Great +++ That's good to know.

After my bad experiences of the local Audi indy people in my (relatively) new neck of the woods, it is wonderfully reassuring to have my car in MJ’s capable hands. Well worth the 4 hour drive and a couple of weeks or so without a car. And reading a ‘what’s in the workshop’ write up on your own car is brillaintly exciting!

MJ made me very welcome and we did a reccy with the car on the lift, so there are a couple of other jobs to be done as a result. And I’ll be back at a later date for a rear subframe rebuild.

And as an added bonus, I had a short trip in MJ’s car when she gave me a lift to a services to meet up with a friend for a lift home. Even from the passenger seat, you can tell how ‘tight’ MJ’s car is - it’s like a brand new car (which it pretty much is!). And the interior is a beautiful place to be - the red leather and black trim is a very pleasing combination.

I can’t wait for the next post - thanks MJ! :)

This morning's activities:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554064154

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554064154

This afternoon was spent removing engine parts and prepping it for cleaning

I think this is where most of the gunge on the lower half of the engine came from

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

Attached to the bracket for the engine stand

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

On the stand

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

Locking tools in

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

Started taking the timing gear off. This is a new one :rolleyes: This is the tensioner roller and you can just see that there is a threaded insert stuck on the bolt. The threaded insert should have stayed in the engine but it appears the thread of the bolt is a bit mashed so it took the insert out with it. This is going to be 'interesting' to repair...

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

Whoever gorrilla'd the tensioner bolt apparently attacked the cam sprockets with a lump hammer too :tuttut:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

Drained the remaining coolant from the block. Its a good sign that both drains are clear. Oil cooler drain first

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

passenger side drain - this drain is almost always blocked, but on this engine it runs free :)

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

The vac hoses are completely perished so I'll replace those

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

I left the oil draining overnight, ready for tomorrow

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554066018

4 hours of cleaning... :eek3:

I pulled the oil cooler housing off. The plastic pipe had already cracked. That's getting replaced with an aluminium one.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

Yeuch

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

I really don't know why these engines collect sand between the inlet manifold and the head. They all have it, and one has to be extremely careful when taking the manifold off to not get any down the inlet ports

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

Flange cleaned up and the inlet ports protected

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

There was evidence of coolant leakage down the back of the block so I pulled the water pipes off the back of the heads. Just as well I did since one o-ring had turned to fluff and the other was already leaking.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

Cleaned up the valley

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

Breather cover removed - the gasket on this is the source of all the gunge in the valley and also all the oil down the back of the block. There's a little drain hole on the left of the pic where everything that leaks from here escapes down in to the bellhousing :rolleyes:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

More grub

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

2 gallons of degreaser later...

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554150670

So, this threaded insert for the tensioner roller...

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554151280

I sacrificed a 10mm socket to make a tool to remove the insert from the thread

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554151280

It fits like this

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554151280

The insert came off with a little persuasion

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554151280

Whoever fitted the last belt didn't bother to clean the schmutz out of the thread. They just gorilla'd the bolt in and it got stuck. There's actually no damage to the thread - it just needed cleaning :rolleyes:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554151280

Made an assembly tool to put it back in the block. It will be held in with Loctite 638 retaining compound

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554151280

Screwed in to the block and permanently bonded with Loctite.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554151280

Let’s name and shame, shall we? The “gorillas” who did the last belt change were from AudiTechnik in Glasgow. Thanks guys!

There's something compellingly voyeuristic in these threads :D

Chain tensioners.

Since the engine is on the stand I can rotate it 45° so the head is level. This makes the tensioner swap an order of magnitude easier than doing it in the car with the head at 45°.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

Not quite so spotless inside as Stephens! This is fairly normal for a 185K mile engine.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

Removed the first set of cam caps. The bottom left one is removed even though the cam doesn't come out, since this leaves space to swing the tensioner out.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

The cam journals are in perfect condition, despite the gunge

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

Bizarrely, even though the tensioners rattle on startup, the pads in this one are barely worn :Confused:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

The new tensioner in its box. There really ought to be an angelic choir or fanfare opening this up :ROFL:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

Ta dah!

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

The passenger side cam is a pain because the roller lifters push it off to one side as it's tightened down

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

This is the culprit

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

Rather than just using the two main caps to pull it down in to the head, I use all four, plus a technique I've developed which I can't photograph with only two arms!

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

Back in place

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

It goes back in with the timing marks slightly off as the lifter pushes it out of position while the tensioner is compressed with its locking tool

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

I mark each bolt as I torque it up. 5Nm then 90°, so two marks on each bolt.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

New oil seals

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

A genuine VW special tool 3366! This compresses the tensioner so it can be removed or inserted

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

With the tensioner locking tool removed the spring pressure pulls the chain tight which pops the cam back in line

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

Cover cleaned up and back on with a new gasket

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1554241009

The driver's side is exactly the same procedure but much easier as it isn't trying to open any valves so it just drops back in place.

Fascinating stuff! +++

I notice the new pads are a different colour to the old ones; are they made of a different material or is that just how they look when they are clean!?