I am nearly close to get it done. However, I have a question of my own - more like a bump in the road.

Bentley says:
I'm using a jack to support the transmission from underneath, regardless - that's not the important part.
I ran into a problem regarding the flange lower bolts - only 3.
They're located right above the frame big crossmember as you'll see in the picture.
If anyone with a C4 have pulled their engine, please throw me a bone as HOW DID YOU UNBOLT those $$^&&^ers?
The only way I can picture of getting some room to fit a wrench/ratchet in there somehow is to remove the sway bar, which will provide just a little room to run an extension in between the edge of the oil pan and top of the crossmember. And even then, I'm not sure I'll be able to find the correct extension length that coupled with the 16 mm socket would not run into the oil pan.
This is really puzzling me and makes me (again) irated with Bentley Publishers'. They get another black mark by their name from me.
So, any ideas beside removing the sway bar?

 

Nevermind, I found a workaround.
However, from the same perspective, Bentley's also mute about the FLYWHEEL BOLTS...

 

The beast capitulated... It put up a good fight, gotta give it to "it".
Maybe I'll put together a write-up when all of this is over... Got a long list of things to do until the car will be back in one piece.

 

HOLY CRAP
that beast is sexy lol
why did u pull it out? didnt u rebuild it not long ago?
and here i go with fantasies, since its out is there space in there for a 2.7t? lol just thinking...

 

Well, at the time I thought I had a head gasket leak - didn't know much about the engine (not that I claim I know much more now ).
I started with TB, WPump and Tstat replacement and I found lots of oil mixed with coolant on top of the valley pan. In my mind, I thought I had a problem so I decided to replace the head gaskets...LOL...That's why the heads came out.
This time around, I need to change the rear main seal and its flange's paper gasket - which are/were leaking. Since the engine comes (came) out, I can replace the inner shaft seals inside the transmission - good access through the opening left by taking the TQ out. Also, my differential's flange seal is leaking, therefore I can replace those also - gotta take the axles off.
Back to the engine: the upper oil pan gasket is leaking, therefore I'll replace both (lower one too). I'll replace the check valves in the valley pan, and also the relief valves in the heads - or at least the one in bank 1.
Camshaft seal on the same bank and the valve cover gasket started both leaking, so I suspect the valve, b/c the breather hoses on both heads are clean and the throttle body flaps are still crystal clean/r after 14,000 miles and close to 2 years.
The guys recommended back then that I should clean and resurface the heads since they're coming off, but the cylinders were looking perfect, so I ended up not doing it.
However, this time around I'll take them to be machined and perhaps replace the valve seals if needed.
Since the engine's out, I'll also have a better and easier access to the steering rack - the rubber boot is torn on the driver side.
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Lastly, with all the crap out of the way and easy access, I can also change the control arm and sway bar bushings, and the tie rod ends, although those can still wait. Will see how thin my "working" patience runs

 

I'm curious how the valves are looking like after I cleaned all those carbon deposits last time - and I'll see that as soon as I'll unbolt the heads, but the back of the valves is c l e a n.

 

u seem to know alot... (much more then me anyway)
once again holy crap! lol it reminds me when my friend decided to pull his engine out to switch some seal on the trannny (i dont know much about any of those technical terms still learning...) and the genius mistakenly dropped her(the tranny) on the floor (no clue how he managed to do that) then put it back in the car anyway and the car wouldnt come out of first gear lol

but anyway since i know nothing bot the procedures ur about to do ill hang around and learn from ur posts. with this care ur car will probably run to 500k lol
i love how audis turns us into mechanics lol (i never changed more then a headlight, sound system, or small things like wheel hub assembly before i got my audi... now i can actually say i have some clue as to how my engine works )

by the way i just cam across this while searching other forums for sum nfo for realigning my lifters dont even know how i go tho this but since u say u might change them it seems like a good deal....(lower arms)
http://www.ecstuning.com/ES337518/?s...aign=postreply

or this if u wanna go all out
http://www.ecstuning.com/ES2167556/?...aign=postreply

 

Chefro, my beer glass raised for you. Glad to see you having fun.

 

Gaser, I'm raising quite a few myself throughout the work time in the garage
Thanks a million for the cheer!
As a matter of fact I do have fun doing it, believe it or not. The occasional cussing at Bentley manual's inadvertencies or whatever else is part of the fun as well
And please don't get me wrong, but with the car prices nowadays, I'd rather fix this one good and know exactly what I have under my ****.
Gotta order parts tomorrow (or today - is way past midnight) and while I wait I can gut the sucker and clean nicely all the parts coming out.
Plus I gotta pull the heads off and take'm to the machining shop.
Plenty stuff to keep me busy for a week or so as I wait on parts. ECS Tuning is the one that has the check valves and the relief valves, and they're as slow as molases in January with their shipping; ArizonaAutohaus doesn't carry them.
However, i'd rather give them some business instead of the dealer since both type of valves are only "genuine oem" items.
I'll keep updating the thread.

 

I have had great luck with www.genuinevwaudiparts.com for OEM only parts. It is actually a dealer shop, but they sell stuff at wholesale rate. They are really on top of it. Give them a try next time if you are looking for OEM odd ball stuff.