UPDATE UPDATE :
Ok, so having stripped the back of the engine (With the engine in situ) again to access the timing components, we checked the following.
1. checked the static timing of all the components. Crank (Top Dead Centre Using Audi Crank locating pin) - and made sure it had located in the correct spot on the crank - Spot On.
2. Checked all chains were tensioned correctly and running correctly on the guides & tensioners, they were spot on.
3. Checked all camshafts were correctly timed (Using Audi Camshaft locating plates), they were spot on.
So at this point we were able to confirm that the engine had all been timed up correctly when it was re-assembled.
4. We then removed both of the Mechanical Adjuster Units and checked that they had been assembled correctly at static timing "Locating Pins in Locked Position" and timed correctly..... they were, we then checked that they were activating correctly and not jammed and did the airline test to ensure the pins released when the oil pressure would be applied from the Electrical Cam Adjusters..... The mechanical adjusters worked perfectly and moved freely after the pin had been released by the air pressure (Which suggests the oil pressure would do the same) - All checked out spot on.
5. We then decided to work backwards from the Mechanical Adjusters as everything up to this point was ok.
6. We now moved back to the Electrical Cam Adjuster units and decided to check exactly how these worked. We compared the two new units against our two old units and dis-assembled one of the old units to see how they worked. The main part of the Electrical Cam Adjuster (Picture Below of one of my old units) is mechanically operated by an electrically operated actuator, the part to the right of the Electrical Cam Adjuster in the picture is the actuator (This is one of the actuators removed from one of the new units). A signal is sent to the from the ECU to the actuator when the variable timing is needed to be adjusted, when the electrical signal is received by the actuator, it activates a piston in the actuator which moves in two directions dependant on what polarity of signal is received, that allows the oil pressure to either flow, or not flow...... which then controls the movement of the mechanical adjusters.
7. So...... We decided to test one of the old actuators to see exactly how the electrical charge moved the piston inside the actuator (Picture Below). As you can see from the picture below..... the actuator has holes along it's body, and inside the centre of the actuator is a long piston, which dependant on it's position either blocks these holes or opens them.
When testing both of the old actuators having removed them from the Electric Cam Adjuster Units we applied 12v to the actuator, The piston moved in one direction (Allowing the holes to be open, and when swapping polarity, it moves in the opposite direction (Can't remember which polarity = open and which = closed, but basically the piston moves up or down within the actuator. Both of the old actuators did this perfectly.
8. Now we removed both actuators from the new units and carried out the same test.........
a. The first new actuator we tested, the piston moved in one direction fine, but when we reversed the polarity, it failed to return the piston back in the opposite direction and the piston remained in the position the initial electrical charge had sent it ! ! ! !
b. We then tested the second new actuator, applying the same 12v electrical supply....... I was holding the actuator when the test was done...... The piston didn't move at all, but I could feel the actuator pulsing, but no movement on the piston. We swapped polarity, but again...... exactly the same.
All of the items we used throughout the whole rebuild are genuine Audi parts and we are now having to return the parts under warranty..........
We did consider putting the old actuators into the new Electric Cam Adjuster Units, but after spending so much money..... why should we.
I believe that there is something wrong with the actuators of the new Electric Cam Adjusters, which would explain the fault codes and the ECU recognising that the timing was not retarding when required and throwing the fault codes (This would be because the actuators appear jammed and were not allowing the oil pressure to get to the Mechanical Adjusters to release the pins from the locked position...........
Has anyone else had this problem ????
Old on the left, working correctly. New On the right, not working correctly.
Any advice or additional tests I should do HuhHuhHuh