Hey lookin abit of advice before i buy a 2.5 tdi. Ive been told by a friend to stay clear of these as they have cam problems. Reading up on it i see he is right but i also read its was in the earlier b6 as in 2001-2002 and that it was sorted in the 2003 > models. Is this true and if so how do ya identify which hav the upgraded cams? Also i believe they come in 160 and 180bhp. Again how do i tell difference. Is it as simple as a red i or anythin? Never had an audi before but was just looking a bit of advice before i start viewing some so i know what to look for.ThanksSean
2.5tdi advice please
- Thread starter hybstheory
- Start date
Your mate has a point. But the 1.8T can have sludge problems, so best stay away from them. The 1.9PD can have cam problems too, so they're out. I suppose there's the 2.0 20v, but I'd rather walk. So they're out.
3.0V6 it is then lol.
The issues I've mentioned above are all down to poor servicing. My car has had a full Audi service history. Since I've had it, i've serviced it only on Audi parts and oil. It's now on 165+k and the cams are fine. I've had the rocker covers off and it's all great.
So I'm certainly not worried about the cam shafts in the 2.5. But they can go wrong!
160bhp is in the non quattros and 180bhp in the quattro. I haven't driven the 160bhp fwd. But if it struggles for grip like the 1.9tdi, then I'd get annoyed. Especially if you get it mapped.
3.0V6 it is then lol.
The issues I've mentioned above are all down to poor servicing. My car has had a full Audi service history. Since I've had it, i've serviced it only on Audi parts and oil. It's now on 165+k and the cams are fine. I've had the rocker covers off and it's all great.
So I'm certainly not worried about the cam shafts in the 2.5. But they can go wrong!
160bhp is in the non quattros and 180bhp in the quattro. I haven't driven the 160bhp fwd. But if it struggles for grip like the 1.9tdi, then I'd get annoyed. Especially if you get it mapped.
Yeah i no each car will have its own problems but its the cost of the repair id be worried about. Hav just had a kid so ive had to had to sell my subaru as it went thru petrol like nothing and was only a three door. Hav a 1.4 rover 25 but too small n can just about fit pram in boot. Was lookin at the 2.5 quattro as the winter makes the roads round my way a nightmare, also the 180 wud b a bit closer to the power i use to have. If the 2003 had the upgraded cams i woulda held out for one but what ur sayin is as long as theyre serviced right they tend to be ok? Id be lookin for a service history anyways but its good to know its a service problem rather than a just a matter of time problem!
Cheers
Cheers
marktdisport
Registered User
Tha safest all around model is the pd1.9 tdi bar far... But the 2.5tdi certainly wins if you want the sound and the power, they all have there own problems keep the oil change service up to date or earlier and you've got half a chance or having a reliable motor apart from when things go wrong
swarcup
Registered User
look for 10k or less intervals walk away from long life service ie 20k intervals, ive had mine 4 years now, its a 2001 b6 with 148k now and everything is sweet, original cams. i service mine every 8k and only put castrol edge in.
If you're used to scooby power then i would avoid the 1.9 Pd tdi altogether, it's too noisy and in standard trim it's brisk till about 80 Mph then it dies off. You can get a PD170 turbo fitted and have a remap but it's still not enough and after the novelty of the remap wear out then it's injectors time which are 800 quid + need custom mapping which not many in uk can do. On the other hand the v6 tdi can achieve over 220Bhp with just a remap, has 180 Bhp as standard and the pump has enough flow for 300-400 Bhp. If 200-220 Bhp is not enough then bosio pp683 nozzles can do safely 240-250 Bhp and if you want a hybrid turbo can push it nicely over 260 Bhp with enough torque to move the earth. Contrary to the 1.9 PD Tdi the clutch on the v6 tdi is the same as on the rs4 so can cope fine with up to 600 Nm of torque so no troubles there ! PD with a remap will need new clutch straight away ! Also the quattro CAN safely put the power on the road without issues.
Best all rounder is the v6 tdi with the BDG 163 Bhp engine. Does 48 Mpg on a motorway run and 35-38 Mpg in town and is good for 200 Bhp with just a remap. Only issue is they're only FWD but they come with sport suspension and have the later cam roller heads with hollow cams which can still go wrong- you can upgrade them to solid cams so no more issues whatsoever !
