Wanted A4 2.5 tdi Quattro Engine

[h14mun]

Hi All,

Driving home from work the other night, my pride n joy decided to break down. My local audi specialist has advised me that due to the extent of the damage caused to the engine, i'm better of sourcing a re-con engine. GUTTED!!

I have been told by the specialist that he removed the rocker cover and discovered the cams / lobes shredded due to loss of oil pressure??? - it all sounds too technical for me?

Can anyone please point me in the right direction of sourcing a 2.5 tdi quattro (Engine Model AKE)?

 

[quattrojames]

This post has mirrored my experiences in the last week

As such I am currently looking for a replacement engine too, and know this much, a short engine with new heads from Vagparts is £3800 plus Vat on an exchange. Kinda shocked me that.

Second hand they seem few and far between, I have tried all the big Audi breakers to no avail. I have sourced a few recon units from engine specialists prices varying from £1400 to £1800 plus Vat. I need to evaluate all three engines I have available in terms of mileage, parts, ancillaries etc and quality of company and will make a decision this week as I need my car back.

You could try ebay.de. Been there done that though and there is nothing currently. Good luck and get saving.

 

[JohnboyC]

h14mun and Quattrojames......wots the mileage on your 2.5TDi 's ?

 

[quattrojames]

h14mun and Quattrojames......wots the mileage on your 2.5TDi 's ?

128k on mine. The timing belt idler pulley disintegrated and the belt skipped four teeth. End result being that six of the valves in one head and three valves in the other head beat into the pistons. The garage haven't yet removed the heads to judge piston/bore damage, as they feel it will be better (ie cheaper) to source a replacement engine.

The timing belt change interval is 80k on our engine. The previous owner had the belt changed at 74k by an independant. I assumed they did they pulleys too, but when I rang them yesterday to check I found they didn't. Very short sighted in my opinion, but hey ho, nothing I can do now. My next service was due at 134k and I was going to do the belt and pulleys then. Hindsight eh ....

The car was still running on six cylinders, but sounded nasty, the mechanic has said he has never seen so much damage to the engine from a skipped timing belt. I am currently not Audi's biggest fan.

 

[Marc1]

Gutted to hear your news guys. Do Audi advise the pulleys need changing at the same time?

I take it you won't get anywhere with Audi customer service seen as it's out of it's warranty and work done by a specialist, however if the work being carried out is as per manufacturers guidlines, then surely a complaint is justified?!

I'm on 134,000 now James and having a service on Saturday, the independant asked if the timing belt had been done as Audi keep moving the goalposts as to when it needs doing. I figured as long as it's done within the recommended timescale / mileage it'll be ok, but it looks like this isn't always the case.

There's guys on some of the other forums at over 80,000 miles on petrol A4's, that haven't done there's yet. Maybe it depends on what type of driving you're doing or maybe they've just been lucky!

Hope you both get something sorted.

 

[ScottyP45]

I think all manufacturers are skimping to support cost increases of trying to keep up with emission levels as years go by.

I've been driving old bangers for nearly 30 years and in all that time, had 3 engine failures,

1 - an audi 80 that skipped 3 teeth on the timing belt and only needed the belt putting back on in the right position and tensioned, and it ran again like a sweetie....over 90k on that one at the time,

2 - a rover SDi 2.6 straight 6 that broke the belt at 140k and ******** the valves, and

3 - a 2.0 ford cortina that burst the timing belt at 70mph and survived without a scratch, new belt and away it went again. No damage what so ever (clearance design) and 120k on that one.

When I hear of so many folk having such huge problems, I know something must have changed. You think we have it bad though, you should read an alfa forum....people with new cars at 18k busting belts like they were made of old shoelaces. The alfa owners club is choc-full of blown engine posts.

So, in short at least we are at the top of the pile with a german motor, doesnt help though when an engine is 2 to 4 grand, thats sickening. BMW arent immune either, with all the same issues as us.

I reckon doing a belt & pulley change at a garage will cost around £500 and that would need to be done 8 times before it exceeded the price of just one short engine block from Audi.....a stitch in time saves nine?

I thinking I would do mine every 2 years or 40k now, if it meant the engine would never let go when I needed it. I rarely keep a car any longer than 2 years anyway, so you'll only do it twice, once on buying the car, and once before you sell, working out at £500 a year on top of regular servicing which is only oil, filters and plugs or fuel filter depending on petrol/diesel.

