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.

 

Not sure what they are calling cam spacers. It could be the cam tensioner died and if valves are bent, you would have no to very little compression. All you really need is a good used head. Should be able to find one for a few hundred $. Plus you would need a top end gasket kit and timing belt kit so maybe $600 in parts so $1500ish in total would be my guess.

 

where are you located ??

sure there is people on here that would have a good shop for you to go to.....

 

I'm in Northern Ohio.

But I did just do a few searches and found a replacement head for $650, and another for $800. If that's all it takes then I'd be fine with doing that, I just wasn't going to have the cash for an entirely new engine.

So if anyone has a better source for the heads or knows of a reputable (and hopefully fair priced) shop I'd really appreciate it.

 

I would be curious to see if that engine lost oil pressure on your drive home.

 

From what I can remember, only the check engine light came on followed by the knocking about 30 seconds later. I wanted to blame the oil pressure too after reading that it's had similar results with locking up these cams. Even read a few things about the water pumps causing the same...

I just wish I could figure out what went wrong. I can't imagine this situation ending with me not spending quite a bit, but to be able to pin point the original issue would be great.

 

Any shop you take it to should allow you to come in and to the best of their ability physically show you what is wrong. Mainly because, if they have diagnosed needing a new engine, you need to see that damage with your own eyes for your own piece of mind.

 

VWVortex.com - 1.8t Head Pressure Tested and Plained

 

Thanks for the link!
Just sent him a PM. I'll just need to double check my engine code tomorrow.

 

The heads are all the Same but the AEB which has larger ports and no sai.