From a performance point of view the early sports v6 tdi quattro had full alloy intercoolers and GT2052 turbos as fitted to the allroad so they can run more boost so they feel much faster than later sports which are fitted with plastic ended intercoolers and gave the "sports" turbo which feel much flatter than the early ones.
If you do a lot of motorway miles then go for the 180Bhp v6 tdi quattro sport, it's the best compromise between performance and economy... The b6 platform is rather heavy either FWD or quattro so having a larger engine to haul it around is a no brainer !
Best all rounder is the v6 tdi with the BDG 163 Bhp engine. Does 48 Mpg on a motorway run and 35-38 Mpg in town and is good for 200 Bhp with just a remap. Only issue is they're only FWD but they come with sport suspension and have the later cam roller heads with hollow cams which can still go wrong- you can upgrade them to solid cams so no more issues whatsoever !
From a performance point of view the early sports v6 tdi quattro had full alloy intercoolers and GT2052 turbos as fitted to the allroad so they can run more boost so they feel much faster than later sports which are fitted with plastic ended intercoolers and gave the "sports" turbo which feel much flatter than the early ones.
If you do a lot of motorway miles then go for the 180Bhp v6 tdi quattro sport, it's the best compromise between performance and economy... The b6 platform is rather heavy either FWD or quattro so having a larger engine to haul it around is a no brainer !
I have an 04 2.5tdi Q Sport Avant and am more than happy with it but they need to have been looked after cambelt changed and well tuned.It used to belong to my son who has had an Impreza T and I had a Legacy 4cam T .The Audi is better built but I still fancy another Legacy
Mike, throw a gtb2260Vk turbocharger and bosio race 683 nozzles on your a4, it would transform the way the diesel v6 feels ! You won't miss your scooby again, trust me on that !
Chris I am sure you are right .Your belt change and tune transformed the car but I drive like the Oldie I am although Rob still loves it and I am sure he would do things if his back lets him down again and he has to go back to the Auto
VagCabby
Registered User
I've got a 04 2.5 tdi 163 manual and i cant fault it, ive had it about 8 months now and covered 10k miles in it and its a pleasure to drive! done 140k and has no signs of anything wrong with it, cams are good and has full audi history. Compared to my partners 2.0 140tdi PD it is so smooth and its worth getting one for the sound it makes! just make sure you check the service history and get as said and make sure it hasn't had long life servicing.
anoter fan of the 2.5tdi 180bhp Quattro here. Mine had a full dealer history with oil changes every 13-14k miles. Since I've had it I've been doing the oil every 6,000 miles. The car is now on 186,000 and is honestly unbelievable to drive. The MOT crept up on me recently, I didn't have chance to check it over so I just put it in and crossed my fingers......sailed through without a single advisory. Get a good one, you won't regret it.
swarcup
Registered User
Turkster
W.Bro.Paul 2.0d Q5 Quattro
The 2.5 is a beast, I've got one, there was a cam issue back in the day, i would think that any 2.5 with that said issue would have died by now or have been fixed, i cant see a 2001 with that issue still running on the roads well at this point in time, so my 2p's worth is the cam issue woukd have killed any 2.5 out there by now, like what has already been said, look for full service history, Main Dealer would be best and pay just that little bit more for one that has, My Audi main dealer's service lads are anal when a car goes out the back and they look real hard for things to fix, which is comforting when it comes out the other end with the all clear and a belly full of fresh oil,
I have the 2.5 180 Quattro - In my opinion, its luck of the draw.
Purchased mine in February of this year on 120,000 miles - full service history (fixed intervals)
Was carrying out an oil change a few months later and drained out a thrust pad - it was basically down to worn cams.
Ended up spending £1100 for a repair kit & cambelt from ebay - thankfully a forum member fitted the bits for me - If I had to consider labor from a garage I would have probably had to wait to have them sorted.
Could have done without it really - I went from a 1.8T Ibiza Cupra, which was much quicker than the A4 (despite a few mods) and about as economical.
