HELP!!, Did I screw up my engine (bent valves) ??
 

SWEET MERCIFUL CRAP, I HOPE DIDNT SCREW UP MY ENGINE!!

I recently got rid of my old 2nd car (BMW 318is) and bought a 2001 audi A4 1.8T (b5) with 150k miles 3 weeks ago 07/22/10.

The car was in good shape except it made a loud noise (diesel engine sound) when idling on a warm engine, I pulled the codes and I got 2 errors:

P1340 - Crankshaft-/Camshaft Pos.Sens.Signals Out of Sequence
P0011 - camshaft position timing over advanced

I bought a new Camshaft Sensor and the P1340 was cleared.
The P0011 lead me to believe that the cam chain tensioner was bad.

Here is where the trouble starts.
I removed the valve cover, set the cams to TDC, remove the old tensioner (the plastic on it was broken), and installed a new one.

(HINDSIGHT MISTAKE) I believe I positioned the links on the cam chain wrong, because in the picture I took it looks like 15 links between the 2 points instead of 16.
I gave the pulleys a few turns with my breaker bar and it moved smoothly. I started the engine and it started normally but stops after 4 seconds. I pull the codes (P0011 cleared) and I get:

P0340 - CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ”A”CIRCUIT

I looked online and I find the diagram specifying the 16 links. I compare the diagram to the pic I took, the I remove the valve cover again and set the chain correctly.

diagram
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/...e874d84e_z.jpg

My chain after first change.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/...ae9790e5_z.jpg

I started up the car and now it runs extremely rough, and idles really low, and I got more codes:

P0340 CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ”A”CIRCUIT
P0300 Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
P0302 Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected
P0303 Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected
P0304 Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected

I'm hoping that the timing belt is off a tooth or something, but is it possible that I screwed up my engine / bent my valves?
I also changed my spark plugs (had oil on them) but I still have the misfire codes.
(note: I assumed the timing was correct so I only check TDC on the cams :( )

I read on this forum that this engine wont run with bent valves, I hope for my sake this is true.
I'm currently gearing up for a compression test and changing the timing belt this weekend.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Well you really wont know till you check the compression. But you might want to go back and make sure you have the cams timed correctly and the timing belt/pulley are correctly lined up.

Yes, and by that diagram you've posted, it's 16 pins, not 16 gaps. Could be worth checking it again.
Otherwise check your timing.
Once you're sure timing is correct & it still won't run properly, compression test it!

At tdc there are marks on either cam that should face straight up. One tooth off wont bend valves, but any more and it might. I know when I did my rebuild I lined them up one tooth off on the intake side and it ran like shit. Moved it back and it ran perfect.

Check the coilpacks too...if you never got the recall done, the ones in there a frail and could have gotten messed up when you removed them

Eureka, :) the timing is off, by about 2 teeth. I was certain it didnt budge, Im thinking it was always off and perhaps with the camshaft chain being slack somehow it ran decently. I did buy it with a P0011 code - "A" Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance (Bank 1).

Im half way finished changing the timing belt, I'm just having a hard time getting the crankshaft pully off. Im headed to the store to get a chain wrench to help get it off, Ill tell yall how it goes.

What are you going to use a chain wrench for? And why are you taking your crank pulley off anyway? To get it off tho, you only need to remove the allens (6mm iirc)... This is best done with an electric impact fyi.

Update:
Ok, since I was correcting the timing I went ahead and changed the timing belt, water pump, AC compressor (wasn't working), all the belts, all the o rings, and the alternator.

I'm still getting the same errors for the camshaft sensor and misfires.

I figured its either Im not getting compression, the coils or wires are bad, the spark plugs are bad, Im not getting any fuel, or not getting any air.

I changed all the plugs, no change.

I tested to see if I have proper compression, I do, no change.

I switched the coils around and the codes stayed the same, no change.

I've been reading around and thought it might be the ICM (ignition control module), And I cant seem to find it..........
The car has some slight mods to it however where can the icm be?
It's not over the air-filter. Im thinking since the area seems modified and Ive been moving stuff around a loose wire around might be my problem.
I just noticed this last night any thoughts?

Sorry for the crappy pic.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/...d1d6e636_z.jpg

2000 and 2001 do not have an ICM. Firing order is controlled by the ECU. What are your compression #'s?

@onepoint8tee
On the compression test I got around 140 +-2 for all, so at least I know its not messed up.

I rechecked the cam chain and its was off by one tooth in the other direction, I over compensated when I corrected the initial problem

before
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/...29ebdb20_z.jpg

after
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/...9e23b07b_z.jpg

comparison
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/...41a2c1c0_z.jpg

So now the P0340 code is cleared :).
Also the trimming is perfectly lined up.

But .......

I'm still getting these codes:

P0300 Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
P0302 Cylinder 2 Misfire Detected
P0303 Cylinder 3 Misfire Detected
P0304 Cylinder 4 Misfire Detected

I'm thinking that it might be my spark plugs for 3 reasons.
1. I bought 3 Bosch platnum 2 plugs 4308 (the last 3 in the store).
I replaced 3 of the plugs leaving 1 original (replace when the in stock), Im not getting a P0301 error only 02 03 and 04.

