yesterday afternoon, I found some fluid leak under the car. On my way drive to the mechanic shop. The car has wield noisy and temperature warning flashing. So I stopped and had AAA tow it to the mechanic shop. They found that the water pump is broken. Timing belt was shifted. I attached a pic below. I was told that it is very possible that the engine valve is bent. The total repair will be very expensive. I am wondering if my car still worth it. It is a 2002 A6, V6, 3.0. If I want to repair it. Will it cost less if I get a used engine. If I want to sell it. Can I sell it in parts? How to do that? Thanks a lot! really need help!

 

It is hard to say what will be a best for you. If you can find an engine cheap than that might be your best bet. But, if no damage was done, then a simple timing belt and water pump might fix the problem. I think it is too soon to know what damage was done. I'd ask the shop to test for compression. I'm sure though that they already plan on doing that.

GOOD LUCK

 

thank you very much for your comment. I was told that the car definitely can not pass the compression test since the timing belt is broken. I am not sure if it is relevant.

 

If the timing belt slipped, the engine most likely won't pass the compression test because the crank and cams will be out of phase. For the compression test to make sense a new belt will have to be installed and properly timed, and then a compression test will give a useful indication. The more the belt slipped the greater the possibility that one or more valves crashed into the pistons.

 

Thanks, This is what the mechanic shop told me. I need to take a risk for install a new timing belt...

 

They will also have to install a new water pump since it probably seized and caused the problem. The fact that the engine was still running when you shut it off is promising, if the timing was off if one valve was bent they would have all bent and it probably would have stalled. Hopefully the weird noise was a combination of the rough running due to the timing being off and the timing belt fighting with the failed water pump.

Good Luck! Let us know what you find.

 

V6 3.0

Hmmmm thats an expensive job and one that may start you on the road to countless troubleshooting that could also cost you tons of cash. You should consider the cost to just sell the entire car AS IS and buy another one. This way you will have a car that you know is mechanically sound as opposed to being in a fixing loop that, like I said, could cost way more than it's worth.

Take it to a garage that specializes in german cars and see if they will buy it off you. Its worth a shot.