I also have a noisy hydraulic lifter which was new with the kit - its slowly grating away at me so will have to have it changed at somepoint too!
Having said that, if it hadn't have cost me the money I would have said it was a good engine - pulls well and sounds great with a stainless exhaust.
Purchased mine in February of this year on 120,000 miles - full service history (fixed intervals)
Was carrying out an oil change a few months later and drained out a thrust pad - it was basically down to worn cams.
Ended up spending £1100 for a repair kit & cambelt from ebay - thankfully a forum member fitted the bits for me - If I had to consider labor from a garage I would have probably had to wait to have them sorted.
Could have done without it really - I went from a 1.8T Ibiza Cupra, which was much quicker than the A4 (despite a few mods) and about as economical.
I also have a noisy hydraulic lifter which was new with the kit - its slowly grating away at me so will have to have it changed at somepoint too!
Having said that, if it hadn't have cost me the money I would have said it was a good engine - pulls well and sounds great with a stainless exhaust.
I have this 1.9PD Tdi with a bv43 turbo, remap and a strong southbend clutch and TTV flywheel and it's decent but nowhere near as fun as the other v6 tdi quattro's i have. It does handle nice after having full sports suspension replaced + front and rear antiroll bars. Also had to fit 312mm brakes as the stock 288mm ones were not up to scratch. It does fine on the motorway but it won't float my boat. Also with the SMF and stronger damped clutch is so hard to drive in town missus does not want to get near it ! It also misses the quattro but that's something i can fix- currently breaking a b6 audi a4 quattro so i have most parts for the conversion !
From me v6 quattro all the way, best blend of power and performance but as other said- do not rule out the 4 pot diesel engines...
From me v6 quattro all the way, best blend of power and performance but as other said- do not rule out the 4 pot diesel engines...
welcome sean, you'll know if the cams are going when you have a listen at tickover and hear the fast rattely knock or especially driving with window down passing parked cars or walls take accelerator off and you hear the tick/tick/tick of the followers slapping around. if still unsure take off the oil filler and look in (when engine off/stopped!) shine in torch on that lobe and see what its like, run flat head screwdriver over the top from edge to edge. if any wear they will be groved in the middle you will feel it. they only need to have slight groves on each lob on the 4 cams for car to sound strange. they are on their way out at that stage and quickly progress to farm machinery noise! at this point knock 2k of the asking price and i would not take the car unless you trust whoever can do the job or diy yourself. i suppose having a listen to a few known good 2.5tdis would help ..check you tube for the non tractor sounding ones!!
I have just changed 160 v6 tdi cams and t/belt at an initial cost of 1500. I love the car, it has comfort,power,sounds good again but was it worth the money and hastle I had since? theres a lot of stuff comes off during this job and if its not put back together carefully by someone who a) knows what they are doing, b) cares what they do, you'll run into months of issues trying to trace the faults.
i had oil leaks that took weeks to trace, braking probs due to damaged vacuum pump seal, nipped wire causing starting probs, damaged hose letting in air, dirt in my fuel injectors, maf got something dropped on it while off, and a clogged egr caused by loose cabon in the intake manifold...all cumulating in the car running like a bag of cr@p after spending that amount i was gutted. so i have since spent a further few 100 to rectify these issues 1 by 1 over 5 months (not including my time!) and of course no fault codes shown up to help diagnose! The prob with audis is they are expensive if they go wrong so diy-ing is my only option.
owning a 160 a4 cab i would say that for a bigish lump there is not a lot of room inside. there is plenty of driving/passanger room but stick 2 car seats in the back you'll only have room for your lunchbox between them! recline them and your kids will have their feet all over your leather headrests! plus break the weak centre armrest! but thats the price you pay for comfort, solid built / quiet ride. the boot is large but has no depth so it means pulling the wheels of the 3 wheel buggie and spending 5 mins assembling the fold up/down parts while the kids screem to get out! so that stops the missus driving it anyway
amazingly we fit better into her nissan almera hatchback..work that out and im serious!
suppose may mention fuel economy too...2.5s only about 35-38mpg im afraid dunno wha the scoob was but the 2.5 aint cheap to run or tax . still rather ther 2.5 than the 1.9. especially if towing is needed.
i'd go for the 4wd 180 avant if you can...good history and gearbox services needed too...then you'll have peace of mind , power and room!
