A6 C6 2.0 TDi (BRE) Oil Pump/Balance Shaft Replacement Help

[ben101]

Hi guys,

new member here but been browsing the site a while. i own a A6 C6 with a BRE motor and obviously the hex key drive to the oil pump has gone and blown the turbo too.

For cost reasons i plan to do all the work myself (im pretty handy, ex motorcycle mechanic and superbike crew chief). i have the turbo out no problem and am just looking at getting the balance shaft assy out. question is, do i only need to lower the front subframe meaning i can leave all the linkages attached (i will need to remove the anti-roll bar i think) to get the sump out or do i need to disconnect everything to allow the subframe to drop enough?

i know this sure as hell doesnt look like a job to do on the driveway with axle stands but i dont really have any other option at the minute as im also mid renovation of a property which has absolutely drained the wallet!

 

[Bbflex]

When I dropped the sump on mine I had the box off and jacked the engine up using a engine hoist, I was replacing the rear main seal so box came off anyway, I may have unbolted the ARB for better access to the bolts but that was it.

I changed the sump on a c5 1.9tdi not long ago and I did that by loosening the front subframe bolts and letting the front drop and lifting the engine up with a hoist again with both engine mounts unbolted at the bottom, I left the tranny mounts connected in the c5 but you could try and see what works on the c6 , and lifting the engine till it’s hitting the bulkhead, I also removed the NS engine mount and slid the sump out that way.

 

[ben101]

Thanks for the reply! it just so happens i have just been reading your other thread on your oil leak from the main seal before i came back to this.
finally managed it and what a P.I.T.A! i had to lift the motor till it just about hit the bulkhead (gearbox still attached) and drop the front of the subframe and ARB aswell as loosen the rear of the subframe mounting brackets and loosen the rear subframe bolts but leave them on a couple of threads to keep it secure.

so job done, new balance shaft, longer hex key etc and new turbo fitted.

onto the next problem!

i bought a really cheap and nasty turbo from ebay (wasnt sure the motor was ok until i had repaired the oil pump so didnt want to spend alot if the motor was dead) and now the turbo occasionally kicks in but more often than not.... no boost. keeps putting itself into limp mode with underboost (P0299) all vac lines look ok and id be surprised if the N75 had gone as it was fine before the oil pump/turbo issue. so im thinking its just a poor actuator setup as its such a cheap turbo. gonna try some live data setup tweaks today and hopefully i'll get it adjusted up and working ok. only thing is, it looks like a right pig to do a live setup purely down to the actuator location. its gonna be another fun day! but at least i know the motors ok now and if i have to i can just throw a better quality turbo at it now (im still tight as f**k so i'll try n get this one working first lol).

 

[Pie-eyedpiper]

Is your turned on the car? Do you have your cooler on?
Sounds like it could be your actuator diaphragm or your turbo vanes are all carbonded up. You can try the vanes first, without dismantling your turbo.
Disconnect the pipe into the turbo and squirt some Mr Muscle oven cleaner in as per this video.
Don't worry that it's an A3, everything is basically the same. You might have to do it a few times if really bad, but if it works it's easier than dismantling and physically cleaning the vanes.

 

[ben101]

yea the turbo is still on the car and the cooler is all reconnected and no leaks on the pressurised side. its not carbon on the vanes as its a brand new turbo. i do think its the actuator tho. if i drop the clutch and spool the motor up i can get the turbo to kick in and stay in (by giving the actuator loads of vac). i have a hand vac pump turning up today so i will try and set the actuator rod and stop positions properly. if this doesnt work i will try fitting the original actuator onto the new turbo. if none of the above works looks like i will be ordering a better quality turbo tomorrow! my fault for going for such a cheap nasty turbo but i didnt wanna shell out if the motor was no good!

 

[ben101]

quick update, sure enough i ran a vac test on the actuator and it was opening at 1" Hg and hitting the stop at 9"Hg. i tried to adjust what i could on the car but ended up having to remove the turbo. when off, the actuator rod would not go long enough to give the required readings so i ended up switching it out with my old actuator. i then had to lengthen this rod but now have it cracking at 4"Hg and hitting the stop at 18"Hg so hopefully all ready to re-fit and tes (but its a ****** monsoon out there and i cba putting it back on!

 

[Bbflex]

Yea I had a mare setting up the VNT turbo on mine recently, I had to make an EMP gauge set up and log EMP as I had to reset the set screw as well.

 

[ben101]

yea i have had to reset the screw too so im nipping it into my local tuning company on Friday to get it on the rolling road and check boost pressure and give the N75 a little tune up to match the actuator bodge. took me two days to get it setup in the end! all because the actuator that came on the cheap turbo physically couldnt stroke long enough to operate the vanes!

 

[ashaudiA38PA]

yea i have had to reset the screw too so im nipping it into my local tuning company on Friday to get it on the rolling road and check boost pressure and give the N75 a little tune up to match the actuator bodge. took me two days to get it setup in the end! all because the actuator that came on the cheap turbo physically couldnt stroke long enough to operate the vanes!

Hi Ben,

I have an A6 like yours. Would you be so kind as to help explain how you changed the oil pump shaft in more detail? I need to do mine but worried I am out of my depth. Were there any difficult things to watch out for? From what I can tell the ac lines get in the way and its hard to get access to two bolts in particular on the sump housing.