 

[quattrojames]

Gutted to hear your news guys. Do Audi advise the pulleys need changing at the same time?

I take it you won't get anywhere with Audi customer service seen as it's out of it's warranty and work done by a specialist, however if the work being carried out is as per manufacturers guidlines, then surely a complaint is justified?!

I'm on 134,000 now James and having a service on Saturday, the independant asked if the timing belt had been done as Audi keep moving the goalposts as to when it needs doing. I figured as long as it's done within the recommended timescale / mileage it'll be ok, but it looks like this isn't always the case.

Cheers Marc.

When I spoke to an Audi dealer yesterday they told me that at 80k they recommend the belt and tensioner pulley are both replaced (£200 parts plus £500 labour at the dealer). I am unsure whether they meant the idler pulley too which is the bit that failed on my car. From now on I will replace the belt, both pulleys and the waterpump every time the belt is changed, irrespective of pretty much anything. It's false economy not to. Remind me what engine you have Marc? If the belt change interval is 80k and you're on 134k I would be getting it done too. End of. I saved mine till I could afford it better at the next service, and it ended up costing me six times as much!

Because my idler wasn't replaced at the 80k belt change as per Audi recommended guidelines I cannot really blame them for it's failure, obviously I'm pretty gutted but if it's anyone faults it the last owner or the garage that did the 80k belt swap.

I may speak to Audi UK and see what they say, but given that the work was done by an independant who didn't stick to Audi's recommended guidelines I don't personally feel I have much of a case.

I agree with evil ref the 40k belt change, the chap who owns the garage I use, his dad has an A6 1.9TDi and they do the belt and all pulleys every 30k or two years. It's easy for them as they don't have any labour bills, but still worth doing I reckon.

 

[quattrojames]

Can anyone please point me in the right direction of sourcing a 2.5 tdi quattro (Engine Model AKE)?

You had any luck with this mate? I have found a few engines at various different prices from various different sources. Drop me a PM if you need any help in locating one.

One tip: AVOID Heathrow Engines, or any company affiliated with them, and using the below website:

http://www.reconditioned-engines.co.uk/?gclid=CKrX25uq45YCFQZ3MAodVX0cOg

Horror stories abound, and if you're anything like me this little experience is hassle enough and expensive enough as it is.

 

[JohnboyC]

Hey good luck to you guys; I would hang around for a smash up and buy 2nd hand engine.....had a quick look on the german e-bay & found this :

http://cgi.ebay.de/Audi-A6-Allroad-...229|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318#ebayphotohosting

Thats still over £2500 for an "unknown" engine...well thats kicked me into action :
Well, I up to now, I have always been advised by Audi Main Dealers that my November 2003 2.5 TDi Quattro Sport Avant did not need its cambelt doing until I hit 80k miles......well, at this months service thay advised its NOW 80K miles OR 5 years old...whichever comes 1st.....so I will be getting my 42,000 miler done in February 09 by Preston Audi.....who quoted me £600 (cough) which did NOT include the waterpump......Stafford Audi (on E-bay) offer to do the job for £395 + £79 for the water pump....
When I told Preston Audi...they said they would match Stafford Audi's prices....

I was going to get an independant to do the job....but considering Audi Main Dealer will be offering a 2 year warranty on the job there really is no contest....Still a LOT of money though....but I don't quite fancy the £3K bill to sort the engine......

Question though - has ANYONE out there ever had a cambelt break on a low mileage car that is 5 years old or older ?

 

[ScottyP45]

Ive not heard of an a4 breaking a belt early, but other makes of car, yes indeed.

The worst was an alfa 156 on another forum at 18k! £3500 plus vat for the poor blokes engine....i got rid of the alfa I had and went back to an audi.

However, preventative maintenance is always going to be cheaper and better than waiting till the last minute to replace a part, as sometimes you will get away with it, sometimes you won't, and you can never tell. Thats why we replace machinery parts at work when they get to their rated minimum lifespan since most do not fail on or before this, but after that its guesswork. If a bearing is rated to last 10,000 t0 15,000 hours, we will change it at 10,000 on the dot, leaving it later puts the failure rate up a lot.

Worth a thought!

 

[J7USS]

Sorry to hear your bad news H14mun & James, I know the exact feeling.Hang in there, Im sure you'll get it sorted, Not much of a 'pick me up' guys as you are both looking at spending a packet.

When mine went, it was around this time, close to xmas.
If you already havnt then try alludi.co.uk.

Good luck and hope you both get your motors sorted.
Soemthing you didnt need especially during this recession crap..