I have just changed 160 v6 tdi cams and t/belt at an initial cost of 1500. I love the car, it has comfort,power,sounds good again but was it worth the money and hastle I had since? theres a lot of stuff comes off during this job and if its not put back together carefully by someone who a) knows what they are doing, b) cares what they do, you'll run into months of issues trying to trace the faults.
i had oil leaks that took weeks to trace, braking probs due to damaged vacuum pump seal, nipped wire causing starting probs, damaged hose letting in air, dirt in my fuel injectors, maf got something dropped on it while off, and a clogged egr caused by loose cabon in the intake manifold...all cumulating in the car running like a bag of cr@p after spending that amount i was gutted. so i have since spent a further few 100 to rectify these issues 1 by 1 over 5 months (not including my time!) and of course no fault codes shown up to help diagnose! The prob with audis is they are expensive if they go wrong so diy-ing is my only option.
owning a 160 a4 cab i would say that for a bigish lump there is not a lot of room inside. there is plenty of driving/passanger room but stick 2 car seats in the back you'll only have room for your lunchbox between them! recline them and your kids will have their feet all over your leather headrests! plus break the weak centre armrest! but thats the price you pay for comfort, solid built / quiet ride. the boot is large but has no depth so it means pulling the wheels of the 3 wheel buggie and spending 5 mins assembling the fold up/down parts while the kids screem to get out! so that stops the missus driving it anyway
amazingly we fit better into her nissan almera hatchback..work that out and im serious!suppose may mention fuel economy too...2.5s only about 35-38mpg im afraid dunno wha the scoob was but the 2.5 aint cheap to run or tax . still rather ther 2.5 than the 1.9. especially if towing is needed.
i'd go for the 4wd 180 avant if you can...good history and gearbox services needed too...then you'll have peace of mind , power and room!
I might have a b6 avant 2002, 180Bhp quattro, denim blue, climate, ESP, electric windows, lowered suspension, leather interior, remote central locking,etc.
Fully rebuilt engine with new kolbenshmidt cams, forged rocker arms and genuine INA lifters, full cambelt kit + water pump and aux. belts and much more.
Bought the car for spares or repairs with half the engine in the boot, previous garage (some known VAG specialists in Birmingham !) was chasing a non starting issue so they took the heads off and left it there as the cuastomer did not want to proceed with the repairs anymore !
On rebuilding the heads found 2 or 3 cracked valves and replaced all stem seals + lapped all the valves in. Fitted 2 new Elring head gaskets and new head bolts and went to start. Guess what it did not start ? Got the VP44 injector pump off and sent to dieselbob for testing- it came back as fully within Bosch specs and not the issue. In the end i traced the fault to the ECU cover- someone took it apart and broke the casing, water entered the ECU and shorted the relays which was giving an intermittent power supply to the injector pump ! Replaced the relays- they were rusted- and it started first time !
I have pictures from while i rebuilt it if you want, need to take pics of the car as it stands now !
Fully rebuilt engine with new kolbenshmidt cams, forged rocker arms and genuine INA lifters, full cambelt kit + water pump and aux. belts and much more.
Bought the car for spares or repairs with half the engine in the boot, previous garage (some known VAG specialists in Birmingham !) was chasing a non starting issue so they took the heads off and left it there as the cuastomer did not want to proceed with the repairs anymore !
On rebuilding the heads found 2 or 3 cracked valves and replaced all stem seals + lapped all the valves in. Fitted 2 new Elring head gaskets and new head bolts and went to start. Guess what it did not start ? Got the VP44 injector pump off and sent to dieselbob for testing- it came back as fully within Bosch specs and not the issue. In the end i traced the fault to the ECU cover- someone took it apart and broke the casing, water entered the ECU and shorted the relays which was giving an intermittent power supply to the injector pump ! Replaced the relays- they were rusted- and it started first time !
I have pictures from while i rebuilt it if you want, need to take pics of the car as it stands now !
