $6k obo. It is the last piece of the puzzle, for as soon as I sell this I can go pick up my Vette as I have everything else in order for it.

Fastbird

Hmmmmm.....this is strange. Throws a P0346 IMMEDIATELY upon start up. I can use my Snap On scanner in OBD Direct mode to clear the code while running, and it doesn't come back until I shut off and restart the car, at which point it immediately sets. Car is running FINE. Not down on power, not misfiring, smooth and quiet. No chain noises, no rattles, just the typical FSI injector clatter.

Double checked, and no plugs are crossed. I KNOW the cams are aligned properly because I followed procedure as before, and after two revolutions of the motor was able to lock everything back in exactly as before (cam lock tools, crank pin).

Are the adjusters serviceable as in you can clean them and see if they get better? I do NOT want to throw a bunch more money/time at this thing, just get it gone.

*Edit* All copacetic. I swapped the "A" camshaft position sensors side to side and the problem cleared up.

Fastbird

Well, that's that. My Audi departed for a new owner today. Guy contacted me this morning, waited until I got home, showed up, took a quick spin, and didn't even question it.

I WILL....make that ALREADY miss the car. But getting my Corvette back is more important. I can say this though. I have EVERY intention of owning another newer A6 in the not too distant future. That car was just......me. I loved everything about it when I was driving it.

Thanks for all the help everyone, and thanks for having me as a part of the community.

FL C6.5 Avant

Thanks also for your contributions fastbird. don't stay away too long now, y'heah?

Fastbird

Going to try not to. Going to pay off the Corvette within a year hopefully, and then I can probably hop into another A6. Unless the wife wants a new car first. Gotta keep momma happy.

Fastbird

Well, thought I'd check back in.

First and foremost. The reason my Audi got sold. And as I said I'd try to do, I did. Paid off in 2 months (parted out my turbo trans am to do it, but that car was too far gone anyway).



Brought her back home on May 2nd.

So the Audi served it's purpose wonderfully. I have a 2012 Passat SEL TDi as a daily driver now and while it's nice, I will freely admit that I far prefer the 2005 A6 over it. But the fuel economy the Passat gives me (I've gotten over 45MPG on the highway and can do better) keeps me happy too.

If anyone wants a timing tool set for far cheaper than you can get them new for now, I have mine for sale in the FS section.

raj99

hi fastbird, your contribution to the forum while you troubleshot your A6 were GREAT. It's a shame you left us, but who knows what tomorrow brings. Plus if you picked up that vetter...well that is one sweet ride! Enjoy mate