 

[quattrojames]

Thanks J7USS

@ JohnboyC - I'm at work so can't open ebay, but that engine looks pretty expensive for an unknown engine, did it list mileage? I am being quoted between £1400 - £1800 plus vat for a recon engine, and a similar price for one from a scrapper with similar mileage isn't much less. I did think about buying a scrap car, but tbh I would be spending more, and although I may recoup some cost, I have neither the time or the inclination to start breaking a car right now!

Hopefully I should be back on the road for £2500 ish which isn't as bad as I first feared, and while the engine is out I will be cleaning the turbo which are renowned for sooting up, swapping the clutch, checking the DM flyweheel, and of course changing the timing belt kit. These are all jobs which may/may not have come up soon, so hopefully once this is done the car will be goond for a long time yet.

 

[Marc1]

[/quote]Remind me what engine you have Marc? [/quote]

Mines a 1.9 TDI. The timing belt etc was done at 80K by Audi, so I'm thinking if that was done by them the is 'should' have been done properly and if it goes before the 160k mark, they are completely liable as I've completely followed their guidance.

However I'm obviously not going to risk that as clearly it seems to be a part that does fail at some point, sometime earlier than others. I use an indepant now so I'll get it done as per their recommendations at 60K and keep my fingers crossed until then.

Are either of you any closer to sourcing a new engine?

 

[quattrojames]

Yeh I have found a recon engine in Cardiff for £1500 plus vat which I think I will go with. Audi dealers will guarantee their work for 2 years and X miles anyway, but as you say I'm sure you will be ok as long as the work was done according to their recommendations. Fingers crossed.

 

[JohnboyC]

Hope these guys in Cardiff do a good job !.....get a decent warranty and make sure they have put brand new cambelt, ancilliaries like all the tensioners, rollers & water pump......OK a lot of egg sucking advice there but its worth checking for piece of mind and all that !
Keep us al lposted how you get on....

 

[quattrojames]

They are only supplying the engine, it will be fitted by my trusted garage. The price includes new belt and all pulleys, and I will add a water pump into the mix myself. As well as a clutch and turbo desoot etc. Warranty is 1 year and 20k which isn't the longest I have come across, but this compnay seem the most reliable of all those I have spoken to, and a warranty is only worth what the company are.

The guy could obviously sense my uncertainty and has said that as long as my garage fit the engine quite promptly then he will not request any money from me until the engine is installed and running and I am happy. I don't think you will get much fairer than that. Peace of mind is more important to me here than ultimate cheapness.

Once the engine is delivered I will know more, it won't come with any ancillaries, just the block and two heads. Will update when it's here.

 

[J7USS]

I paid £1600 for mine with nearly new turbo.
I had new Clutch, Oilpump,waterpump & cambelt with tensioners.
Total cost me just under £3200 and thats including the labour and bits above.Think it was about 20hrs I got charged for @£45.
Mine came naked too, used all my bits I could use off my Old engine.

Your deal from the guy sounds fair enough, thats good of him to not charge you till its fitted.
I only got 3months warrenty with my engine and 12months with turbo.

How much labour you looking at james???

 

[quattrojames]

Thats about the bill I'm expecting.

I think the garage charge about £35 and reckon on three days to do the swap.

 

[henry74]

Guys

Firstly, sorry to hear about your engine problems - serious bummer!
Secondly, thanks for getting my ring all puckered at the thought of the possible consequences of cambelt/pulley failure, both to the engine and also to the wallet!!!
Just a quick question though - (James) what pulleys is it that you'd consider replacing (mines a 1.9 tdi)? I've just spoken to Stafford Audi who are currently doing cambelts for £275 (+ £70 for the water pump) but when I asked how much it would be to do the pulleys as well I managed to totally fox the young lady on the other end of the phone! She then spoke to a 'Master Technician' who said that in 15 years he'd never come across a pulley problem! Obviously bottom line is trying to get as good a job done as possible, without having to shell out for unnecessary bits and pieces, which is why if I can't get a quote to match from the local Audi dealership I'll be driving all the way to Stafford from deepest, darkest Dorset! ****** credit-crunch!! Any advice gratefully received.

Cheers
Richard

 

[quattrojames]

Stafford Audi certainly seem to be a cheap option for a 4 cylinder engine.

There are two pulleys to be worried about, an idler pulley and a tensioner pulley, both are low down at the front of the engine virtually buried away out of sight! I will try and get some pics of mine soon.

