A4 2.0 TFSI - New Engine Required. (Oil Consumption Fixed -> Pump Failure)

[_Fixit_]

Hi,

I've been lurking a while reading lots about what to tweak on my B8 S4, but in the mean time my wifes A4 has just had its oil pump fail and take out the bearing opposite the pump... swarf in engine, turbo dead etc.

It has had a colourful 14 months, we bought it second hand approved used through Audi. It turns out it was one of the oil slurping engines so last September they rebuilt the engine with new pistions/rings.

My wife then had 2 separate blow outs driving home from work - on what where good condition looking bridgstones.

Now 12 months later the wheel bearing goes, and on driving home from having that replaced the car started making a rattling noise.
I took it back to Audi the next day, by the time I drove the 2 miles up the road it had gone from no noise at startup to a knocking.

Audi say the engine/turbo is damaged beyond repair and want £10k to fit a new one.

So here is my dilemma, I can't really afford to dump £10k into an engine, and I'm suspicious of rebuild companies saying they can do it all for £2k.

I'm happy stripping the engine out of the car and have plenty of mechanically minded friends offering assistance, but if I was to go down the replacement engine route where would you source one?

Ideally I'm after some advice/suggestions from people who have been in similar situations?

Thanks in advance,

-A very stressed out Jim.

 

[spartacus68]

A breaker or dismantler would be your best bet, on a car that's been body-damaged or similar. You want like for like, so a bit of a waiting game I'm afraid. Avoid breakeryard.com at all costs. I've had dealings with them (especially on a dodgy A2 headlight) and vowed never to use them again. They're a network of dismantlers but their head-office washed their hands, so can inagine an engine would be a completely different ball game if it was goosed.

https://overton.salvagemarket.co.uk...uel=1&catc=0&memr=0&site=&dist=0&sort=0&srch=

 

[skiptowncat]

I would get the engine rebuilt with forged parts and then put a massive turbo on...but that's just me!!

 

[CHEZ]

Hold on a minute here, let's just rewind back a bit.
So, audi replaced the pistons and rods less than 2 years ago yes?
The work they carried out if so comes with a 2 year warranty.
So, can it not be proven that they may have damaged something while doing the repair?
A long shot maybe, and one that they will obviously try to wriggle out of I am sure.
So, what I would do is contact audi UK, lay it on thick with them that the car was fine up until the work was done, and let them decide the outcome.
I would not even liase with the dealer, let audi UK investigate on your behalf.
Good luck.

 

[spartacus68]

The work they carried out if so comes with a 2 year warranty.
So, can it not be proven that they may have damaged something while doing the repair?

Missed that bit. Approved Audi carries 1 year warranty, but if there was work completed on it prior to purchase, then they'd have used Audi parts which come with 2 year warranty. Got to be worth a call to Audi UK.

 

[_Fixit_]

Thanks for the advice.

I have tried to go down that route, waiting on a call back from Audi UK. The dealer stated that the oil pump was weak (no low oil pressure light though) and it took out the bearing furthest from the pump. This then caused the damage to the pistons that they replaced last year.

I will see what Audi UK have to say before doing anything else, not that I can do mush until they put it back together, it is currently taking up a ramp at the dealers with the engine all over the place.

 

[_Fixit_]

Well Audi UK want nothing to do with it... they just fall back on the "You never took out the extended warranty", which we were never offered once the one year expired.

They state this was caused by a weak/defective oil pump so nothing to do with the work last year.

So I guess its time to have it transported back to the house and then start looking for an engine.

 

[Gazwould]

What engine code ?

 

[_Fixit_]

CDNC

 

[the_muzza]

There is this one on eBay for 1500 odd?

Appears to be a refurbished one

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272398727908

 

[veetee]

Wow - sounds spookily familiar to my experience exactly a year ago. If you search this forum you'll find my thread. Anyway I also had catastrophic engine failure on my 2010 cdnc engine. I had bought it outside of the audi dealer network in 2014 with 92k on the clock but it had a full Audi SH under the previous owner and had had the bottom end rebuild carried out at 88k by audi. Despite the fact that I hadn't bought it from Audi and therefore had no warranty after a lot of toing and froing I had Audi UK and my local audi dealer agree to a 70% goodwill contribution to the price of a brand new off the shelf engine, turbo and intercooler. The fact that the car had a FASH and the fact that I had been loyal customer (up until that point!) with previous 3 audis no doubt helped. Pursuasion and persistence is the key! Good luck! Oh, and I had no a prior warning to the failure happening - it all took place in the space of a few miles on the motorway - some rattling and then a seized engine - no warning lights - nothing audi never did admit what had caused the issue.

 

[veetee]

BTW the engine cost was about 8500 so my contribution was roughly the cost if a reconditioned engine - which I would never have bought - I have 2 mates with very bad experiences of them. The only alternative would have been to break the car up to get some money back

 

[_Fixit_]

Thanks veetee, it appears we have very similar failures... However in this case Audi want nothing to do with it. So you are lucky!

I chatted with the tech today and had a look at the engine. It appears that the oil pump was still working within tolerances albeit just above the lower tolerance at idle. They didn't conduct the second test because the noise the engine was making.

The far end bearing from the oil pump has picked up and spun, there is also damage to the cam shafts and the turbo is toast. Swarf everywhere.

I'm going to look for a second hand engine not a refurb, as I am very worried about reconditioned engines and any come back on them. The customer relations manager has stated he will look up any vin number I find to make sure it is not from the bad pistons/rings batch of engines before I purchase.

 

[veetee]

So it sounds like your engine is still turning? So maybe it is feasibly repairable (not with standing cost),That might be why Audi are reluctant to shell out for a new engine? With my engine it was totally absolutely and completely bored. No3 cylinder had no piston - it was in pieces. The crank case was cracked and the piston had smashed the spark plug. It couldn't be turned over by hand - was totally seized. Getting the goodwill payment was not easy - it took 4 weeks and lots of persuasion and reasoning and talk of loyalty and audi's reputation and not accepting what they first offered (think it was 25%) . From what you've said it sounds like you have a strong case - you just need to push and push (whilst being polite and professional). I think the are shunning their responsibility

 

[_Fixit_]

Ah, I guess yours was just under 5 years old. The factory will contribute at up to 5 years old. If not then you where better at persuading than me!

 

[veetee]

Was not aware of that 5 year thing- yep it was registered in Sept 2010 and it happened last September so I was lucky! But I would urge you to try again - it sounds pretty unacceptable for them to wash their hands of it. Best of luck!

 

[Gazwould]

Consumer Rights Act of 2015 states 6 years .

 

[_Fixit_]

Update: So currently we have the Finance company involved and they are now negotiating with Audi... so hope to hear something this week.

Thanks for the advice so far!

 

[_Fixit_]

...and that is a no, they have offered £1k as a good will gesture... but with a deadline of accepting of today.

I'm going to get an independent inspector to do a report on the engine, as at this point we have nothing to loose. Otherwise it is second hand engine time.

Does it have to be a CDNC code engine that goes back in? I was unsure if that was the batch that had the oil consumption issues, and I am having issues finding the CDNC engines... apart from the 3 or 4 dodgy eBay adverts from engine rebuilders who appear to have a not so good history!

 

[Zafi]

Stick a Rover V8 in it, shedbuilt RS4