Expedition Allroad -- Squeeky Clean Internals Edition

"Garrett Davis" (GarrettDavis)
11/14/2016 at 16:06 • Filed to: None

If those pristine, gloriously glistening, tantalizingly lubricated camshafts don’t get your blood flowing, then I question your Jalophood.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

That’s right, I finally tore into the new engine for the Audi. For those just tuning in, I bought an Audi Allroad with a blown engine (timing belt snapped) and acquired a replacement from a B5 Audi S4.

I tore down the front of the engine yesterday, pulled off all the accessories, replaced the water pump, the thermostat, the thermostat housing, one side of the cam seals along with the cam chain tensioner gasket (PITFA), and valve cover gasket. I was only able to do the seals on one of the heads because I ended up only having enough cam seals for one side (the others are on order).

Cam lock bar engaged

I replaced the infamously problematic thermostat housing with an Aluminum one from. The one that was on there wasn’t cracked, but the sealing edge was pretty worn down on one side, so I didn’t really feel like taking any chances. Seeing as how you pretty much have to do a full timing belt job in order to get to it, I’m glad I did. Peace of mind is a beautiful thing.

New hottness VS old and busted

Timing belt and cam gears off, t-stat housing and water pump on. I love shiny new parts.

Insert wincing face while pulling the cam sprockets

The old timing belt looks brand freaking new

Mmmmm rust. Looks more like buffalo sauce than anything else...

As you can see, it was pretty damn rusty anywhere water is supposed to go. Unfortunately this is just a fact of life with an iron block that has sat for a few months without running. All I can do is clean it up the best I can, and then I’ll be flushing it frequently once it’s up and running.

It looks like the timing belt was done somewhat recently, which is definitely a possibility with a ~80k engine. Oh well, this is not something I want to bother with again, so might as well do it right when it’s out of the car and have easy access to everything.

More misc. camshaft porn:

Jesus, 5 valves per cylinder! German over-engineering at its finest!

That’s all I’ve got for now. Some day this week I’ll be doing the cam seals, valve cover gaskets, and cam tensioner seals for the other side, and then putting the new timing belt on as well as the new idler pulley and tensioner. Then probably a day in itself installing the turbos, and finally I’ll start tearing apart the Audi to scavenge a few parts I need off the old engine, and I can drop this puppy in!

Fuck, I’ve got a lot of work to do.

DISCUSSION (23)

OPPOsaurus WRX > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 16:13

well this makes me sad.....

EL_ULY > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 16:14

memories of my brief Audi life. Specifically doing the tensioner gaskets

All the 5valve “over engineering” just the get whooped by a plain jane 4 cyl Nissan Altima on a brief highway pull.

Garrett Davis > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/14/2016 at 16:17

How’s the AR? You get the fender fixed?

Garrett Davis > EL_ULY
11/14/2016 at 16:18

I honestly have no idea how anyone would do the passenger side chain tensioner gasket with the engine in the car. Such a pain in the ass!

Party-vi > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 16:20

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/this-is-what-happened-1788913189

EL_ULY > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 16:21

I did, confirmed that hell exists

Garrett Davis > Party-vi
11/14/2016 at 16:23

Oh damn...

CalzoneGolem > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/14/2016 at 16:29

I was going to tell you to look away but it is too late.

Dave the car guy , still here > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 16:36

Just for your knowledge. Everyone freaks on Audi 2.8/2.7 if things get turned while the cam bar is off the cogs. With crank locked with the threaded tool for TDC you will notice there are marks on the cams visible with the valve covers off. There are timing arrows on the bearing caps. Thought you might like this FYI. Doing those new chains/tensioners or tensioner seals, make sure you get two tools, I’ve had several, they are prone to breaking. New tensioners include them but from experience I can say they won’t last very long when you do several tensioner seals. I even had one break first time I relieved tension on a chain. And if you should take a cam out remember its 16 chain links between cams. Amazing motors in my estimation. I’ve had both 2.8 and 1.8t cars and worked on a few other VW and Audi motors. Have always though people just need to step up their game. If they think these are bad they need to investigate some of the newer GM motors that are a pain to get in time even for experienced mechanics if its the first time in the GM high feature engines. We have all been spoiled by old simpler V8 , 6 and 4 cylinders engines.

http://a3dave.kinja.com/garage-repairs-for-friends-1768760832

OPPOsaurus WRX > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 16:45

Yea.....

Garrett Davis > Dave the car guy , still here
11/14/2016 at 16:47

My buddy was giving me the rundown on that, because I was also being ultra cautious of it, but once he showed me the markings for lining it back up and the chain setup, I relaxed. We locked the crank and used that plastic tool for holding the tensioner down, and luckily didn’t have any issues with it.

I can’t wait to get this bad boy up and running! I still haven’t driven it or any other 2.7 yet!

Garrett Davis > OPPOsaurus WRX
11/14/2016 at 16:50

Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, I guess?

Damn, another Allroad lost from Oppo. Pretty soon I’m gonna be the only one left.

Dave the car guy , still here > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 16:56

You’ll love it. Kudos on all the hard work.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 17:01

Ha I dunno. I miss my WRX pretty hard core

SantaRita > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 17:05

Just going to say this now before you regret it later....valve stem seals like to go bad in these... however there are only 30 of them...F-in Ah-D!

might be worth a second thought.

Garrett Davis > SantaRita
11/14/2016 at 17:21

Jesus, I would rather just buy a whole new head if it comes to that. I’m thinking I’m pretty safe on that with this one. It has I think 77k miles on it, and it was well taken care of, so I’m not going to worry about it.

Garrett Davis > Dave the car guy , still here
11/14/2016 at 17:21

Thanks man!

SantaRita > Garrett Davis
11/14/2016 at 17:35

i’m rooting for you!

Garrett Davis > SantaRita
11/14/2016 at 17:47

Thanks! Fingers crossed lol

jimz > Garrett Davis
12/17/2016 at 11:24

timing belt and chains?

Audi gonna Audi.

Garrett Davis > jimz
12/17/2016 at 12:31

Lol, I know right?

jimz > Garrett Davis
12/17/2016 at 12:38

I’m not as familiar with that engine; do the chains just tie each head’s cams together, or are they driving other accessories?

Garrett Davis > jimz
12/17/2016 at 13:09

Correct, the chains are just between the cams, and then there is a hydraulic tensioner between them to change cam timing through the rev range.