I "think" it is Audi's policy to replace the belt and the one of the pulleys, but I can't remember which, but both tensioner and idler should be done as well as water pump IMHO.

 

[quattrojames]

My replacement engine was supposed to be being delivered on Wednesday, now its Saturday apparently
Anyone ever heard anything from the original poster .....?

 

[J7USS]

Nothing goes right these days does it!!

 

[Marc1]

My replacement engine was supposed to be being delivered on Wednesday, now its Saturday apparently

Gutted James. Try be patient tho, it'll all be sorted soon and you can put this mess behind you!

Anyone ever heard anything from the original poster .....?

No I think you've hijacked it good and proper, lol! Hope he's on his way to sorting things out too tho.

 

[fjtwelve]

Whilst worried by the delayed delivery post( ulp, i know a story about that...) if this guy comes good and doesn't take cash until the engine is installed and running, you should tell us who he is!

Henry74 have you tried VW & Audi Centre Exeter, 47 Pennsylvania Road, Exeter, tel 01392 422 722. Bit closer than Stafford and seem to know what they are doing in my experience.

 

[quattrojames]

Whilst worried by the delayed delivery post( ulp, i know a story about that...) if this guy comes good and doesn't take cash until the engine is installed and running, you should tell us who he is!

Fair point. Called The National Engine Centre based in Cardiff

http://www.nationalenginecentre.co.uk/

Chap called Peter, seems a bit disorganised, I am still awaiting my invoice!

The engine has been in a week or so now, and has a few teething problems, but hopefully nothing serious. A hydraulic tappet was noisy for a while but seems better now, cold starting was terrible so had to swap the glowplugs and injectors from my old engine. The engine was fitted locally by a garage I know and trust. They couldn't get the engine to start with the injection pump it came with, so they swapped it for my original pump. This was ok at first, but since fitted the replacement injectors performance suffered. The car has no 'get up and go' and really lacks torque, as well as averaging about 25mpg if I drive sensibly. The car is being looked at by a local specialist on Thursday to check for any codes and set the timing of the fuel pump with the cams using Vag-com.

I get an occassional oil pressure light flick on which I am hoping is the switch. The engine is under warranty for 12 months in case it is anything more sinister. All I can do is get it tuned up and drive it awhile and see what happens.

So hopefully I am slowly getting somewhere, but at the moment I have lost faith in the car and that it will ever feel the same again, so we will have to wait and see.

 

[quattrojames]

I clearly tempted fate with my last post.

Driving into work this morning at 0630 am and the car starts to lose power, and although it sounds ok refuses to rev above 2500 rpm. I limp into work (again) and turn it off. Try to restart and I just get a nasty knocking from the engine. So i ring the RAC and go through the whole palava about trying to arrange recovery, them sending the wrong truck etc etc and it gets recovered to my garage.

They had a quick look this afternoon and it appears the idler pulley on the timing belt has fallen off!! :evil: Hence engine is mostly likely chewed itself to pieces. Again. Second time in about six weeks! I mean WTF?!

It is of course still under warranty, so I spoke to the Cardiff Engine Centre prior to the car actually being recovered and he wanted me to take it straight there but i refused. I want my local garage to look at it and establish the facts first. My worry is this: the Engine Centre will doubtlessly want the engine returned to them for any work, but given that first impressions at least they can't be trusted to tighten the timing pulley I am pretty reluctant to trust them with my car at all!

Will find out more tomorrow I guess.

 

[J7USS]

Holy *****, sorry to hear that James, it really throws it down when it rains for you dont it.

You mentioned that the Cardiff center didnt tighten the pulley etc but your garage who fitted the engine would have surely done the checks wouldnt they, when they fitted new timing belt??

I feel for you though mate, really do.
Least you have the warrenty, just hope the cardiff center dont try and say that it wasnt fitted correctly or whatever crap they can come out with, you know what some of these can be like.

 

[quattrojames]

Cheers mate, at the moment I cannot prove for sure that the pulley wasn't tightened properly, all I know is that from a first look it appears to have come loose. When the engine was delivered it had been fully timed up and all belts and pulleys replaced and the timing belt cover replaced so all new components were hidden. For my own piece of mind I asked my garage to look under the cover and check that the parts were actually new, and also that the water pump had been changed too. They had.

My mechanic freely admits he did not double check the tightness of the pulleys, and I must admit i am inclined to say fair play, why would he have? With the benefit of hindsight I am sure we all would. But the engine was delivered ready to fit and fully timed up so he didnt feel the need.

