Need Urgent Advice - Seized Engine?
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AudiWorld Newcomer
Joined: Jan 2012
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Need Urgent Advice - Seized Engine?
Hello everyone I'm new to this forum and I'll get right to it:
I bought an 02 Audi TT quattro 180hp (no warranty) with 85k miles in early December. After ten days of having the vehicle, and putting less than 300 miles on it, I heard an awful click/knocking noise coming from the engine on my way home from work. This happened about 30 seconds after the check engine light came on. About a mile later the engine died (while the car still had working electronics) and I coasted into a nearby driveway and then had it towed to a local shop.
My problem is this- the shop originally told me the issue was with the timing belt. The said it had broke and damaged the valves along the way, and there was no compression in two cylinders and hardly any in the last remaining two. I believed this, having read about the timing belt issued that plagued these cars and just assumed the previous owner ignored replacing it.
Long story short I just heard this week that they were wrong with the original diagnoses; the timing belt is fine and they say the engine is actually seized. There were two locked cams and the cam spacers had broken off somehow. They said I now need a new engine.
My question is this: would I really need a whole new engine now?
They're blaming this on "over-revving" the car, when in reality I hadn't done anything of the sort, if anything I was babying it. Really no idea how this could have happened.
I need to work something out with the shop this Monday, I just need to know if they're taking me for a ride...
Sorry for writing a book, just at a total loss here.
I bought an 02 Audi TT quattro 180hp (no warranty) with 85k miles in early December. After ten days of having the vehicle, and putting less than 300 miles on it, I heard an awful click/knocking noise coming from the engine on my way home from work. This happened about 30 seconds after the check engine light came on. About a mile later the engine died (while the car still had working electronics) and I coasted into a nearby driveway and then had it towed to a local shop.
My problem is this- the shop originally told me the issue was with the timing belt. The said it had broke and damaged the valves along the way, and there was no compression in two cylinders and hardly any in the last remaining two. I believed this, having read about the timing belt issued that plagued these cars and just assumed the previous owner ignored replacing it.
Long story short I just heard this week that they were wrong with the original diagnoses; the timing belt is fine and they say the engine is actually seized. There were two locked cams and the cam spacers had broken off somehow. They said I now need a new engine.
My question is this: would I really need a whole new engine now?
They're blaming this on "over-revving" the car, when in reality I hadn't done anything of the sort, if anything I was babying it. Really no idea how this could have happened.
I need to work something out with the shop this Monday, I just need to know if they're taking me for a ride...
Sorry for writing a book, just at a total loss here.
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 12,088
Likes: 0
Hello everyone I'm new to this forum and I'll get right to it:
I bought an 02 Audi TT quattro 180hp (no warranty) with 85k miles in early December. After ten days of having the vehicle, and putting less than 300 miles on it, I heard an awful click/knocking noise coming from the engine on my way home from work. This happened about 30 seconds after the check engine light came on. About a mile later the engine died (while the car still had working electronics) and I coasted into a nearby driveway and then had it towed to a local shop.
My problem is this- the shop originally told me the issue was with the timing belt. The said it had broke and damaged the valves along the way, and there was no compression in two cylinders and hardly any in the last remaining two. I believed this, having read about the timing belt issued that plagued these cars and just assumed the previous owner ignored replacing it.
Long story short I just heard this week that they were wrong with the original diagnoses; the timing belt is fine and they say the engine is actually seized. There were two locked cams and the cam spacers had broken off somehow. They said I now need a new engine.
My question is this: would I really need a whole new engine now?
They're blaming this on "over-revving" the car, when in reality I hadn't done anything of the sort, if anything I was babying it. Really no idea how this could have happened.
I need to work something out with the shop this Monday, I just need to know if they're taking me for a ride...
Sorry for writing a book, just at a total loss here.
I bought an 02 Audi TT quattro 180hp (no warranty) with 85k miles in early December. After ten days of having the vehicle, and putting less than 300 miles on it, I heard an awful click/knocking noise coming from the engine on my way home from work. This happened about 30 seconds after the check engine light came on. About a mile later the engine died (while the car still had working electronics) and I coasted into a nearby driveway and then had it towed to a local shop.
My problem is this- the shop originally told me the issue was with the timing belt. The said it had broke and damaged the valves along the way, and there was no compression in two cylinders and hardly any in the last remaining two. I believed this, having read about the timing belt issued that plagued these cars and just assumed the previous owner ignored replacing it.
Long story short I just heard this week that they were wrong with the original diagnoses; the timing belt is fine and they say the engine is actually seized. There were two locked cams and the cam spacers had broken off somehow. They said I now need a new engine.
My question is this: would I really need a whole new engine now?
They're blaming this on "over-revving" the car, when in reality I hadn't done anything of the sort, if anything I was babying it. Really no idea how this could have happened.
I need to work something out with the shop this Monday, I just need to know if they're taking me for a ride...
Sorry for writing a book, just at a total loss here.
There is a chance that the ignition coilpack died. But it doesn't click when it goes bad and you could normally start it even with 2 bad coilpack.
You said clicking sound. right before my motor blew my engine was clicking pretty bad and I threw a rod. but I had 158K and a big turbo since 50k. I don't think this happened to you tho because my car could still start.
when you tried starting what do you hear? cranking or a whining noise??
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Newcomer
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 2
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Fiirst of all you need to get your car out of where ever you have it right now. if a shop can't hear the difference between a broken timing belt and a seized motor then you need to run, not walk but run far away. I had experience with 2 bad belts throughout my car life(not mine) and I know the sound.
There is a chance that the ignition coilpack died. But it doesn't click when it goes bad and you could normally start it even with 2 bad coilpack.
You said clicking sound. right before my motor blew my engine was clicking pretty bad and I threw a rod. but I had 158K and a big turbo since 50k. I don't think this happened to you tho because my car could still start.
when you tried starting what do you hear? cranking or a whining noise??
There is a chance that the ignition coilpack died. But it doesn't click when it goes bad and you could normally start it even with 2 bad coilpack.
You said clicking sound. right before my motor blew my engine was clicking pretty bad and I threw a rod. but I had 158K and a big turbo since 50k. I don't think this happened to you tho because my car could still start.
when you tried starting what do you hear? cranking or a whining noise??
But this noise almost sounded like a chain, like a pattern of knocks relative to the car's speed.
When the noise ultimately stopped, I had heard a final "pop" and then the engine died. It sounded mechanical, whatever was causing the noise.
Attempting to start the car just gave me the sound of the starter, no other noises or abnormal things could be heard. It just wouldn't start.
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,138
Likes: 4
From: Redmond WA
I'll actually be going to the shop today to pull it out. They're trying to return it to me already taken apart and charging for 6 hours labor, that's not happening.
But this noise almost sounded like a chain, like a pattern of knocks relative to the car's speed.
When the noise ultimately stopped, I had heard a final "pop" and then the engine died. It sounded mechanical, whatever was causing the noise.
Attempting to start the car just gave me the sound of the starter, no other noises or abnormal things could be heard. It just wouldn't start.
But this noise almost sounded like a chain, like a pattern of knocks relative to the car's speed.
When the noise ultimately stopped, I had heard a final "pop" and then the engine died. It sounded mechanical, whatever was causing the noise.
Attempting to start the car just gave me the sound of the starter, no other noises or abnormal things could be heard. It just wouldn't start.
9 year old car with 85K that had never had the timing belt done (they check the cam tensioner at the same time). Ticking bomb!
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