1998 above ride 135k. Used to be a full timer for the wife and then my son drove it and now it's time to go. fixing a few items before I dump it. pulled the front end apart (what fun) to get at the thermo. still considering the rest of the bs since it's all apart but to be honest the TB looks like it's still in great shape and the water pump housing looks newer but who knows. bought it years ago off the relatives with 70k on it and they have no idea what they did or didn't do.
any way put in the new thermo and tried the "half off TB method" to no avail. ended up loosening the TB tensioner and sliping the TB off the left cam to get the Thermo housing out and changed the Thermo. put a few items back on and test started for about 15 sec (no fluid in the system since it's in a million pieces) and it started right up and sounds normal. however I am getting a slight backfire upon a quick acceleration of the pedal.
so am I a tooth off or is this a result of all the wiring being off the front end ie: temp sensors etc, etc ???? I did mark the sprockets and tdc but with tensioner moving back and forth I can not be possitve it did not get off it's marks........
Thanks all!

 

This sounds like another case of getting into trouble by not using the correct cam alignment tool. Available on line for just over $100 or rented with the kit from Blauparts

As for the "look of the timing belt" your doing a crap shoot. Looks have little to do with failure. At 135K timing belt and tensioners are a must do!

 

HEY THANKS FOR THE LECTURE BUT I ASSUMED THIS WAS A "HELP OUT THE FELLOW dYi" FORUM..........NOT THE SHOULDA , WOULDA, COULDA FORUM. SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN INTELLIGENT ANSWER THEN DON'T BOTHER AND WASTE EVERYONE'S TIME THAR JERKY.

 

The freekin intelligent answer is "Get the alignment tool, do it right, and don't trust how the timing belt looks!" 135K on an Audi 2.8 timing belt is asking for trouble.

Sorry you don't like the answer - but it is the truth. You shouda done it right...

 

maybe you should read the whole post before trying to rip some one a new one. this as a thermo change and not a TB change. I know how cams and work and why I "shoulda" had a tool but I didn't and I'm trying to get an answer to problem I may or may not have. why get on a post and NOT try to help but just criticize? things that slow in NH these days? I've seen your posts for other people who are new to the site and all you do is try to make them feel like idiots. if we were all audi mechs we wouldn't be here would we? your not really being helpful if all your doing is telling people what they should have done. if you have such infinite wisdom on these matters how about just helping people out?

 

Stop acting like a jerk!

As you learned you need to remove the TB to do the thermostat on an Audi and having the correst tool is important. Some people luck out and get by without the locking bar but many others - like you - do not.


BTW -- If your that far into the motor it is common wisedom to change the belt, tensioners and front seals because their failure is not far behind. If your going to do it again -- I sugest you get the Blauparts kit with instructions and rent the tools from them.

 

thank u for your post and I'm not trying to be a jerk. you seem to know what your talking about so maybe we can start over. I'm fairly certain I can pull of the valve covers and figure out which way to move the sprocket if it's off it's marks. I just rebuit my daughters saab 900 . new chain , sprockets, guides etc. when I was done with the new parts, and before I clasped the new chain master link, I was able to manually time the TDC with the cams. yes the saab is no audi but if you start the car with out coolant and if you have all the sensors disconnnected (still have the front end off and may still do all the work) will the engine backfire? if the timing was off would the engine idle perfectly but mis-fire under load?
I hope your at least a pats fan

 

It is hard to be absolutely certain what the cause of a problem is online but the symptoms you describe are identical to cases where the TB was off a notch on one cam. I’m not sure how far off it can be off before the valves hit the pistons and was never willing to experiment.

The cam locking tool and crank pin are the only way I know to be sure things are aligned correctly. As I said earlier some people get lucky but there are more incidences where people had problems. Like you, I have done many timing belts and chains from exotic sports cars thru oval track vehicles but would never attempt to do an Audi without the correct locking tools. All the Indy Audi mechanics I talk with say the same thing – don’t attempt to do a TB without the locking tools.

I purchased the cam locking tools instead of renting from Blauparts because I had all the other things needed to do the complete job – including pullers etc. The set I got fit the “wide 2.8” and don’t think they will work for your vehicle.

 

Thanks NH. Guess I'll buy all the parts, pull the valve covers and try to mock the intake cam to the exaust at TDC. Like you said I'm sure I'm off the marks and maybe only a tooth or so. The saabs have exact markings on the cams and only half the bs in the engine compartment and so much easier to do. I've done several of those, bimmers and isuzus as I use to buy and sell fixer uppers in the old days. I now do it because I like foreign autos but refuse to give some dealer all my money for labor. My wife bought our first american (well and american name on it) auto last year (chevy malibu ltz limited) and the friggin thing is falling apart already. Just last week the heated seats when out, the directional navigation went out, air bag sensors came on and the drivers window is closed shut. What a piece. after driving audi's and bimmer's it's like driving around in a plastic cereal bowl on four wheels.
The a6 is going on the market when I'm done as we no longer use it that's why I was trying to go the cheap route before i got rid of it. The stupid thermo was toast and that started this whole circus. I'll post my endeaver when my parts arrive. At least, if I get it runnig right, I'll be able to get what I want for it if this major work is done.
BTW I grew up in NE and my dad was from Wilton........

 

Wilton CT or ME?

I raced at the CT dragway in East Haddam and the old Navy airfield in Charleston RI. Also did some NASCAR stuff at Norwood before going to NY. I learned to turn both ways at Watkins Glen driving an Alfa Romeo, Datsun, Vette and a Formula B Brabham. Later I got involved with Nascar again with the Modifieds in western NY- But that is a long story.

Currently work full time in Mass as a manager of process technology in a company that makes equipemnt for surface mount, electronics, and solar cell manufacturing and spend my free time at as an official at a NASCAR short track in NH.