 

[aragorn]

not sure on the exact design of that motor, but on the vauxhalls ive worked on previously the crank pulley (the one that drives the aux belt) had to be removed to change or remove the timing belt, and on a diesel you need to remove the timing belt to change the injector pump...

That would imply to me that the garage that swapped the IP would have been the last people to touch the timing belt and its associated pulleys so you might be on dodgy ground trying to get the place that sold you the motor to fix it...

 

[quattrojames]

not sure on the exact design of that motor, but on the vauxhalls ive worked on previously the crank pulley (the one that drives the aux belt) had to be removed to change or remove the timing belt, and on a diesel you need to remove the timing belt to change the injector pump...

That would imply to me that the garage that swapped the IP would have been the last people to touch the timing belt and its associated pulleys so you might be on dodgy ground trying to get the place that sold you the motor to fix it...

Yeah I see what you're saying, but on my engine the injection pump is driven from one of the upper pulleys (maybe a camshaft pulley) and driven by a completely separate belt to the timing belt. They would have had no need to touch the idler pulleys at all. And I do trust them.

 

[istoo]

mind what i said on my pulleys! i thought i was unlucky...

 

[J7USS]

Its a tough one!
Anymore news james??

 

[fjtwelve]

I am gutted mate, this is so like the problems i had. I have more worries:
there is no company listed at Companies house under National Engine Centre, and there is no Ltd Co name on the website, bit worried about exactly who you are trading with
on ebay there is a seller shop called national-engine-center which reads very similar to the website but they are in Lydney not Cardiff
the 0845 number on the website diverts to a mobile 07879063043
the director of the Heathrow Engines cowboys who caused me so many problems(who are now trading under a different name) is Peter Purdy Morris.

Right little ray of sunshine aren't I?

I really really hope that these are not the same people, all i can say is thank god you didn't part with several grand to them already.

Gutless? I assume you've done the idiot check to make sure that they've sent the correct model engine, i was offered a 150hp for my 180 at one point, being told "they're all the same mate, they all fit ". Bullocks.
How many miles had the donor car done, was it a bit tired before you got it? My rebuild also lacked the former torque, now has good days and bad days.
Oil light flicking on, hydraulic tappet noisy - is this poor oil pressure/dodgy pump? Not good, did you have chance to check if it was using oil? Did the oil light come on when it was failing? Assume the garage have dropped the sump tray to see if there are any bits in it?
25mpg? The fact the injector pump didn't function properly points to a problem with the fuelling somewhere, either wrongly set or wrong info being given to the ecu by a dodgy sensor or leaky hose. Having said that Star Performance who reassembled mine took a while to get fuel through the system before she fired up. Did the garage VAGCOM it when they reassembled it?
You seem to have bought more than the bare engine, maybe some of the sensors/hoses/wiring are duff.

Best of luck sorting it, I'll be thinking of you.

 

[quattrojames]

I am gutted mate, this is so like the problems i had. I have more worries:
there is no company listed at Companies house under National Engine Centre, and there is no Ltd Co name on the website, bit worried about exactly who you are trading with
on ebay there is a seller shop called national-engine-center which reads very similar to the website but they are in Lydney not Cardiff
the 0845 number on the website diverts to a mobile 07879063043
the director of the Heathrow Engines cowboys who caused me so many problems(who are now trading under a different name) is Peter Purdy Morris.

I really really hope that these are not the same people, all i can say is thank god you didn't part with several grand to them already.

Lol not to worry I'm in a bit of a pessimistic mood myself these days! I did a lot of research when I discovered this company as I was very concerned about the name similarity to Heathrow Engines, in fact when I was looking the first company to contact me traded under the reconditioned-engines link you posted. I did plenty of research through Companies House etc and found out that "Heathrow Engine Centre" is currently in liquidation, and am satisfied that the Cardiff centre are totally independant to them. The chap is called Peter, but his surname is different so hopefully that's the only similarity!!

I paid with a credit card so will have some security from them should the worse come to the worse.

