Hi guy's and gal's... I am sad to say my S3 went for a service and was given a new timing chain and belt also oil pump and bits and bobs 1000 miles later the car is dead I have just got back from Audi who say the Cam shaft is broken and that I have to pay???? What this sort of part does not just snap in two surely.... am I missing something here besides a few thousand quid any help advice please urgently... would be really greatful...

 

Ive only seen it happen once before, but it can happen. Its possible to break the cams, if not removed properly, however it will come out in two pieces during removal. Not somewhere down the road.

 

Thanks dankhaound... any further advice though as Audi are carrying out there checks to see what has gone wrong... The work they did previously may have involved removing the cams as they were checking the lobes to see if a lack of oil preasure had caused them to pick up.

They told me NO! and advised the oil pump and timming chain to be fitted, plus alot of other work the bill was 2OOO quid.... and just 1000 miles later this!!!!!!!

Thanks for your advice mate

 

One thing you may want to look into is how the timing chain is tensioned. Unfortuantly im not familiar with the s3 engine but if the chain was tensioned to tight it could cause the cam to bind up and crack. However most of the engines have an automatic tensioning system.

 

Cheers for the advice dankhound... Got the S3 back today... They tell me the oil pump had a tempry loss of preasure (the new oil pump) fitted at christmas??? this cause a starvation to the top end and all the damage. I have been advised that they have replaced Cylinder head, timming belt + tentioner, Turbo and exhaust manifold. I am a little suspicious that the bottom end may have suffered the same starvation therefore the Piston rings and bores may have excess wear on them. Any ideas how this can be checked out quickly to so that I know the work has been carried out correctly (this time). The engine does sound sweet though. and all this was done on the warrenty....Thank God

I have also been advised that the HALDEX unit requires attention any help or ideas how this can or who is thew best place to do this for me with out having to re mortgage my house would be great....

 

Sounds like they are replacing all the right parts. Those are the parts that recieve oil last. The bottom end of the engine recieves oil first and likely isnt damaged. Ive seen quite a few smoked heads with no bottom end wear whatsoever.(Never a cracked cam thou). Checking the bottom end cam be difficult as you would need to have the oil pan off to check the main and rod bearings. The piston bore is easily inspected with the head off the vehicle. A cylinder leakage test can also be perfomred to see if there is any leakage past the rings.

As for the haldex, it kinda depends on what needs to be done. Is it just the regualar fluid and filter change or something more serious.

 

dankhound ...thats some good summing mate... I have a smelly front end at the moment that i'm not happy about but it might just be the new manifold settling down or oil on the pipe.

Oh I forgot to add the oil pump in the new parts (a second new one)

The haldex oil was changed at the time of the service and it was at this point they later told me there was a problem... Mech. said it was the diff and said some numbers that you only see on deal or no deal or the lottery role over [] Don't know what to do really it kinda not good if you know what i mean.

Sorry i took so long to get back to you mate.

 

With the way everything this dealer touches turns to crap, you may want to find another shop. Seems like everything theyve "fixed" or "maintained" on your vehicle has broken. Kinda like they dont know what theyre doing. Usually the only sign a haldex has failed is either its noisy or it throws some sort of fault. A normal inspection wouldnt show any problems with the system that you the customer probably wouldnt have noticed before it was in for service.

 

You're not far wrong there dankhound... I won't be using this dealer again thats for sure as my nieghbour also has said they did not carry out a service that they have charged him for!!!

I will be trying another dealer and hopefully they will look after me with a little more care and professionalism.