2. I got some oil into the plug chamber when removing the valve cover.

3. The plugs and the chain tensioner are the only things it changed before I got the codes.

Is it possible that I got the wrong type spark plugs for my car (clerk gave me the plugs for a different car)?

And if that's the case can the wrong plugs cause such misfires?

I drove the car around and its very sluggish, I could floor it and it will take 2 seconds to respond, and when it does its only going 10 mph.
Prior to me changing anything it was quick as a rabbit.

I've also noticed that if I clear the codes and keep the engine at over 2000 rpms I got no codes. However if I let it idle (under 1000 rpm) it idles rough and I get the misfire codes sometimes I even get a P0333 (knock sensor error).

Whats the gap on the plugs?

The +2's or any plug with multiple ground electrodes are sort of gimicky, plus they are nearly impossible to gap. The best spark for forced induction is going to be a copper, single electrode one with a tight gap. Plats work, but copper disipates heat better and is maybe the best conductor for electricity. They don't last as long as plat, but cost about $2/plug. Get some NGK BKR6E gapped between .030-.032 if stock.

.028 if chipped (and since you said you bought it slightly modded, I would assume the previous owner got it chipped).

Your best bet now, I think, would be get the plugs onepoint8 suggested, gap them to .030 if you don't know if you're chipped or not, clear your codes and try again.

Glad to hear you didn't cause any catastrophic damage in the early stages!

OK
Here is where I stand.

Just to be sure I checked my maf it was extremely clean.
I cleared the codes and started the car without it, it still ran like crap and gave me a MAF circuit error.
So I am dismissing that as a possible misfire problem.

I then went to Autozone and got 8 Autolite-Platinum/Spark Plugs they were out of Ngk-Laser-Platinum/Spark Plug in the area. I also got 4 duralast ignition coils.

The plugs the car came with had .028 gaps so I changed 4 of the plugs to .028 and gave it a try. Still ran like crap.
I tried the stock gap. It actually ran slightly better as far as idling over 1000 rmp is concerned but still ran like crap.
Note: the plugs that I originally installed are BLACK and fouled up. Since I got my first misfire code I have not had the car running more that 15 mins. I had the car running for only about 5 mins with those plugs.

I then cleared the misfire codes and ran the engine with the new coils with both sets of plugs, and it still runs like crap.

Im still getting the P03000 # codes and Mil and the EPC lights still comes on.

The only things I can think now is the catalytic converter is clogged, or the computer is messed up, perhaps something with the throttle body (since the EPC light come on after a while) not delivering air since there is so much carbon buildup on the plugs.

Man I like this Audi a lot but man I'm starting to miss my old BMW, I guess Im more familuar.
I dont mind buying new parts, its will mean less problems and $$ for me down the road but
this whole thing is confusing because literally the car ran fine since I bought it, I literally only changed the tensioner and plugs then this problem happened, I must have loosened something :confused:, I also changed the camshaft sensor prior to all this and cleared it (that it ran fine even with the P1340 code, and I put like 100 miles on it)

Any Ideas.
I think Im going to mess around with the throttle body and see what happens.

Well now we are back on the topic of possible bent valves. Even though the intake cam was off by only 1 tooth, it sure does seem like you have symptoms of bent intake valves. Especialy knowing this-
You really need vag com to check the throtle body since it's dbw. You could disonnect the bat over night and then reconnect.. Turn ignition to on and let it sit for a min so that it can realign/ adapt with the ecu. It is scary that you don't have a maf fault, and coils and plugs are good... Even if the maf was bad and didn't register a fault, the map sensor should register a fault if there was a loss of air before the manifold- at least while the engine is under load.

You have vvt, so even though the cam was off by 1 tooth, this difference could be exagerated with vvt in action - but thats just speculation on my part. Idk this for sure, but it seems possible.

Yeah, I have a vag com on the way.

The sole reason I now dont think I have bent valves is because of the sudden order of everything.

After changing the tensioner I manually turned the crank 4x to see if there was any resistance, and the timing lines were in order. And like you said it was only 1 tooth off, but the engine fine before the I worked on the engine then immediately after it wasn't working.
But it really seems like a bent valve by description. Im about to go outside and tightening up the valve cover and hopefully :( I wouldn't have any more oil on the plugs and my misfires will go away.

Well make sure the plugs are dry after you tighten everything up. Even if the valve cover was mostly tq'd down but not to spec (ie. a pretty good seal between the valve cover and head,) I don't think you'd have this issue.

OK, the oil was defiantly causing the misfires, #4 and #3 are the worst.
I think my valve cover isn't 100% level so I used some gasket maker around the gasket for the plugs.

It looks like there's a significant amount of oil in combustion chambers #4 & #3. I can smell the oil burning when it runs.
What is the best method of cleaning? Seafoam?

I found this online, is has anyone used anything similar.

SM727 carbon cleaner machine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8vaXhuHmyI