-car is a 2001 audi a4 quattro 1.8t automatic.

-Started noticing the car sounding like a diesel when I started it(lasted 10-20 seconds) and when I accelerated. No diesel sound at idle.

-Next day I noticed a CEL. Thought I could wait till weekend when im off work to take it to shop.

-Next day driving down the road the car starts spuddering and i slightly (not real loud) hear someting break inside or fall off/out of the engine and dies. The check engine light begins flashing( catastrophic failure). Try to start the car but no luck. It cranks but wont fire.

- Borrow a friends scan tool, pull up codes p0011 and codes for misfire in cylinders

-With some research, I came to the conclusion something on or in the CAM CHAIN TENSIONER went bad. So, I popped open the valve cover, and everything appears to be normal. Tensioner looked normal.

- Went ahead a bought a new tensioner, installed it(triple made sure i marked timing on the chain/cam for reinstall, set at TDC, counted 16 rollers yadda yadda) , and tried starting the car but no luck.

So now im thinking worst case scenario bent valves? but how could that be possible? Timing belt looks fine, the cam chain was snug/tight when I first popped open the valve cover. how could it have skipped a tooth or actually several teeth to bend valves.

Dont know anything bout audi's(girlfriends car) other than what i read on the forums the past 2 days lookin for solutions. any help greatly appreciated.

matt

 

also I hear the fuel pump when i turn the key, so its turning on.

Could it be a failed oil pump? BTW, car has 85k miles.

 

When was the timing belt and all that jazz replaced? You should consider replacing it. Sold here: http://www.blauparts.com/products.asp?cat=2322 The misfires can be cured by getting new coil packs. They can be bought at Advance, NAPA, Pep Boys, etc. The timing belt, cam tensioner, etc. needs to be replaced every 80k miles and your car's at 85. If neither of you are sure about when it's been replaced, err on the side of caution and replace it. Audi engines are non-interference so when the T-belt goes the whole top end gets trashed and if you get it rebuilt at a shop it's somewhere in the neighborhood of $3,000 to have it done.

 

Ya timing belt hasn't been changed yet. I'm going to do that but I'm just concerned what caused my car to die and not start. Any other help out there? I was reading low oil pressure makes the car sound like a diesel.? Could my filter be clogged? Oil pump trashed?

 

You should be able to check for bent valves by doing a compression test. Other than that, have you done the basics like verify that the cylinders are getting gas and spark?

 

I think you may be confusing the fuel pump with the throttle body,when i turn my key to the on position on my 01 A4 B5,i can hear my Throttle body,adjusting and positioning.

This happens,every time i turn my key,without starting the engine,so that may be,what your hearing on your 01 A4 B5.

 

Usually its not the timing belt that breaks but the tensioner that fails. If that broke you trashed your valves trying to restart the engine while out of time. Also, the engine is an interference engine not non as airgaurd stated.

 

Ok so while taking out the plugs to do a compression test, all but 1 of the plugs came out easy, while the harder one(TRASHED ONE) required alittle more elbow grease.







So what are my options now? new motor? appears the piston came in contact with the plug and turned it to pieces. this must have happen when the car died?

 

So the failed tensior blew my timing out of whack, causing the piston to hit the plug? Cant i just buy shorter reach plugs, hoping the piston isnt cracked and call it a day?

 

did a compression test. 3 cylnders registered around 0-20, the 4th one around 150? whats up with that?