I assume you've done the idiot check to make sure that they've sent the correct model engine, i was offered a 150hp for my 180 at one point, being told "they're all the same mate, they all fit ". Bullocks.
How many miles had the donor car done, was it a bit tired before you got it? My rebuild also lacked the former torque, now has good days and bad days.
Oil light flicking on, hydraulic tappet noisy - is this poor oil pressure/dodgy pump? Not good, did you have chance to check if it was using oil? Did the oil light come on when it was failing? Assume the garage have dropped the sump tray to see if there are any bits in it?
25mpg? The fact the injector pump didn't function properly points to a problem with the fuelling somewhere, either wrongly set or wrong info being given to the ecu by a dodgy sensor or leaky hose. Having said that Star Performance who reassembled mine took a while to get fuel through the system before she fired up. Did the garage VAGCOM it when they reassembled it?
You seem to have bought more than the bare engine, maybe some of the sensors/hoses/wiring are duff.

Best of luck sorting it, I'll be thinking of you.

Cheers mate and I appreciate your concern. It is definitely an AKE engine and the engine number is not too far away from my original engine. I only have his word on the history of the engine, but believe it is from a 2001 model with 94k on which had four new cams due to wear. I thought it would have had new tappets but it didnt which surprised me a bit, the noisy tappet had largely diminished now, and was I think a result of the engine being stood a while. But this combined with possible oil pressure problems has made me question why the cams were worn ..... It was a basic engine except for the fuel injection pump, although I used my original one anyway in the end. I used my own turbo, starter, DM flywheel etc, and several of the sensors were also swapped to eliminate problems.

No chance to check the oil use yet, but there was no sign of the light when the pulley failed. The sump was replaced with the one from my original engine as the replacement sump was damaged during delivery somehow.

Not had the VAG-com tune yet, as my local garage doesnt have it, but it was booked into for a full check up and fuel timing set-up today, but never made it ....

 

[quattrojames]

Its a tough one!
Anymore news james??

I have spoken to the Cardiff Engine Centre today and they are going to collect the car tomorrow. I would sooner it was repaired by my trustworthy local garage but the terms of the warranty are such that it needs to go back to Cardiff. They 'suspect' that the bolt in the idler pulley (which was replaced for new apparently) has broken, apparently this has been a known issue lately which Audi are aware of and the centre are going to be pursueing a claim through Audi for this.

If the breakdown was as a result of their incompentance such as the pulley hadn't been done then up then i would be very very reluctant to use them and take it to the small claims court if necessary, but as it appears not to be their fault I haven't got much alternative than to give them the benefit of the doubt.

We will see, I have warned them I am a very fussy customer ....

 

[fjtwelve]

If it had 4 new cams due to wear before 94k i think the oil pump is u/s or there is a blockage or other failure in the oil system. Mine was at 176000 before the oil pump let go and not all the cams needed replacement then.
Heathrow engines were going to sell me an engine but then said they had dropped it and damaged the sump then said it was the original accident damage then said it had been fittted to someone else's car. When they sent me the wrong engine the pallet it was on had broken and the engine was almost resting on the sump.....
If its any consolation my wife was panicked today when the coolant light came on when she was rushing back from Exeter, as well as continuing to use oils at anywhere between 850 and 2500 miles per litre it also randomly swallows about 750mls of coolant now and again. Cannot find where its going, its totally inconsistent. Not that she knew this nor that there was a bottle of coolant in the back. We should start club for busted AKE owners....

 

[quattrojames]

If it had 4 new cams due to wear before 94k i think the oil pump is u/s or there is a blockage or other failure in the oil system. Mine was at 176000 before the oil pump let go and not all the cams needed replacement then.

We should start club for busted AKE owners....

Lol, I can't afford the membership fees right now! The thing is it's a cracking engine when it's running right

This is the problem in not really knowing the history of the engine. I was told it had four new cams but don't know why. In my mind to have worn four cams, points to an oil pressure issue, but why? And was it fixed? And why weren't the tappets replaced at the same time. More questions than answers at the moment sadly.

 

[fjtwelve]

Water loss was head gasket and when we started to take it to bits.....Er i have 2 chocolate cams and other problems. Top and front end in bits, bill estimated at 2500 ish.

 

[quattrojames]

Bit of an update.

Car is still in Cardiff, the idler pulley bolt had snapped which caused the timing belt to jump and damage the cams (again!) Car has been back to the Engine Centre in Cardiff who have been very obliging in trying to rectify the problem. They have rebuilt the engine but are having problems getting it to run correctly. Latest thinking is that the turbo is worn, hoping to pick it up tomorrow but we will see ....

 

[Marc1]

James you must have been really badly behaved in a previous life, the amount of bad luck you've been having recently. I hope it all rights itself and you have some better luck come the new year. This really sucks mate, feel for ya.