Hi everyone, new to the forum but hoping someone can answer a question I have regarding a 2000 Audi TT 180HP 5 speed that I have owned for 2 years and has a low 52,000 miles on the odo.

Car had been sitting for 2 weeks or so but not uncommon for me.

Got in this afternoon to fire it up, turned over fine but sounded as if I had no compression. Usually it fires right away even after sitting. I cranked for about 10 seconds and again it sounded like no compression or as if the timing belt had jumped.

Another 10 seconds of cranking the engine and if fired but ran poorly like 2-3 cylinders or something. I let it run at low RPM's for about 30 seconds and it finally cleared up and began to run fine.

I turned off the engine and turned it back on again to see if it repeated but it did not. I have driven it several more times and she always starts and runs great just like she has for the past few years.

I have never experienced this before with this car and it did not throw any codes or lights on the dash.

Wondering if maybe the hydraulic lifters had bled down from sitting and thus the reason it sounded like it had no compression. OR, did the engine timing belt jump during initial start up and then jumped back to the correct teeth. As I said, the car has 52,000 miles but the belt has never been replaced during the last 17 years. OR, maybe it is something else going on?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance.

Mike

 

Sounds like no fuel for some reason. If you were to run out of gasoline while driving, the engines dies, but there are no codes.

Great fun troubleshooting a defective fuel pump or wiring issue to the fuel pump.

 

So just to clarify, this was a cold start after sitting for several weeks. The engine turned over as if it had little or no compression like stuck valves. Once it did start, it ran rough for about 15-30 seconds then it cleared out and ran normal. I drove it around town on a few errands for several miles and it ran great the whole time.

Just seemed like it jumped a tooth on the timing belt or a few seconds or lifters were not pumped up or valves were sticking open. Just not familiar enough with the engines to figure out what it could have been.

Just got a quote today for $900 for a new timing belt and water pump, seemed like a fair price. As I said before, I believe that this is the original timing belt.

 

Do the belt now. Interference fit head, belt (and water pump) due on mileage and time basis.

 

Those symptoms are odd. Not sure what it was but almost certainly it was not the timing belt. THAT does not correct itself. That said, change it and the tensioner and water pump NOW. I just bought a 52000 mile 2001 Roadster and I'm almost afraid to drive it home ( 650 miles) before I do the belt, tensioner, water pump. I WILL remove the cover and visually inspect before I do.